Thread: Boxing is not the same..

Anyone else feel this way? Sure we got some stars but it's just not what it used to be IMHO. I think MMA took some chunk of boxing fans while at the same time recruiting would be boxing fans to their fight game. I grew up watching boxing and I myself find that I watch more MMA now.

I'm not arguing that mma is better because there's nothing like a high profile boxing ppv imo. But we don't have those DLH vs Tito type of fights anymore. Canelo vs GGG would be good but outside of that the game seems dry.

I'll give another example I remember years back this site was way more active now I can scroll down and see threads from daaays back on the main forum. Shit is just not the same, the mma forum no need to say names but wow that site had hundreds of thousands on there.

Kind of sad man. What do you guys think?

I been a member of this site for 12 years almost and I remember how it used to be guys. I hope this doesn't come off like me shitting on our sport I will always love boxing but the game is simply not what it used to be.

I wouldn't say mma took as much as boxing gave away...

Boxing lost some of it star power and got desperate... and because of that started rewarding asinine behavior.

This is just my opinion, but when we started letting boxers write their own checks and make their own weight classes and pre fight stipulations. The fabric of the boxing game began to unravel. We always called for some kind of oversight or commission ...

The ufc was its own commission. The fighters make less money, but...
- dont make weight, pay the price.
- act like a dumbass, pay the price. "Mcgregor: i'm back on the PPV, UFC: no youre not"
- Substance abuse bans and penalize fights for stupid things outside the sport
- they regularly clean house and cut loose the do nothing guys
- The reebok contract where they took the sponsor money away helps them remind the fighters where the loyalty lies.
- They have bigger audiences now... but i think they may be on the slide too

I think every boxing fan has 'their era' and compared to the current product, it makes boxing look bad. But my era (80s/90s) have at least 17 years hindsight to it. All the fighters in this era have been defined. Fighters today are making their reputations, they do not have hindsight to help them, but twenty years down the line they will and people will bemoaning the 2036 product and championing this era.

It's a tough call. For instance and your example, DLH and Tito was a huge fight as much because of the drawing power and mainstream recognition each had, as much as it was due to the ability or credibility of both. There are certainly fights like that to be made in the hardcore fans eyes today, but the fact that they aren't happening might lend to your point, I really don't know. The fact that Floyd was never really an exciting fighter with big adversaries and still shattered all the PPV numbers certainly doesn't.

Like many on here and as a guy who remembers calling 800 numbers and clipping newspapers just to get fight night results I'll never see boxing as falling off or not as popular with as much instant access we have now. Before places like this you watched boxing like a fookin lone nomad and what was easily or locally provided to you. Otherwise you had to work to follow or keep up with this sport I definitely agree with the era aspect also and not many things are as large and resonating as when you experienced it first, we all have that era where we lived it live and it is a bit of a measuring stick to what we have now. We like many sports fans get stuck in our tribes. Tito v Oscar were two very centered superstars who benefited from constant exposure when there was any exposure..how else do you get away with cruiserweights and Butterbean fighting on your undercard ..and today we may very well have some quantity vs quality going on if anything. Oh and divas creating there own divisions. That can be a turn off. I've said it a hundred times regarding mma also, it's a babe in the woods compared to longevity of boxing. It is massive and yes near everywhere you look but it too will and has run into its blackeyes, corruption, fan cynicism and general card to card let downs. Personally I now watch both as I enjoy the atmosphere of individual sport and don't confuse the two but I mean shit..the number one female fighter was just flattened by a former boxing champ and one of the biggest "faces" in mma is running away from his first professional loss to go pose and talk up a potential circus stunt match with our newest retired diva in Mayweather A few things will survive the apocalypse. Bitter exes, humidity in the South, cockroaches and boxing! We'll be fine.

I think that in the UK boxing is growing at quite an alarming rate, I have people who I wouldn't even have classed as casual fans 12 months ago coming up to me asking if I watched the fight on the weekend, because of Hearne/Matchroom/sky most casual fans have been to watch more live boxing than I have.

Fuck MMA, fuck UFC.

Oh and whilst I am at it (even though they have helped grow boxing in the UK) Fuck Hearne/Matchroom/Sky

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Like many on here and as a guy who remembers calling 800 numbers and clipping newspapers just to get fight night results I'll never see boxing as falling off or not as popular with as much instant access we have now. Before places like this you watched boxing like a fookin lone nomad and what was easily or locally provided to you. Otherwise you had to work to follow or keep up with this sport I definitely agree with the era aspect also and not many things are as large and resonating as when you experienced it first, we all have that era where we lived it live and it is a bit of a measuring stick to what we have now. We like many sports fans get stuck in our tribes. Tito v Oscar were two very centered superstars who benefited from constant exposure when there was any exposure..how else do you get away with cruiserweights and Butterbean fighting on your undercard ..and today we may very well have some quantity vs quality going on if anything. Oh and divas creating there own divisions. That can be a turn off. I've said it a hundred times regarding mma also, it's a babe in the woods compared to longevity of boxing. It is massive and yes near everywhere you look but it too will and has run into its blackeyes, corruption, fan cynicism and general card to card let downs. Personally I now watch both as I enjoy the atmosphere of individual sport and don't confuse the two but I mean shit..the number one female fighter was just flattened by a former boxing champ and one of the biggest "faces" in mma is running away from his first professional loss to go pose and talk up a potential circus stunt match with our newest retired diva in Mayweather A few things will survive the apocalypse. Bitter exes, humidity in the South, cockroaches and boxing! We'll be fine.

