Thread: Selling in boxing- do you think we need that era?

Hey guys,

I'm not sure if you know about "Pro Wrestling" terminologies, like "jobbers", "heels", "faces" or "kayfabe", etc, etc...?? But, what do you guys feel about "selling" punches in boxing?

A "sell" is when a guy throws a punch, does a manouvre, and the guy who the punch or manouvre is being used on over-reacts to the contact. Sorta like flopping in basketball, without the fouls, etc...

Now, I know, I know, boxing is death serious. But, hear me out here!! Ask yourself: WHY did we "really" like Arturo Gatti? Deigo Corales, and his match vs. Castillo? Why did we REALLY like Rocky movies?

You know why we liked those movies and the characters, and the boxing stars I just mentioned? Because they gave us the DRAMATIC comeback. A dramatic comeback like when Diego Corales was getting pounded by Castillo for most of the fight, and suddenly turned around and scored a spectacular, come from behind KO on Castillo? (which, in hindsight, makes me a little upset at when they stopped his fight against Money Mayweather. Perhaps he was selling it a bit?!?! ... I digress!)


But, why did we REALLY like Gatti? Because Gatti had, not only KO power, but he got battered and bruised and cut in the ring, only to turn it around and then come back in SPECTACULAR fashion and grit out the second half of the fight on route to a KO win for him or a decision victory. He gave us excitement, drama, something to see unferl. Something we can root and cheer for!!

I need not say anything about Rocky vs. Drago in Rocky 4 (for the sods that don't know their Roman Numerals), the most profitable Rocky movie ever produced. but the drama, Rocky getting pummeled, Apollo Creed (his best friend) getting killed in the ring by Drago and all of the HYPE surrounding the comeback kid, Rocky Balboa, vs. the mean, tough, nasty, hard hitting Ivan Drago from the HATED USSR. (a little political and social backdrop made it all the more special)

But, with the Rocky film-fights and the "real fights" I just mentioned, one thing was certain to bring people to the gate and PPV- THE SELLING OF THE DRAMA IN-FIGHT.

Maybe today's fighters SHOULD take a page out of Pro Wrasslin's book- SELL a little bit of the punches and the drama.

Be like Mayweather for a time- BE A HEEL (no doubt, more people probably buy PPV's for Mayweather to be knocked out unconscious, than it is to see him and his mastery of the squared circle.).

Or, be like Gatti to some extent and take a "cut"... or how wrasslin' does it, "blade" yourself. "Blading" being the intentional cutting of ones-self to draw blood and make the fighting look more realistic. This one may be a stretch to an extent, and a bit dangerous as well as not necessary seeing that guys can get cut anyways... but fans like to see a guy fight out on sheer guts and instinct when he is cut and blinded by blood out of one of his eyes!! Sad, but true!

So, what do you guys think? Should legitimate professional boxers, find it within their circles, to "sell" some of those pitty-patter punches? It would help BOTH the guy "selling" and the guy throwing the punch.

Can you imagine if Ike Ibeabuchi had "sold" some of Chris Byrd's feather dusters, and then come back for a spectacular KO like he did in their match? Do you know what that would have done for Byrd's career and pocketbook? Would have definitely got him a few extra dollars to see the "hard hitting Chris Byrd... hehehehhehe... (I can only laugh as I type that!!)

What do you think?

Originally Posted by ykdadamaja

Hey guys,

I'm not sure if you know about "Pro Wrestling" terminologies, like "jobbers", "heels", "faces" or "kayfabe", etc, etc...?? But, what do you guys feel about "selling" punches in boxing?

A "sell" is when a guy throws a punch, does a manouvre, and the guy who the punch or manouvre is being used on over-reacts to the contact. Sorta like flopping in basketball, without the fouls, etc...

Now, I know, I know, boxing is death serious. But, hear me out here!! Ask yourself: WHY did we "really" like Arturo Gatti? Deigo Corales, and his match vs. Castillo? Why did we REALLY like Rocky movies?

You know why we liked those movies and the characters, and the boxing stars I just mentioned? Because they gave us the DRAMATIC comeback. A dramatic comeback like when Diego Corales was getting pounded by Castillo for most of the fight, and suddenly turned around and scored a spectacular, come from behind KO on Castillo? (which, in hindsight, makes me a little upset at when they stopped his fight against Money Mayweather. Perhaps he was selling it a bit?!?! ... I digress!)


But, why did we REALLY like Gatti? Because Gatti had, not only KO power, but he got battered and bruised and cut in the ring, only to turn it around and then come back in SPECTACULAR fashion and grit out the second half of the fight on route to a KO win for him or a decision victory. He gave us excitement, drama, something to see unferl. Something we can root and cheer for!!

I need not say anything about Rocky vs. Drago in Rocky 4 (for the sods that don't know their Roman Numerals), the most profitable Rocky movie ever produced. but the drama, Rocky getting pummeled, Apollo Creed (his best friend) getting killed in the ring by Drago and all of the HYPE surrounding the comeback kid, Rocky Balboa, vs. the mean, tough, nasty, hard hitting Ivan Drago from the HATED USSR. (a little political and social backdrop made it all the more special)

But, with the Rocky film-fights and the "real fights" I just mentioned, one thing was certain to bring people to the gate and PPV- THE SELLING OF THE DRAMA IN-FIGHT.

Maybe today's fighters SHOULD take a page out of Pro Wrasslin's book- SELL a little bit of the punches and the drama.

Be like Mayweather for a time- BE A HEEL (no doubt, more people probably buy PPV's for Mayweather to be knocked out unconscious, than it is to see him and his mastery of the squared circle.).

