Why have Modern Day boxers (internet age) failed to get boxing Mainstream Respect

Pay per view imo hurts boxing in a serious way. They really need more quality name fights on cable that and for the love of God have more then one quality fight on a pay per view. UFC will run two or three big name fights per ppv boxing is almost always the main event. At least run high quality young guys to build a base. That and get rid of all these belts. One belt only per division and maybe a few less divions

 

Truthfully, there is this mentality in boxing where, you simply have to carry the attitude "They don't make em how they used to", or you get called a casual, you don't get boxing, you're too young. All the same kind of arguments.

There is some truth to the statement, but only some. I firmly believe that guys now have to do like x1. 5 of what guys of 20+ years ago had to do, to get the same recognition.

Its unfortunate, and there are probably a few reasons for it. One mainly being that the age of guys having anything like much control over their own careers is over, they get lots of padding from promoters and naturally, people take that out on them.
Another reason is that the promo these guys get hyping them as world beaters before they actually do anything is way overboard now, which builds some resentment from their early days.... So even if they do then go on and fulfill the hype and become great fighters, many/most people are looking for more reasons to hate them, since they always have and can't go back on it now (admitting they were wrong).
There are too many titles, which promoters can now bargain with, so you have claims of this champion, that champion, and the other champion, all over the place. Pretty irritating and another resentment builder. (Also leads to less fights being made in many cases).

There is a whole list of reasons you could write out, but what I'm effectively saying here is that differences in new age promotion doesn't help the fighters in gaining recognition with the real boxing faithful, but continues to seem successful business wise as it gets their name out there beyond the boxing core of support, which = more $

 

I think the biggest difference is that in the past, the best fighters fought each other more frequently. Now, the top fighters avoid each other. And if they do face each other, it's usually years too late.

 

I don’t buy that it has much to do with the number of belts or the best fights not being made or whatever. That stuff annoys the most serious boxing fans far more than anyone else. In my personal opinion, the main factors are:

1) There’s way more competition than in the past. Television programming has improved and expanded exponentially as have the main professional basketball and football leagues in the sporting world. The alternative entertainment options are much, much, much, much better than they were during boxing’s heyday. (The explosion of popularity of video games also likely plays a big role).

2) The pay-per-view and premium channel distribution system is not conducive to growing and maintaining a large fan base.

3) The UFC and mixed martial arts also cyphon off a ton of guys who otherwise might’ve become hardcore boxing fans.

4) Most of the best boxers today are far more defensively-oriented than their counterparts from earlier in the 20th century. Makes for fewer high level slugfests, less "exciting" fights, and fewer guys getting knocked out in big fights.

Just my two cents.

 

A good post with some valid points.

I think points 2 and 3 are closely linked because in boxing, mainstream fans are being charged the same amount for an inferior product. There’s no incentive to buy PPV cards outside of the main event. In truth, the quality of most cards is very poor so you are buying an event on the promise of a good main event and nothing else. If you want to see a fight and your options are open, why would you choose boxing over MMA? There’s an unhealthy status quo that’s being maintained.

 

I think boxers not being seen as the baddest men on the planet anymore, due to mma, took a lot of fans from the sport. Also, maybe give them some more time; a lot fighters didn’t get the respect they derserved until later.

 

how would they build it now? You need big fights and a venue to build it up. Having the fights on normal TV where people without the resources to pay PPV is a good idea. Boxing has to do this and have less titles.

 

It's due to the wussification of society. Punching people in the face is no longer seen as a good thing.

 

Boxers today are just plain and simple not as good as the early 90' s which IMO the skill level the willing to fight the best..fight more than twice a year...after the early 90"s just all started sliding. Sure you have some great fighters I'm saying as a whole the early 90's was it for me as the last great bastion.