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Interest in boxing dying out ??
There seems to be a lot of press comment these days about boxing being on it's knees and becoming a dying sport.This is being attributed to the obvious huge rise of other 'sports' such as UFC.
What do the members think, is the sport dying or is it just not as visible due the the lack of events that are shown on terestrial television with everything going the way of pay per view, so in turn is becoming out of reach of the traditional grass roots support.
I remember a similar thing with the WWF back in the 80's where everyone was into wrestling due to the glitz and that went away eventually.
Fad or a turn in the tide , what do you reckon , is the noble art on it's way out? Have the promotors priced themselves out of the market and how then do we get the interst back.
Bit of a mish mash but a few point to respond to.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
jamiebhoy
There seems to be a lot of press comment these days about boxing being on it's knees and becoming a dying sport.This is being attributed to the obvious huge rise of other 'sports' such as UFC.
What do the members think, is the sport dying or is it just not as visible due the the lack of events that are shown on terestrial television with everything going the way of pay per view, so in turn is becoming out of reach of the traditional grass roots support.
I remember a similar thing with the WWF back in the 80's where everyone was into wrestling due to the glitz and that went away eventually.
Fad or a turn in the tide , what do you reckon , is the noble art on it's way out? Have the promotors priced themselves out of the market and how then do we get the interst back.
Bit of a mish mash but a few point to respond to.
I think it's less popular but it's not dying out. Boxing has too much history in the world as a sport. If boxing died I'd look for a tall building. I can't imagine my life without it I love it;D
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Know what you mean, I don't think I could ever switch to the great new fighting arts !! Judging by your pics your a Tszyu fan, worst thing i had to watch for the great man wasn't the Hatton defeat but him dancing on celebrity come dancing, his best footwork was in the ring !
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
jamiebhoy
Know what you mean, I don't think I could ever switch to the great new fighting arts !! Judging by your pics your a Tszyu fan, worst thing i had to watch for the great man wasn't the Hatton defeat but him dancing on celebrity come dancing, his best footwork was in the ring !
Fair point;D
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
MMA is like watching a fight down in a well. Boxing is like viewing a fight across an ocean.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
No sport can touch boxing for me. I cannot see boxing ever dying out.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
No, its not
Its just that boxing doesn't have many "characters" anymore that can capture the imagination of boxing fans.
You have fighters that will keep you watching because they are exciting but they only fight every few months.
MMA seems to have more characters.
Looking at the PPV numbers in 2008, both the WWE and UFC were at the top of PPVs and the only boxing PPV that was up there in the top 3 with them was Oscar De La Hoya's fight.
What Boxing needs is another "golden boy"
The fact is we seem to be getting better fights on normal TV then on PPVs and because boxing is so much about styles a fight can go boring in a second while MMA more often then not is action oriented regardles of their styles usually.
People that only watch UFC can get bored on a boxing match fast.
The problem with boxing is it isnt reaching the younger demographic. Its reaching more people in their late 20s and 30s and older. But the UFC seems to draw more of a younger audience especiallty the 18+ audience which is the audience you want to target nowadays.
Boxing doesn't really have any boxer that can bring in that younger demographic since Mayweather left, because his hop hop money mayweather etc persona catered a lot to people around that age. Since he has left there's really nothing to garner that interest unless people have followed boxing for years and years.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
No,but those of us running the sport really need to get our house in order,the public is sick of seeing BS matchups. If we give the public good fights they'll come back
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
It does seem to be the way that a lot of people are finding UFC more exciting, which I don't understand. I do sometimes watch the UFC and sometimes it's not bad, but to me it just feels like boxing's mongrel cousin.
Boxing won't ever die out, but will have it's down moments when certain boxers retire and leave a bit of a hole. But there's always an amazing match up on the horizon that everyone dreams of and with the incredible amount of young boxers coming in, I certainly won't be losing interest any time soon.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
Tilt A Whirl
No,but those of us running the sport really need to get our house in order,the public is sick of seeing BS matchups. If we give the public good fights they'll come back
;D
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
More and more people I know mention the UFC fights now instead of boxing. I don't even follow the UFC, i just know the big stars, but it seems MMA certainly appeals more to casual fight fans than boxing these days.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
There will be always a fair window for boxing, MMA drag a certain audience, Boxing another one and I am absolutely certain that there is places for both: Some peoples just don't like the idea of a fighting going on the floor. In MMA, it is more than possible and even with the rules that you cannot spend more than some amount of time on the floor, grapples are impossible to avoid and the mat is more than likely to get in action at sime point. On the other side, some peoples think that boxing is too limited MMA as it is obviously not as complete, it's all a matter of taste.
