Hopkins on boxing and black fighters | RingTV
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He is correct, the casual followers of boxing don't want to see the sweet science, they want to see a bloodbath.
That said, sports are cyclical. Heavyweights alone went from Brawler John L. Sullivan, to boxer James J Corbett, to brawler James J. Jeffries, to boxer Jack Johnson, to brawler Willard, to brawler Dempsey, to boxer Tunney, etc etc
We'll see the brawlers come and go, but it'll have to be the right time for them to come back. And also certain guys who can brawl simply choose not to do it after a while....the shelf life of a brawler is nothing compared to a boxer.
He is spot on correct. He neglects the fact that there were many slick clever boxing wizards that were white, which is typical. Archie moore did the same thing despite getting out boxed by one of them in Teddy Yarosz.
Boxing has always been about hit and don't get hit. Sadly there is a lack of people able to teach how to hit properly and even fewer with any concept of how to avoid getting hit. (keeping your gloves up just ain't enough, unless you fight a man obliging enough to hit them instead of your nose)And how to move in a boxing ring...it is a lost art and nobody teaches it any more. The idea of skipping around the ring like Ali has just ruined it, if fighters move at all.
He's 100% right.
Boxing fans want to see brutal wars, blood and guts, back and forth brain damaging action. The problem is, that's not great boxing skill. Boxing is the art of hitting and not being hit. Boxing fans want to see a guy take stupid, unnecessary risks for the sake of entertainment.
Look at all the people who are bashing Bradley, when in reality he fought a brilliant fight using a tactic that ensured him victory and protected him from getting KO'd by a brilliant counter puncher.
Football fans don't get angry when there aren't enough big hits or dazzling punt return TDs. They don't get angry if there aren't 20 touchdowns, or if a team runs out the clock as opposed to throwing a hail mary pass to get more points.
No NBA fans say "well fuck Lebron James, he doesn't dunk enough". Soccer fans don't shit on their top guys because they don't try enough fancy bicycle kicks or whatever.
They appreciate the sport and the competition. That appreciation in boxing is very rare. We look up to guys like Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward as great warriors, but like Bhop said, they fought in an incredibly stupid way that was severely detrimental to their health. That's not what boxing is about.
Hop is a genius in the ring. He is a true craftsman/technician in there, and in his prime had zero holes in his game. The only fighter of his generation who is at the same level (in my opinion) is Floyd, n that is saying something. I feel that u have to be a true fan of boxing to appreciate what Hop/Floyd...etc. do in the ring.
Slick boxers can learn a lot from professional wrestling- the WWE/WWF/WCW/WCW/TNA style of wrestling, not the UFC wrestling and hugging all over the place- in that slick boxers can learn to "sell" a little more of the punches. You know? Even if the guy didn't hit you cleanly, or the punch grazed you like someone giving you a hot-oil massage, SELL THE LIVING FUCK OUT OF IT!!!
Take a little hint about a "good sell" from one of the all time greatest sellers in wrestling history, Sean Michaels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVVTx1BI0a4
Here is Justin Credible aka Aldo Montoya "The Portuguese Man O' War" on the art of "selling"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBfSO_RTtag