Why is "the sweet science" so underappreciated?

I dont think he was asking every member in the forum these questions. It was more rhetorical questions.

I dont see this. People are more akinned to be 'dazzled' with spectacular athletic performances. 2 of the most popular boxers of all time are Ray Robinson and Muhammed Ali, who dazzled audiences, rather than brawled there way to fame.

 

Guys like, Don King, Bob Arum, bad judging and the sometimes annoying tandem of Lampley and Merchant have slowly eroded the sweet science, and it doesn't help that Dana White runs his mouth about the popularity of UFC and MMA.

Ultimate fighters have the absolute worst boxing skills that I've seen over and over and over by many different fighters in different weights. I do respect George St. Pierre, Ace Franklin and Anderson Silva.

I still believe UFC is just glorified street fighting in a cage with some rules. A boxer that can use his feet and move could beat some MMA guys, unless he's got some wrestling skills that some of my fighters learned in highschool and college.

There are no cages in a street fight to protect you, and any fighter who's good with both fists and two feet can certainly be successful.

 

Dazzled yes but able to identify with no.
I don't know how popular Robinson was when he was fighting.
Ali was not popular at all during his prime. He became beloved in his second career after being exiled from the sport. When he was no longer floating like a butterfly and sting like a bee but going through wars with the likes of Fraizer, Norton and Shavers.

 

Only having a laugh, I've never seen/listened to any of those things, well except 50/Wu, I get the 'high brow' reference ofcourse

 

Robinson was very popular when he was fighting, he took over Joe Louis's role as someone to look up to, especially by the black community.

However I don't necessarily think people admired Robinson for his athletic ability, it was more the whole package....he could certainly brawl when he had to.

 

So your problem isn't so much a lack of appreciation, as a short attention span?

 

what's kind of sad is how so many people who claim to be fans of the sweet science don't understand the subtleties of the sport at all.

the words "sweet science" have been perversed. Same with the word "boxer".

I hate calling "boxers" "fighters" but to get my point across I have no choice because a boxer is not someone who boxes anymore, its someone who boxes with a specific style.

 

:good

(ditto to all of your post btw)

 

Yeah, you must be battle-weary from having to constantly defend Pac against haters who dismiss him even after improving under Roach as a wild fast brawler without any aptitude for sweet science. :yep

He isn't my favorite, but I'd never say anything like Pac doesn't deserve to be called a "boxer" because of his style. :good

 

I don't have a direct answer to the question, but I do have a few random thoughts. Since I'm still using a lot of pain meds from my shoulder surgery, those thoughts may be extremely random.

1; It's hard to fathom what must go on in the minds of some "boxing fans." I once read a post on here that said, "Watching Arguello fight was about as exciting as watching paint dry." One of the best orthodox, stand-up boxers in history labeled as boring. Perceptions such as that are beyond comprehension.

2; A standard championship boxing ring is 20' X 20'. A boxer who knows how to use all 400 square feet to his advantage will nearly always get labeled a "runner" no matter what else goes on. This is also beyond comprehension.

3; Nearly all boxers with really high KO ratios get labeled "brawlers." It does not seem to matter how much skill they use to set opponents up for the finish. A bunch of nit-wits will repeatedly refer to them as brawlers.

4; "Brawler" is almost always used in a derogatory sense. Most people seem to think the term is synonomous with "crude slugger." It is not. Effective brawling requires a certain skill set, and the term "brawler" should not be thrown around like an insult.

5; The term "slick boxer" has been so degraded by ignorance and misunderstanding that now days it seems to mean, "anybody with fast hands and quick feet."

Now I'm all worked up and half pissed off. I need another pain pill!