HAHA, very well put. Boxing will always survive that is true. You made a lot of solid points. I do agree that Holly did well but she also used a lot of kickboxing and shes a full blown martial artist now. I think having boxing and training other martial arts is the best form of self defense. Look at the new UFC heavyweight champion Stipe just knocked out Werdum to win the belt with a beauty of a right hand, he was a former golden gloves champ. It however saddens me when boxing fans talk shit about mma, makes all of us boxing fans look like little intimidated bitches. Boxing is one form of combat why shit on other combat sports? Im a fan of Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing you name it. Soak it all in.

As said it’s down to ‘your era’ as a fan.

Was late 80s up to early 2000s for me when I knew who everyone was, bought the Ring Magazine and spent hours sadly analysing the ratings and records, fights were on terrestrial tv (or at least on non-ppv subscription channels) and you used to get an EA Knockout Kings \ Fight Night game every year with all the main guys in it etc..etc etc

PPV events used to be better too (thought again that’s because it was my era) where for £15 you’d get a Hamed, Benn, Eubank fight etc from Manchester (often on the same bill) then at 4am in the morning you’d get a Holyfield, Lewis fight etc .

Nowadays I look at the Ring ratings and know who hardly anyone is – I’m having trouble recalling the name of the Ring Pound for Pound number one right now, some guy in one of the bantam weight type divisions I know that much !

Only active fighter threads I comment on now are Haye, Khan, Fury and Joshua. Don’t feel qualified enough to comment on others.

It’s also spread across too many channels and is costly – no wonder the casual fan is on the decline.

But then again it’s natural for older guys to reminisce about the glory days………

Originally Posted by Mark TKO

As said it’s down to ‘your era’ as a fan.

Was late 80s up to early 2000s for me when I knew who everyone was, bought the Ring Magazine and spent hours sadly analysing the ratings and records, fights were on terrestrial tv (or at least on non-ppv subscription channels) and you used to get an EA Knockout Kings \ Fight Night game every year with all the main guys in it etc..etc etc

PPV events used to be better too (thought again that’s because it was my era) where for £15 you’d get a Hamed, Benn, Eubank fight etc from Manchester (often on the same bill) then at 4am in the morning you’d get a Holyfield, Lewis fight etc .

Nowadays I look at the Ring ratings and know who hardly anyone is – I’m having trouble recalling the name of the Ring Pound for Pound number one right now, some guy in one of the bantam weight type divisions I know that much !

Only active fighter threads I comment on now are Haye, Khan, Fury and Joshua. Don’t feel qualified enough to comment on others.

It’s also spread across too many channels and is costly – no wonder the casual fan is on the decline.

But then again it’s natural for older guys to reminisce about the glory days………

Damn those were some fucking grade A ppvs. You made another great point with the boxing games. I haven't even thought about them, but another example on how UFC/MMA is taking away from boxing.

EA who made the fight night and knock out games stopped making Boxing games and they are focused on making UFC games now. At first they said that they would rotate UFC one year then Boxing the next but they have made back to back UFC games and no boxing games have even been announced. I been waiting forever for a new boxing game I sort of lost interest already.

But see that's exactly what I mean if no UFC games we would of had some awesome next gen boxing games. It's the little things like this that recruit new fans to MMA instead of boxing.

I will still make a effort to get up in the middle of the night to watch boxing.
But I would not walk to the bottom of my garden to watch MMA, it holds NO interest the same goes for women's boxing.
You like what you like.

Valid points..
1. Boxing in America as we know use to be public television. Only the top tier fought closed circuit & today cable/PPV.

2. Said many times: too many belts.

3. Too many self promoters. Every Saturday night there is boxing across the globe. End result too many watered down cards.

Yet Floyd and Pac proved. If promoted right... fans will flock. To bad they didnt deliver.

As far as the Holly fight ..I sincerely believe Christy Martin layed the foundation for women's boxing.
Laila. Ali had the name, the looks and developed skill. But she has that shitty ass modern day attitude of (I) will determine what the other fighter gets.
Ann Wolfe was her George Forman who had won titles from MW to HW.
I blame Laila 100% for not giving that fight to the world.
Dana White doesn't allow that high n mighty mind set to exist.
True boxing isnt the same... but it's not dead yet.

Originally Posted by outspoken

Anyone else feel this way? Sure we got some stars but it's just not what it used to be IMHO. I think MMA took some chunk of boxing fans while at the same time recruiting would be boxing fans to their fight game. I grew up watching boxing and I myself find that I watch more MMA now.