PErsonally, I think that MMA is not killing boxing but will help it's revival: MMA forced boxing to make a few adjustments, especially in raising the general stake of the cards and forcing the display of a better show in general, it did force boxing to rethink itself and the way it functions, it will force promoters to find more often the most exciting fight possible rather than the less risky, it gives a new philosophy about cutmen/cornermen/promotion etc, a new way of thinking and as far as I am concerned, there is nothing better than something that forces yourself to get redefined and to hit a little "conscience crisis". When you're on the top of the mountain all alone, you do not feel the urge to push your limits or you don't see a reason to improve anything. When some competitors kick in and could steal your crown, than things gett different and you want to find other possiblities to improve, to not let them take you down.
Taking everything for granted is bad, as much for individuals as it is for sports, MMA provided Boxing with an excellent antitote to force it to rethink itself and to put in questions some mode of functionning, which was imperative to keep its interest up. Boxing was starting to act like a selfish mother, not caring too much because "fans" would buy anyway. Now it's different, there is an alternative and mother boxing had to redefine the rules in order to keep its audiance.
IN the end, with the MMA as competitors, I think it's a win-win situation for everybody.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
boozeboxer
MMA is like watching a fight down in a well. Boxing is like viewing a fight across an ocean.
Your right! I've not boxed since I was at school but I'm world class. I just see all the punches and ETC
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Boxing will always be the number 1 fighting sport in our lifetimes and way beyond that.
You cannot change the course of history and the fact that its one of the few if not only sports that is performed the entire world over.
Attractions like khan-barrera, hatton-pacquiao are always going to be huge for the respective countrys the fighters are from because of the magnitude of what the fight represents.
The sport is suffering a downturn in american talent right now due to many reasons a lot of which are down to many decent heavyweight prospects choosing a lucrative NFL career rather than the up and down risks you get with a business like boxing.
We dont have tysons, ali`s, fraziers, prince naseems or mayweathers just now - but its only a matter of time until those characters return in newer fresher forms.
As for UFC/MMA its a great combat sport and a lot of fun but it doesnt and never will have the history and recognition boxing has. Beside outside of the USA the sport is virtually non-existent other than those hardcore fans who follow the sport religiously to the common man it doesnt represent any interest like the sport of boxing will.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
The UFC pack out the O2 everytime they come here.. and that's even without their major stars.
David Haye sold 3000 tickets for his last fight there. :-\
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fenster
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tilt A Whirl
No,but those of us running the sport really need to get our house in order,the public is sick of seeing BS matchups. If we give the public good fights they'll come back
;D
hahahahahaha;D
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
Fenster
The UFC pack out the O2 everytime they come here.. and that's even without their major stars.
David Haye sold 3000 tickets for his last fight there. :-\
UFC rather cleverly package their events on a monthly basis WWF style in order to sell tickets as opposed to boxing which pretty much just goes with a schedule.
Anyway im pretty sure ice hockey, horse equestrian etc have sold out at the o2 before...doesnt make them bigger than boxing does it.
All you need is 10,000 UFC nuts from a population of 60 odd million to fill out an arena!!!
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
you better believe its dying out.... more like it DIED out.
I used to tune in every Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. on channel 7, regular t.v., on Wide World of Sports wioth Howard Cosell, and see fights like Larry Holmes vs Earnie Shavers, Muhammad Ali vs Bob Foster, Foreman vs Lyle, Holmes vs Witherspoon, Snipes vs Holmes, etc....
Now you get to pay 50 bucks to watch bums like Larry Donald, Sam Peter, Jameel McCline, and other bums too.
Yes if it has not already died out, it is certainly about to die out.
