After reading a number of threads on this forum regarding the poor quality of shows and actions of 'promoters' it got me thinking about the attitude and mindset of the ringleaders in this sport. I believe that professional boxing as an event is stuck in the 1980s with crap opponents, poor marketing and dreadful shows. The last show I attended was a 'well-know promoters' bill and the whole promotion, I felt, was a shambles. There were no introductions, no plasma screens, no razzmatazz and virtually no promotion before the event. Most of the people in attendance were either die hard fans or family and friends of the boxers. Luckily the main event was a great tear up, though apart from that the whole show was completely forgettable. I work in the advertising industry which up until the recession was very similar, all the top groups relied on old ways i.e. getting their clients mortal drunk and relying on personal friendships. With the recession all this has changed and there now is much greater accountability which requires modern thinking and watertight strategies. I feel the boxing world could learn from this and fastforward into the present, thus much increasing the quality of it's shows and increasing the public's interest. If I was to compare it to MMA where a lot of the undercard fighters are pretty shoddy thought the event is packaged very well and really gives value for money. I honestly believe things could be very different than they are. There's no better way to spend a Saturday evening with your mates than at a great fight. There's a huge pool of potential customers that just isn't getting tapped into due to dinosaur or unscrupulous promoters. On the flip side I like what Matchroom are doing and believe Eddie Hearn is up for the job. What are your thoughts on this?
Frank ******, Don King, Bob Arum, Gary Shaw, Joe Goosen... The thing they have in common is they have been around way too long and their product is dead Eddie Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya... Prizefighter, better matchmaking. The thing they have in common is they are younger and willing to try new things. Frank has his son at the helm, as does Arum. Hopefully these guys will bring in change and not just act as faces for daddy (which seems to be the case).
I agree with you on Prizefighter. It's not for the purists but it's great entertainment, even if the quality is poor it's always a good tearup. I can't see you know who's son doing much.
I think the promoters need to wise up to the fact that everyone has the internet now, you can't bring over some **** yank who's never been stopped and expect us to give a ****. We've seen his boxrec, we've youtubed his fights, we know he's ****, **** off. **** right off. I'm reminded of Bunce telling us it's OK for Cleverly to have a **** resume because Eubank fought some bums on ITV in the 90s. That **** doesn't fly now. Especially when it's not the general public you're trying to bluff but actual boxing fans. The advantage UFC has over boxing is a UFC show is put on to promote UFC, a boxing show is put on to promote one of the fighters in the main event.
It makes me wonder if these promoters even have long terms plans, or is it just bleed it dry while you can, the same as the alphabet soup parasites. I've been to amateur shows that have been better staged than pro ones.
I think there's just a change in the mentality of the boxing fan. It's the microwave popcorn era. There may never be another time like the 80's. When I went to Hopkins/Winky at Mandalay Bay, 6 out of 10 crowd goers were playing on their blackberry or star gazing. Back in the day, 9 out of 10 mates would go to a fight and leave their uninterested significant others at home; they would go with their like minded and fellow mad for boxing friends and create an atmosphere of pure, raw boxing addiction. We don't have that unedited atmosphere like back when Ray and Tommy were ruling the airwaves!
dealdeal If you watch the crowd at Caesars back in the 80's for example you can see every one is a rabid die-hard fan of the sport. Today like you said when you went to the Mandalay Bay what you have is the boxing tourist in attendance, it's a weekend thing, a sat night time filler for 75% of those in attendance or those that can be bothered to show up at all being more the case. When Ray & Tommy were astriding the scene it was all a midweek affair & the likes of Caesars was just rammed jammed with fight fans. I was at the Hearns/Barkley II in 92 at Caesars & the place was full with only those who had come for the fight. Today at the MGM you'd not even know a fight was on & only on the Saturday night t about 6pm when everyone is heading down to the Grand Garden Arena do you get any real semblence that a major fight is going down. This is why i'am now so selective about what fights i attend, there's got to be a Mexican/Latino or pino fighting so that way i know i'am hopefully going to have some quaility boxing yap & booze time with a kindred spirit:smoke