I'm not arguing that mma is better because there's nothing like a high profile boxing ppv imo. But we don't have those DLH vs Tito type of fights anymore. Canelo vs GGG would be good but outside of that the game seems dry.

I'll give another example I remember years back this site was way more active now I can scroll down and see threads from daaays back on the main forum. Shit is just not the same, the mma forum no need to say names but wow that site had hundreds of thousands on there.

Kind of sad man. What do you guys think?

Get your fucking depressing ass outta here bitch.

People used said it wasn't as good as it was, even in Ali's day they used to say "It's not like it was Rocky Marciano's day" As for MMA ? If MMA is so great, then why don't they come over to boxing and make real money ?

Because they can't. You would never in million years get a top MMA boxer to beat decent fighter in the rin. But decent boxer could beat an MMA fighter in a cage. MMA have no chins. No stamina. Nothing.

Originally Posted by outspoken

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Like many on here and as a guy who remembers calling 800 numbers and clipping newspapers just to get fight night results I'll never see boxing as falling off or not as popular with as much instant access we have now. Before places like this you watched boxing like a fookin lone nomad and what was easily or locally provided to you. Otherwise you had to work to follow or keep up with this sport I definitely agree with the era aspect also and not many things are as large and resonating as when you experienced it first, we all have that era where we lived it live and it is a bit of a measuring stick to what we have now. We like many sports fans get stuck in our tribes. Tito v Oscar were two very centered superstars who benefited from constant exposure when there was any exposure..how else do you get away with cruiserweights and Butterbean fighting on your undercard ..and today we may very well have some quantity vs quality going on if anything. Oh and divas creating there own divisions. That can be a turn off. I've said it a hundred times regarding mma also, it's a babe in the woods compared to longevity of boxing. It is massive and yes near everywhere you look but it too will and has run into its blackeyes, corruption, fan cynicism and general card to card let downs. Personally I now watch both as I enjoy the atmosphere of individual sport and don't confuse the two but I mean shit..the number one female fighter was just flattened by a former boxing champ and one of the biggest "faces" in mma is running away from his first professional loss to go pose and talk up a potential circus stunt match with our newest retired diva in Mayweather A few things will survive the apocalypse. Bitter exes, humidity in the South, cockroaches and boxing! We'll be fine.

HAHA, very well put. Boxing will always survive that is true. You made a lot of solid points. I do agree that Holly did well but she also used a lot of kickboxing and shes a full blown martial artist now. I think having boxing and training other martial arts is the best form of self defense. Look at the new UFC heavyweight champion Stipe just knocked out Werdum to win the belt with a beauty of a right hand, he was a former golden gloves champ. It however saddens me when boxing fans talk shit about mma, makes all of us boxing fans look like little intimidated bitches. Boxing is one form of combat why shit on other combat sports? Im a fan of Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing you name it. Soak it all in.

I think much of that push back is aimed more at some mma fans or talking heads who come in every couple of years and lament how mma is leading to the death or decline of boxing. There are biased fans on both counts but boxing and some of it's personalities are as big as it's ever been if you ask me. Ones success doesn't translate to the decline of the other. As much mma as I've watched I rarely hear, if ever, the announcers or even fighters rag on boxing, the fact that boxing-boxing coaches are essential for full package in camps seems to be well recognized and near respected. Of course there are exceptions..combat sports are very tribal..but mostly its fans who try to tear it down to build up mma that cause the wagons to circle. Both sports have shit fights and bad nights, and both have complete tear ups. To each there own I suppose.

Originally Posted by denilson200

Originally Posted by outspoken

Anyone else feel this way? Sure we got some stars but it's just not what it used to be IMHO. I think MMA took some chunk of boxing fans while at the same time recruiting would be boxing fans to their fight game. I grew up watching boxing and I myself find that I watch more MMA now.

I'm not arguing that mma is better because there's nothing like a high profile boxing ppv imo. But we don't have those DLH vs Tito type of fights anymore. Canelo vs GGG would be good but outside of that the game seems dry.

I'll give another example I remember years back this site was way more active now I can scroll down and see threads from daaays back on the main forum. Shit is just not the same, the mma forum no need to say names but wow that site had hundreds of thousands on there.

Kind of sad man. What do you guys think?

Get your fucking depressing ass outta here bitch.

People used said it wasn't as good as it was, even in Ali's day they used to say "It's not like it was Rocky Marciano's day" As for MMA ? If MMA is so great, then why don't they come over to boxing and make real money ?

Because they can't. You would never in million years get a top MMA boxer to beat decent fighter in the rin. But decent boxer could beat an MMA fighter in a cage. MMA have no chins. No stamina. Nothing.

I was going to respond with some solid points but you're just an ignorant fuck with horrible grammar so why even bother?.. If you really think a decent boxer can beat an MMA fighter in a cage you are beyond delusional. Two different sports idiot. If you are ever in south Texas stop by armadura bjj. I'll gladly make u shit your pants.