Unless the next Ken Norton or Evander Holyfield or Ron Lyle come along soon, then just maybe it can be revived.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
The critics will be talking about boxing dying for years....which will also show boxing aint going no where. This sport has survived well tons of other companies have not, even with the silly sanctioning, belts that are worth less than the one i wore to work so on and so forth. MMA and thier supporters for good reason are the main one's drumming up this crap.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
hattonthehammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fenster
The UFC pack out the O2 everytime they come here.. and that's even without their major stars.
David Haye sold 3000 tickets for his last fight there. :-\
UFC rather cleverly package their events on a monthly basis WWF style in order to sell tickets as opposed to boxing which pretty much just goes with a schedule.
Anyway im pretty sure ice hockey, horse equestrian etc have sold out at the o2 before...doesnt make them bigger than boxing does it.
All you need is 10,000 UFC nuts from a population of 60 odd million to fill out an arena!!!
I don't get what you're saying?
All 10,000 Brit UFC fans attended the same event? :-\
David Haye is meant to be a new exciting heavyweight star, he's very well known in Britain, goes on plenty of non-boxing tv/radio shows, yet couldn't sell more than 3000 tickets for his fight.
The last UFC promotion at the 02 I had never even heard of the guys. They did like 15,000 tickets.
How come they can slaughter one of the worlds most famous/exciting boxers, in his hometown, with a bunch of nobodies?
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
boozeboxer
MMA is like watching a fight down in a well. Boxing is like viewing a fight across an ocean.
That is an interesting way to look at it.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
James_Teja
hahahaha I laughed my ass of at that ;D
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
MMA is THE gay!!! hahaha. Love it.
I really can't get into two guys rolling around on the floor together.The rounds are waaaay too long. They should stand up the guys on the floor way more often than they do.
I think boxing is here to stay. My pops had it right. He's 81, still watches boxing religiously. He, like myself, loves the lighter weight classes now, has incredible insight on fights, and can tell from the opening bell who the better fighter is.
Boxing has so much more CLASS than MMA.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
It is only a matter of time before MMA snuffsthe last breath out of boxing.....
Per Dana White
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
I will be leaving boxing soon as I cannot afford the subscription channels and I use to record any boxing that was on the TV
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
Master
I will be leaving boxing soon as I cannot afford the subscription channels and I use to record any boxing that was on the TV
Maybe Preme will loan you a few quid.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Boxing will never die out, as long as there are two guys willing to box each other and people willing to pay to see it...Honestly I don't mind the mma some matches can be quite exciting, it just seems that there are less top talent guys in mma than there are in boxing and thus makes for sloppier less exciting fights. I also have no problem with wrestling on the ground but the whole punching and kneeing a guy while he's on the floo ,rfor some reason just makes me go uggggh. I also doubt most mma fighters will ever be as skilled as boxers boxers just box where as mma guys do like five different combat arts. Good boxing fights have me on the edge of my seat yelling at my tv while mma has yet to even come close to that
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Entertainment is subjective. Just b/c you don't like watching MMA is in no way indicative of its popularity and to suggest a lack of talent in MMA is just ignorant. MMA isn't as deep as boxing but at its top, MMA fighters are world class athletes and tremendously talented. Many of its practitioners competed at world class levels in other combat sports.
What the UFC does right is they put 5+ fights on their PPVs and do 5-7 free shows a year. With being the biggest show now the UFC gives MMA fans good continuity and usually the best fights available.
I still follow boxing but not nearly as closely as I used to. I'm on a fixed budget and I just rarely want to spend $50 on a boxing PPV with 1 or 2 fights. I'd say the matchmaking has been pretty good lately but the Alphabets are one of the biggest problems. A singular belt and rankings are probably a pipe dream but would go a long way.
In regards to boxing dying: I think thats a bit dramatic but the decline in the US can't be denied. In my hometown of pop. 150K+ our only gym closed a while back. I think for boxing to make a come back it needs to find a way to get young people competing in the sport again.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Boxing isn't dying, it's not mainstream, but it's not dying. If Boxing was dying then people wouldn't be interested in it. The people still but PPVs and sell out arenas even when two bums are fighting. Like on Friday Night Fights usually it's always a sell out. In the world it's still like 3rd or 4th in terms of popularity. Boxing is not dying all that's why it is still setting records in buys in PPVs.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
VanChilds
Entertainment is subjective. Just b/c you don't like watching MMA is in no way indicative of its popularity and to suggest a lack of talent in MMA is just ignorant. MMA isn't as deep as boxing but at its top, MMA fighters are world class athletes and tremendously talented. Many of its practitioners competed at world class levels in other combat sports.
