Boxing's Global Shift

[TitoFan]

Interesting article on a topic that has certainly been bounced around a bit. My contention has always been that the U.S. likes to be at the forefront of any sport. This much can be surmised from the first two sentences of the article. When the U.S. finds itself behind on a global sense, it loses interest, and moves its focus to other sports. (“If I can’t dominate, I’m not interested.) This fact may or may not be of importance to those living elsewhere in the world. But to those of us in the Americas it’s kind of a big deal. With U.S. interest comes TV coverage, sponsorship money, and incentive for developing talent.

But I also gleaned some curious, if predictable, slants from the article. First of course is the constant use of “America” to mean the United States. Typical habit, and one that’s normally harmless. But it does tend to skew arguments a wee bit. Then there’s the sort of annoying premise that boxing only exists in the U.S., and is now shifting to Europe and Asia. Sure… Mexico gets mentioned I think twice in the article. And never mind Puerto Rico. Unless of course the author means to include Puerto Rico in with the United States, since we are, technically, a territory.

Hey, I get it. The gist of the article is to point out the shift of boxing powers abroad, and away from the United States. He makes a good point in that the heavyweights, once a stronghold of the U.S., is now almost exclusively a domain across the pond. But the article reeks of a MAGA-type train of thought. He even ponders over the need for fighters to know “fluent English” as a requirement, although he did pose it as a question.

I would point out that South America is totally ignored… but alas, none of the countries down there are exactly powers in boxing.

The author asks, “Will the US reclaim its throne…” I think we all know that’s not gonna happen. To begin with, let’s do the only fair comparison that exists in terms of boxing prowess, or something measurable, such as number of world champions per capita. The latest table I saw has the U.S. at #7 of countries with most boxing champions per 1 million people (minimum 10 champions).

The author goes to great lengths in asking how the U.S. (not America) can regain its boxing dominance. Again, it’s not gonna happen. The U.S. is just going to have to get used to not being the top dog in a sport it loves.

[Spicoli]

Can't do the topic justice atm but off the top I'll say I sincerely do not like the direction boxing is going with the attitude if isolating show after show after show in Saudi Arabia. Politics of it aside which there are plenty of politics and many things to find fault with there, we all know boxing is a business and fighters look to get paid aka prize fighting. But there is this fervent tunnel vision surrounding Saudi and how Turki is conducting these roll outs. The talk that he intends on some "Ufc style league" headed by Dana White FFS. Someone remind them that Ufc has a total of maybe 600 fighters...that's it. That in and of itself may needs its own thread. It feels like we're drying up core venues and other locations as well as possibly fan bases in once massive locations that stood on their own, UK and States specifically.

[TitoFan]

I hear ya regarding Saudi Arabia. This is where I part company with those who call themselves boxing fans, but seem more like accountants going over the dollars and cents of boxing.

The Saudis may be able to pour money on top of money to basically force the issue of holding big events there. But the Saudi fan base will never be the fervent fan base of a Madison Square Garden, a Vegas venue, or some of the British boxing sites. For starters, the Saudis have zero presence in world class boxing circles, and about as much history. Something I've loved about world title fights in the aforementioned venues, especially between rival countries, is the electric atmosphere money can't buy.

Still... the gist of the article is true in the sense that boxing is shifting its epicenter a bit, away from the U.S. That, again is my opinion, is due to the drop in U.S. dominance, especially in the heavyweight division.

But I was surprised how the author ignored the other powers on this side of the pond, namely Puerto Rico and Mexico, with the latter being mentioned only a couple of times, and the former none.

[Rotten Apple]

I hear ya regarding Saudi Arabia. This is where I part company with those who call themselves boxing fans, but seem more like accountants going over the dollars and cents of boxing.

The Saudis may be able to pour money on top of money to basically force the issue of holding big events there. But the Saudi fan base will never be the fervent fan base of a Madison Square Garden, a Vegas venue, or some of the British boxing sites. For starters, the Saudis have zero presence in world class boxing circles, and about as much history. Something I've loved about world title fights in the aforementioned venues, especially between rival countries, is the electric atmosphere money can't buy.

Still... the gist of the article is true in the sense that boxing is shifting its epicenter a bit, away from the U.S. That, again is my opinion, is due to the drop in U.S. dominance, especially in the heavyweight division.

But I was surprised how the author ignored the other powers on this side of the pond, namely Puerto Rico and Mexico, with the latter being mentioned only a couple of times, and the former none.

Why the fuck would it name Puerto Rico? They don't even have any current champions. They are no longer a Boxing power. Far from it.

I'm sure you're gonna mention Oscar Collazo. But nobody cares about the strawweight division. And if I remembered correctly he was born in New Jersey.

[The Six Four]

Strawweights?! I care about the 'little big men.' I follow boxing as a whole—from the amateurs and club scene to the sport's elite

[TitoFan]

I hear ya regarding Saudi Arabia. This is where I part company with those who call themselves boxing fans, but seem more like accountants going over the dollars and cents of boxing.

The Saudis may be able to pour money on top of money to basically force the issue of holding big events there. But the Saudi fan base will never be the fervent fan base of a Madison Square Garden, a Vegas venue, or some of the British boxing sites. For starters, the Saudis have zero presence in world class boxing circles, and about as much history. Something I've loved about world title fights in the aforementioned venues, especially between rival countries, is the electric atmosphere money can't buy.

Still... the gist of the article is true in the sense that boxing is shifting its epicenter a bit, away from the U.S. That, again is my opinion, is due to the drop in U.S. dominance, especially in the heavyweight division.

But I was surprised how the author ignored the other powers on this side of the pond, namely Puerto Rico and Mexico, with the latter being mentioned only a couple of times, and the former none.

Why the fuck would it name Puerto Rico? They don't even have any current champions. They are no longer a Boxing power. Far from it.

I'm sure you're gonna mention Oscar Collazo. But nobody cares about the strawweight division. And if I remembered correctly he was born in New Jersey.

Every once in awhile that rock budges slightly, and you ooze out from under it.

Been awhile.... put on some sunblock, it's bright out there.

[Denilson3.0]

The Saudi's are spending a lot of their oil money to diversify their economy because they know the oil will eventually dry up. Based on current known oil reserves and if consumption remains the same we have about 47 years of oil left. So they are throwing money at the problem, it's why Qatar also got the world cup and got the world athletics championships. These oil countries see sporting events as a way to create tourism with the hope people who come first for the sport will return in following years.

The goal isn't to ever make money from boxing it's to change how people view the country and turn it into a tourist hot spot by bringing big events like this to the country and draw in tourists. It's bit like the "Rumble in the Jungle" with Ali Vs Foreman in Africa -Zaire or the "Thriller in Manila" with Ali Vs Frazier and the Philippines. Terrible despotic leaders trying to rehab their image without changing anything other than throwing a few big events. Difference being the Saudi's have deeper pockets than Mobutu Sese Seko and Ferdinand Marcos.

Before the Saudis we had

• Too many fake champion's.
• Too many shitty rematches.
• Too many generations didn't get hooked on it.
• Too many boxing gyms shut down.
• Too many absorbent prices for shitty pay per views.
• Too many networks bailed out.
• Too many times we didn't get the matches we wanted to see
• Too little talent.

And all at a time when it has to compete with MMA.