"why isnt boxing as popular as it used to be?"

This is the exact conversation I was just having with my girlfriend, pretty much exactly how you put it.

 

It's pretty depressing reading this thread...

I'm seriously hoping for some guy to come out of no where, knocking people out left and right and unifying all the belts, and grabbing the attention of people.

Even Wlad wants one belt!

[YT]lFnUBr14LyY[/YT]

 

To me it's not even the talent. It's the matchmaking and PPV's. Fights never happen when they really should happen, and there's too many ppv's. Simple as that, it's frustrating to follow. Why isnt Mayweather fighting Cotto, like yesterday? Im over the bull****.

I still watch, and will always watch. But I gave up trying to follow boxing a year ago, and have felt much saner and less pissed off since then.

 

1. the ABC's. Back in the day there were 8 champs. Now there could be as much as 72.
2. The loss of 15 round fights. Those last 3 rounds really seperate the men from the boys, and being an odd number cuts the possibility of a draw significantly.
3. PPV or Premium Cable service being the only way to access the big ones.

 

I don't know but the way I look at it . . . it is as popular or maybe even more popular than before.

Just look at the sum of money flowing into the business. Before only heavyweight gets the purse of $ millions now even the feather weights are getting $ millions. The sponsors are all out on supporting fights and venues are still being sold out even with the presence of PPV's and close circuit televisions. Before, the other divisions are just supporting cast to the HWD, now it can stand out on it's own.

What are you people looking at?

The only thing that sucks in the sports and lack popularity is the HWD.

 

Thats true but their is no big names like Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, David Tua, Oscar De La Hoya, (he's a big name but no longer a top fighter) etc. I agree with you that boxing is very popular right now, more popular than it was lets say five years ago, but as popular as it was in the 90's, I don't think so.

 

Thats actually part of it too and I wonder if the high rate of kids being bullied in school over the last generation could be reason for a large proportion to avoid watching it?

Quite sad if true

 

heavyweight division is being well viewed and is thriving.

just because american tv in its infinate wisdom does not show many heavyweight fights from europe , should not mean H/W division is not doing well.

in germany heavyweights are fighting in front of full houses and fighting with tv audiences of 10 million.

give germany an american sized population and that equates to 40 million.

it takes american ppv boxing anywehere from 10 ppv`s to 30 ppv` bills to reach a similar market share.

 

Nude ringside girls would help! LOL!

The day of free TV is gone, unfortunately. Golf anyone?

 

Maybe Vince Mcmahon can help:nut

 

Doubtful....he would make less money showing his girls off for boxing than he does when they pose for Playboy. :deal

 

Boxing is never on regular network TV. THat hurts the popularity of the sport.

 

Naa it must be all the bully blood that attracts his fans cause the plots are unimaginative and his girls just are not innocent looking enough for America's taste.

 

Could you imagine the audience for Mayweather vs Cotto on ABC instead of HBO or PPV?