What the UFC does right is they put 5+ fights on their PPVs and do 5-7 free shows a year. With being the biggest show now the UFC gives MMA fans good continuity and usually the best fights available.
I still follow boxing but not nearly as closely as I used to. I'm on a fixed budget and I just rarely want to spend $50 on a boxing PPV with 1 or 2 fights. I'd say the matchmaking has been pretty good lately but the Alphabets are one of the biggest problems. A singular belt and rankings are probably a pipe dream but would go a long way.
In regards to boxing dying: I think thats a bit dramatic but the decline in the US can't be denied. In my hometown of pop. 150K+ our only gym closed a while back. I think for boxing to make a come back it needs to find a way to get young people competing in the sport again.
I must admit I never don't really remember any of Vanchilds postings much prior to his recent row with CFH but I think he comes across as one of the most educated and articulate members on the board, able to debate even controversial issues like gun control in the US with sound reasoning and good debate.
He's one of the posters whose posts I follow most now
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Thanks...nice to know ones appreciated.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Quote:
Originally Posted by
VanChilds
Entertainment is subjective. Just b/c you don't like watching MMA is in no way indicative of its popularity and to suggest a lack of talent in MMA is just ignorant. MMA isn't as deep as boxing but at its top, MMA fighters are world class athletes and tremendously talented. Many of its practitioners competed at world class levels in other combat sports.
What the UFC does right is they put 5+ fights on their PPVs and do 5-7 free shows a year. With being the biggest show now the UFC gives MMA fans good continuity and usually the best fights available.
I still follow boxing but not nearly as closely as I used to. I'm on a fixed budget and I just rarely want to spend $50 on a boxing PPV with 1 or 2 fights. I'd say the matchmaking has been pretty good lately but the Alphabets are one of the biggest problems. A singular belt and rankings are probably a pipe dream but would go a long way.
In regards to boxing dying: I think thats a bit dramatic but the decline in the US can't be denied. In my hometown of pop. 150K+ our only gym closed a while back. I think for boxing to make a come back it needs to find a way to get young people competing in the sport again.
I definitely think there's some truth to that, but I think in the UK anyway its about the markets the respective sports aim for. I would say boxing, even if only going by my local boxing club, is very popular among younger people. The problem it faces is it is not so popular among affluent young people. I've worked hard enough to get a degree, and am lucky enough to be able to work so I can go to the Hatton-Pac fight for example. However, the remainder of the kids & even some of the trainers at my boxing club, simply don't have the money to do that. Everyone at the club lives in a similar area in South London, which is known for being deprived, and whilst many of us would like to go to see a fight its simply not possible. For example, we all talked about going out as a group to see David Haye's next fight, as he came from the same Ammy club as us. However, because the fight looks to be in Germany that is out of the question, and probably would have been for some of us even if it was in London.
I think in contrast, a lot of those who are MMA fans are guys who have a bit more money or are less likely to have grown up in the inner-cities. This is certainly going by the gym at my place of work, where a lot of guys actively train in MMA. Again these are only based on my observations, but I think it does boil down to respective positions in society. I think the casual fans who make up a majority of the fans who actually go to boxing, would only do so if they thought it was a worthwile fight, hence why I think Haye-Klitschko would sell out, whilst Haye-Barrett didnt.
Hope that made some sense, about the markets the respective sports tap into, and I don't know if there's some correllation between here and the US.
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
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Originally Posted by
Mark Scott
No offence Mark but do you really have to put a plug in for your book in each thread? lol :p
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
As long as you're hear to talk boxing and not just plug your book (and it appears you are hear to talk boxing) it's all Kool & The Gang :cool:
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Re: Interest in boxing dying out ??
Boxing for the spectator, has it's moments. It's usually in the top 20 and jumps up to the top 10 with more exciting fighters (and championships bouts) and even higher to the #1 spot with highly controversial and adored fighters but by no means is it dying out. ;D
