the future of boxing is outside the us

America is very nostalgic, if Holyfield/Tyson were going to fight in the summer you would have the streets buzzing again with people interested in boxing. I remember when Tyson fought Lewis', even my grandma was talking about it, **** even when Tyson fought Danny Williams, the "Hooters" around my way had to close there doors it was so packed in there. There is just no fighters out there that can get people excited again, and the ones that are still around our either retired or well past there prime.

 

well the reason MSG is known as the mecca of boxing is becuase it's a spiritual home maybe the money will move somewhere else the truth is that a majority of fights where fought in the U.S.

to be honest what made america the powerhouse of boxing was becuase you had a great mix of tough ghetto nieghbourhoods and instant money which can be unlocked by fightign proffesionally.

 

let me guess... you are from the u.k.?

 

I dont, maybe in the Heavyweight division. It goes in cycles, a little over 2 years ago it was all American Heavyweight champs, Brewster the WBO, Ruiz the WBA, Bryd the IBF, and Rahman the WBC. Americans want to see fights, not lame fights against guys from other countries who possess little to no personalities.

 

i personlly think too many people are looking at boxing like we are stuck with what we got and that there arent going to be any more fighters to come up that are gonna be of name recognition. i dont think it will ever lose intrest in the U.S. like that becasue its only a matter of time until another heavyweight or somebody that can attract media attention comes up... seriously how long did we have to waite from ali and the 70's heavyweights to find another BIG heayweight that can attract media attention... the next one didnt come until tyson in 1988. with that being said if we get a fighter that attracts media attention like tyson or ali could that would mean it would stay big in the u.s. because the u.s. is all about media attention... and i believe that sooner or later there will be another boxer who attracts that media attention ali or tyson could.

 

Neh, it is all nationalistic, and it is quite natural. If LL was an American he would have been pronounced as the ATG, instead he was hated by Americans. Same currently applies to Klitschko.

 

The difference is Lewis beat good oppenents, a few of which are top 15 ATG Heavyweights, something Wlad has yet do. I give plenty of credit to Lewis, maybe not as much as some, but he still makes my top 10 Heavyweight ATG list.

Personality is a big part of the American culture, thats part of the reason why guys like Tyson and Jones still rack in big when it comes to PPV buys. A big part of the reason Americans dont like the division is because it lacks no personality, Iggy, I cant even understand what he was trying to say without Brian Kenny interpreting him on FNF last month when he was doing an interview, same goes with Wlad, Chagaev, and Maskaev. I really dont think it's a nastionalistic thing for most fans, when it was all American Heavyweight champs a little over 2 years ago, Merchant and others were still bad mouthing the division like they do now.

 

Exactly, LL beat most of the best American HWs and still was not popular with the American fans.

Unfortunately, as I posted in another thread personality does have a lot to do with many American fans, for some more so than the achievements in the ring. But they would still want an American born HW champ.

 

I can agree with that, but even went it was all American champs a couple years ago it was no more unpopular in states as it is now. To part time boxing fan, personality and knockouts are everything. An example of this is, when my friends decided they were all going to the bar the night of the Hopkins/Wright fight, I told them I'm just going to stay home and watch the fight, the day before the fight they see Wright get slapped in the face by Hopkins at the weigh in, now everyone wants to chip in and get the fight, mind you my friends are far from boxing fans, but the hype is what drawed them in, something that seems to lacking at the Heavyweight division at this time.

 

Yanks like to have the best Heavyweights. At the moment they havn't and its not helping the sport over there.

 

He wasn't a big hit with the mainstream fans because his style wasn't exciting and neither was his persona. But if you ask any real fan of the sport and they'll tell you LL is one of the ATGs. Did you see the thread that was titled something like, "all non-Brits, who is the best British fighter?" and most Americans in the thread said LL - and mentioned him being one of the best ever.