Donny I get where you're coming from. Any boxer with the courage to step into the ring deserves respect. I also think that it's only when you have boxed and trained that you can truly appreciate what these guys have to go through and sacrifice for their art.

I guess for the casual fan the violence is an atraction but also I hope their are fans out there like me who are drawn to the sport because of the fascination of watching two athletes pit their skills and will against each other in what I still regard as the highest and most pure act of one one compettion.

In general people are guilty not only with boxers but with any of their idols of seeing them not as people but as some kind of God. It's easy to forget that your heroes whether the are boxers or not are just people and have flaws like anyone else. Because of this idolism we often find it harder to come to terms and forgive their human indescretions.

Blind loyalty to a fighter based on various reasons (skin colour, location, fighting style) frustrate me but unfortunatley that too is human nature.

Boxing has lost so much of it's mainstream appeal due to the almighty dollar - to many sanctioning boddies to many weight categroies and to many meaningless fights and lack of exposure on 'free' tv are all to blame.

Still there is no greater thrill in the world for me than two fighters (at any weight) baring their soles to find out simply wjo is the best.

Great thread mate