Overall, has boxing been good or bad for society?

Abso-lutely Crsos-trainer.

That folks have differening tastes does not establish that things have varying degrees of good & harmful effects on society, how you measure them is the question. Also what is really BS is the macho attitude that all is vicious competition. ah no, tons of work & other strivings are fulfilling a technical role, cooperative, simple service done for varying motives & levels of personal maturity & evolution, though there is also cutthroat mentalities-& here is the USA large Corporations increasingly more embody that meme.

There is still great theater, art...Though the pop culture often is banal, there is a Democratizationof expression through technology like the Internet.

I believe boxing has done somewhat more good than bad. The weight of opportunity, entertainment & mythical feelings roused, unifying society, social progress, guidance for the young...I think outweighs the bad. Though we have a ways to go to fix corruption & espeically brain damage, even though American football seems more debilitating.

 

Boxing for 99% of participants-probably more-is amateur competition or training, and as such it has done enormous good for individuals or society. It taught discipline, good lifestyle and respect to thousands, nay millions of youths with free, wild, aggressive and energy driven personalities-it's good is unmeasurable, immeasurable, and unrecognized. Most of us here know boxing is not Tyson biting Holyfield's ear but hours and hours of footwork, bagwork, pad work, exercise, weight-control and sparring with your equals or mates. Never found a question easier to answer.

 

While it is most unfortunate that boxing has its corrupt side, in this regard it is no different from Wall Street, the military industrial complex, graft, the insolence of office, and judicial/prosecutorial/police corruption. Not to get political here, but too all often some of the most revered institutions in society have their seedy side, are corrupt, and engage in conduct that belie their professed mission in life. Case in point: the churches and their misconduct towards children.

The point being that, for better or worse, every institution in society has its good and bad side. Professional boxing is no different in that respect. Having said all that, the sport is my passion as it is for most of you. Without it my world and my life would be a little smaller.

 

Pro boxing is both seedy and corrupt. It has been responsible for the early deaths and life changing injuries of probably tens of thousands of relatively young Men and now Women. It has few redeemable qualities in a 'Civilized Society'.

But those qualities are its saviour. Pro boxing is brutally honest. Its corruption and seediness is hardly well hidden like say some of the previously mentioned bankers or corrupt Developed World Governments. But as a sport it is honest too: Two people stand toe to toe relatively naked but for gloves, punching each other until one falls or a judgement is made about their performance.

There is no ideology behind boxing, there is no 'grey areas', good or bad, it is all black and white. It is a either a sport you respect or hate, you do not hear people 'taking or leaving' this sport.

Do not get me wrong, if a utopia is created, I would gladly see the sport end, but although you should never say never, a utopia is as close to never happening as there can be.

The irony of this is that to answer the question is to sit on the fence. The sport has shown itself to have a place in society. The fact a utopia would not have boxing, suggests the sport is bad for society. But that the sport has for periods thrived in society suggests it can too benefit society.

 

More bad than good. Boxing when its great in my opinion can have a historical context to it. It can display the most admiral qualities in a man. The trouble is its rarely great.

Boxing is run by shady types. The fighters themselves seldom exit the game in good shape.

 

I agree with the claims that it's been pretty neutral in its effect on society. On spectators and wider society I doubt it's had much of a good/bad impact. On participants and other people in the business, many it has helped, and many its probably hurt or failed. So it's balanced out.

As for bear baiting, it was possibly good at the time. It's silly to look back from 21st century and say 'bear baiting was bad for the morals of the people'. Like some interfering moral reformer from the future.
In fact, there was something good about the grass roots culture of England being unfettered, when common people had their own entertainments, before the reformers came along and changed everything and made everyone obedient workers for the industrial age.

And, no, 'theatre' wasn't at the opposite end of the spectrum to bear baiting. Both belonged to the people, and were often viewed as uncouth and damaging by SOME of the upper classes.
Luckily many of other aristocrats felt differently, and that helped boxing survive as it did.

 

Good in general for the fans, and sports.

Not so good in general for the participants.

Boxing is a red light district sport, but when its at its best its brilliant.

 

Good. See Bernard Hopkins , Amir mansour, Devon Alexander . Research their stories and their stance on what they were and where they are now. Also the work Hopkins does now. Makes speeches in in prisons and recently made a speech at brain health study .

 

Good concise take on it:yep

You could say boxing has also been a great equalizer with regard to social status, when back in the day of Tom Figg you where even revered by the aristocracy. Boxing is the ultimate primodial equaliser, you can't hide behind social status or wealth & presume/assume superiority in any form or manner, you fell into 3 catagories, follower/participant/champion, this is why the upper classes also engaged in boxing, to maintain & justify the social hierarchy of the day, as in the case of Lord Byron. Lords & Louts all in it together.

 

Good because it provides opportunities for people who otherwise have few options left - Hopkins, Pacquiao, Floyd, Joe Louis, etc. Almost all great boxers come from poor backgrounds and have few alternatives

 

Gives people opportunities who otherwise may not have any.
At an amateur or just fitness or self discipline level its fantastic.
At pro level too many fighters leave the game in poor health and no money to show for it.
ALI. RIDDICK BOWE. TOMMY MORRISON. TYRELL BIGGS. TONY TUCKER FRANK BRUNO JERRY QUARRY. TREVOR BERBICK. MIKE DOKES JOHN TATE...i could go on..these guys scaled the heights but paid a heavy price...