I say yes. Other countries have either caught the U.S (Eastern Europe) or forged ahead (UK).
What say ye?
:confused::confused:
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I say yes. Other countries have either caught the U.S (Eastern Europe) or forged ahead (UK).
What say ye?
:confused::confused:
Have to say we're all equally missing a presence now for the next few months :-\. Let's see if we again rent out the biggest UK and States hvy attractions to clash in B.F Saudi and then argue who has the bigger presence. If Fury v AJ doesn't happen at home it's shameful but the boarders and limits on mass media exposure fell along time ago.
US will always be central to boxing. The top heavyweights are now in the UK but before that it was Ukraine. Either way they have to come to America to fight at least once in their career.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
I may be wrong, but I think the OP may have been referring more to the quantity/quality of boxers now dominating the scene. The Saudis may well be pouring colossal amounts of money into hosting huge boxing events.... but that's all they can do, really. They don't have enough oil or money to buy champions of their own, so they're reduced to "kidnapping" the places where the champions fight. It's all artificial B.S., as us boxing fans are fully aware, since most of us don't get to these events live.... we still watch them on TV and/or stream no matter where they're held. Hell, if Greenlanders had enough money of their own.... they could probably hijack a few championship fights of their own.
Regarding U.S. "presence" in boxing, I believe that has slowly become the case over the past few decades. It wasn't all that long ago (before Klitschko) that the HW scene was dominated by U.S. fighters (I avoid the term "Americans", as it's too general for me). Ali, Foreman, Holmes, Tyson, etc, etc. Those days are gone and will probably never return, because the rest of the world has caught up and will not give up its hold on their share of the HW action. In the other weight divisions it's always been more of an international scene, with occasional blips on the radar by U.S. megastars like Floyd, SRL, RJJ, BHop and Hagler.
Oh yeh as far as the programs and product we churn out it's surely lacking. Culprits range from a poor amatuer programs to other combat and franchise sports syphoning off potential young talent. I lump some of that on the fans and definitely promotions too for the ever increasing microwave mindset of wanting "the next....." superstar simply by forcing it or repeating it often rather than pacing prospects out so they develop fully and hone craft instead of glossing over flaws at top levels where they cannot afford them.Quote:
Originally Posted by TitoFanQuote:
Originally Posted by Spicoli
I may be wrong, but I think the OP may have been referring more to the quantity/quality of boxers now dominating the scene. The Saudis may well be pouring colossal amounts of money into hosting huge boxing events.... but that's all they can do, really. They don't have enough oil or money to buy champions of their own, so they're reduced to "kidnapping" the places where the champions fight. It's all artificial B.S., as us boxing fans are fully aware, since most of us don't get to these events live.... we still watch them on TV and/or stream no matter where they're held. Hell, if Greenlanders had enough money of their own.... they could probably hijack a few championship fights of their own.
Regarding U.S. "presence" in boxing, I believe that has slowly become the case over the past few decades. It wasn't all that long ago (before Klitschko) that the HW scene was dominated by U.S. fighters (I avoid the term "Americans", as it's too general for me). Ali, Foreman, Holmes, Tyson, etc, etc. Those days are gone and will probably never return, because the rest of the world has caught up and will not give up its hold on their share of the HW action. In the other weight divisions it's always been more of an international scene, with occasional blips on the radar by U.S. megastars like Floyd, SRL, RJJ, BHop and Hagler.
The boys in the USA are not as hungry and desperate as they were in the 70s and 80s. That means that the USA has been doing relatively well where more underprivileged youth can now do other things like accounting, medicine and teaching. Poor countries or poorer countries with pride will be where the talent will come from in boxing now.
Boxing has always been for the underprivileged. The US can’t compete with the UK in this regard. Even the minorities are privileged these days in comparison. The UK is more rival to Mexico now