Most Fans Today love seeing People get Hurt and Hate the Sweet Science

What I mean is that, by saying 'fans today love seeing...' you seem to be implying that as a whole boxing fans were somehow less bloodthirsty 30, 50, 100 years ago. No, the bulk of fans were as hungry then for the big KO then as they are now. In fact, it's mainly that hunger which has always paid the bills.

The appreciation of the 'sweet science' has always been a minority position, as much now as in the past (indeed, if there's one thing FMJ has achieved it's to broaden the appreciation of defensively skilled fighting).

The reality tho is that not every fighter can be a defensive genius, many fighters enter the sport, but there is many routes to winning. Unless we revert to using automated quintains, programmed with defensive boxing skills to determine which boxer is better, boxing will be a sport that compares strength, aggression, endurance and most significantly talent, skills and will.

FWIW I'm genuinely baffled at why you'd suggest that any boxing fan would want to se a fighter stretchered out. As I've said before, in a sport where there is both technicaly less skilled and more skilled fighters, you can't simply hold the elite in skill as an example of how the sport should be.

If the gap in skill were not so great, and they'd been taken to the trenches, do you not believe Lara or Rigo would have also hurt their opponents as much as they were able if it became necessary? Of course they would, but not every fighter has the luxury of top level amateur training and elite skills.

You've tried to create a dichotomy where there is really a continuum amongst the desire of fans and the abities of fighters. The sport would become irrelevent if every fighter who existed had the same skillset; what makes it fascinating as an individual sport, is that sometimes greater skill can be overcome by greater will or endurance (witness Dirrell making a fool of himself against Bika yesterday), by greater aggression, power or simply self confidence allied to chance.

This is what makes boxing both a sweet science and a beautiful sport.

 

All other things being equal, I'd like to see an offensive minded fighter who may lack the most defensive skill but compensate with heart and will over a pure finesse fighter who takes no risks and may run to avoid a fight. I'd rather watch Bika fight again than a Dirrell brother.

But things are hardly so black and white; many world class offensive fighters operate with a high level of skill, and many world class pure boxers have the heart to fight when they need to. I appreciate both.

 

Not me ! Anyone hear what Lampley said about what Vernon Forrest thought of Gatti Ward ? I feel the same way brawls like that ! All hat goes against the sweet science .

 

Brilliant post.

 

to be great you need great opponents. floyd and rigo are so good that they never really get in deep waters and have to fight their way out, which makes for what could be considered a boring fight.I personally like to think that it could go either way when it is a chess match type battle ,although I do love the genius skill of those two boxers no matter who they fight.

 

just like in the olden times people consciously or subconsciously want blood as in the days of the gladiators. same as in basketball a high scoring game is more entertaining than a defensive battle where each team struggle to get a basket.

 

Lara trout was the best fight of the night for me and my buddies.

 

that was the 1st main event fight (rigo-agbeko) where i saw about 80% of people in attendance that left by the 3rd round.

 

i love both technical and all-action boxers but if all boxers fought like rigo boxing would die as a sport - it's an undeniable truth.

 

People like action.

That is why a lot of people enjoyed Mayweather vs. Cotto more then some of his other fights. It had some back and forth action, both guys got touched up.

It doesn't have to be two guys slugging it out on the ropes beating the dog **** out of eachother where all the wives and children leave the arena.

 

Agree with this.

At the same time, this IS boxing, it is an action sport and a knockout or stoppage is the punctuation mark, the icing on the cake. I think where at all possible, a fighter should be looking to win inside the distance.
A skilled brawler is to be respected as much as a skilled predominantly safety-first boxer, maybe more so, because he is the one making the fight.

 

Yeah, this :deal

 

I voted for the sweet science but my favorite style is a BOXER-PUNCHER. How will I define this style:

Miguel Cotto

He can bring on rentless pressure, has technique, outstanding ring generalship, footwork, good defense, he can box on the back foot, great combinations, superb jab and can stop dudes cold.

Boxer-Puncher for the win!