Or, be like Gatti to some extent and take a "cut"... or how wrasslin' does it, "blade" yourself. "Blading" being the intentional cutting of ones-self to draw blood and make the fighting look more realistic. This one may be a stretch to an extent, and a bit dangerous as well as not necessary seeing that guys can get cut anyways... but fans like to see a guy fight out on sheer guts and instinct when he is cut and blinded by blood out of one of his eyes!! Sad, but true!

So, what do you guys think? Should legitimate professional boxers, find it within their circles, to "sell" some of those pitty-patter punches? It would help BOTH the guy "selling" and the guy throwing the punch.

Can you imagine if Ike Ibeabuchi had "sold" some of Chris Byrd's feather dusters, and then come back for a spectacular KO like he did in their match? Do you know what that would have done for Byrd's career and pocketbook? Would have definitely got him a few extra dollars to see the "hard hitting Chris Byrd... hehehehhehe... (I can only laugh as I type that!!)

What do you think?

If it's not the the real deal, I'm not interested even a little.

That has been part of boxing for years. Not every fighter is in there to win, and I'm not just talking about 'dives.'
There was a guy that was state commissioner in the state I lived in before this one. He went to fight in another guy's hometown. The other guy was undefeated and on his way up (he ended up going too far up in weight and losing at LHW). The future commissioner was not supposed to win but, the evening of the fight, he held out for an extra $1500 (good money in the late 1960s), or he'd go out and try to win. he got the money.
"Selling" it has always been part of boxing.

Originally Posted by greynotsoold

That has been part of boxing for years. Not every fighter is in there to win, and I'm not just talking about 'dives.'
There was a guy that was state commissioner in the state I lived in before this one. He went to fight in another guy's hometown. The other guy was undefeated and on his way up (he ended up going too far up in weight and losing at LHW). The future commissioner was not supposed to win but, the evening of the fight, he held out for an extra $1500 (good money in the late 1960s), or he'd go out and try to win. he got the money.
"Selling" it has always been part of boxing.

But that's not what he's really talking about brother. He's talking about exaggeration on steroids and the WWFing of boxing.


Things like this

or this

I cant even entertain the thought.

I dunno bro, too much of this skill and we'll have the WBC pushing Bluto into a vacant heavyweight trinket affair! Toooooot toooot

Boxing has too many snake oil salesman and guys padding records with actors already

Originally Posted by greynotsoold

That has been part of boxing for years. Not every fighter is in there to win, and I'm not just talking about 'dives.'
There was a guy that was state commissioner in the state I lived in before this one. He went to fight in another guy's hometown. The other guy was undefeated and on his way up (he ended up going too far up in weight and losing at LHW). The future commissioner was not supposed to win but, the evening of the fight, he held out for an extra $1500 (good money in the late 1960s), or he'd go out and try to win. he got the money.
"Selling" it has always been part of boxing.

That's called scripting a match... not exactly "selling" punches or pain. But I dig it with regard to the corruption on boxing. For sure.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

I dunno bro, too much of this skill and we'll have the WBC pushing Bluto into a vacant heavyweight trinket affair! Toooooot toooot

Boxing has too many snake oil salesman and guys padding records with actors already

But we have all of that without the excitement and drama.... just dramatize it. SELL IT!! That's alls I'm saying.

Put simply, you want another Don King type guy to come along and sell fights to the public?

Boxing sells boxing or it should! That's what pisses me off about Hopkins' executioner mask, extended ring entrances, Wilder's puffed up boxing record, cheating bastards on PEDS, cheating bastards tampering with gloves, cheating promoters, pissant belts, pissant boxing orgs.
I could go on and on, and now you are asking if we should 'sell' boxing by allowing phony shit in the ring. I'm glad you are only asking because if you were suggesting we should, I'd be suggesting that your head would look good on a pole on the side of the road!
Would you really enjoy boxing more if you knew there was phony shit going on during a fight?
Without a doubt, there is more cheating/phony shit in boxing than ever before but let's do everything we can to keep the actual fights as real as possible.

Originally Posted by beenKOed

Boxing sells boxing or it should! That's what pisses me off about Hopkins' executioner mask, extended ring entrances, Wilder's puffed up boxing record, cheating bastards on PEDS, cheating bastards tampering with gloves, cheating promoters, pissant belts, pissant boxing orgs.
I could go on and on, and now you are asking if we should 'sell' boxing by allowing phony shit in the ring. I'm glad you are only asking because if you were suggesting we should, I'd be suggesting that your head would look good on a pole on the side of the road!
Would you really enjoy boxing more if you knew there was phony shit going on during a fight?
Without a doubt, there is more cheating/phony shit in boxing than ever before but let's do everything we can to keep the actual fights as real as possible.

Since it happens anyways, we may as well turn it into high drama.


As said, can you imagine if Ibeabuchi had "sold" some of Chris Byrd's feather dusters?!!? lolol... what it would have done for the night and that fight!!!

Entertainment does not hurt boxing, it makes it fun. You need substance otherwise you will end up a laughing stock like Audley.

Originally Posted by Master

Entertainment does not hurt boxing, it makes it fun. You need substance otherwise you will end up a laughing stock like Audley.

Audley was the ultimate foil. He made for great fun. The second fight with Sprott had me on EDGE.

Originally Posted by ykdadamaja

What do you think?

You don't really wanna know. I'm just gonna do you a favor and pretend you never created this thread

You guys have no imagination man, none whatsoever!

As crap and washed up as Chris Eubanks became after the brutal rights with Benn and Watson, he made great money entertaining people on Sky and fighting crap fighters defence after defence.