Will boxing ever rise again in the USA???

[Mar]

Nope.....not till every other god damn fight isn't on ppv.

[generalbulldog]

Nope.....not till every other god damn fight isn't on ppv.

That didn't stop boxing for being so popular in the 80s with Mike Tyson being on PPV. And people were excited to see the Duran, Hagler, Leonard, Hearns and other superfights on PPV. Same thing in the 90s with Tyson coming back from prison along with other superfights that had Holyfield, Bowe, Foreman and the Oscar DLH fights did extremely well also with Trinidad, Whittaker, Chavez, etc.

Boxing was wildly popular in the 80s and 90s with other sports fans and the general public. But it was backed up with an exciting HW champion that was leading the popularity, for he is the face of boxing to Americans.

When you have a boring champion like Lennox Lewis and the Klit brothers being the face of boxing with their mundane style, Americans aren't going to want to see that.

[VictorCharlie]

Boxers typically have come from lower economic means. Boxing gyms are closing in a lot of places near me especially in inner cities. Young men and kids are choosing other sports. Boxing requires a tremendous amount of time and effort for a kid/teenager compared to basketball/football. Combine that with a lack of local boxing gyms it is not suprising American boxing is falling off. Sure a HW superstar and more top boxing on free TV would help infuse interest but American Amateur Boxing needs to get out and help open gyms and support the ones that are still around as well as promote amateur boxing in communities across the nation.

[ER-101]

America doesn't have to have an American fighter to support boxing.

[TitoFan]

America doesn't have to have an American fighter to support boxing.

Short, sweet... and it sums up nicely exactly what I think also.

[Rantcatrat]

Boxers typically have come from lower economic means. Boxing gyms are closing in a lot of places near me especially in inner cities. Young men and kids are choosing other sports. Boxing requires a tremendous amount of time and effort for a kid/teenager compared to basketball/football. Combine that with a lack of local boxing gyms it is not suprising American boxing is falling off. Sure a HW superstar and more top boxing on free TV would help infuse interest but American Amateur Boxing needs to get out and help open gyms and support the ones that are still around as well as promote amateur boxing in communities across the nation.

Strong Post. But, even in its dilatory state, USA still has top performers in each weight class.

It also has to do with marketing. Paul Williams is fun and exciting to watch. But, do you see him on Nike or Adidas billboards? The Pacquiao-Bryant Nike commercials should do a lot for boxing. Watch.

It doesn't take a genius to see that boxing promoters/industry heads etc should target certain communities. Billboards and such advertising boxers in Mexican-American communities. Paul Williams is from South Carolina - how about an Everlast billboard in Charlotte? A Paulie Malignaggi board in Brooklyn with an Italian Flag as the background? You get the point - appeal to ethnic groups.

[generalbulldog]

I forgot about the boxing gyms closing down too, but this has been happening in the last 7 or 8 years when boxing was on it's downside and it still is on it's downside. And someone here also mentioned marketing also plays a role to attract new fans to the sport.

Of course it starts with amateur boxing to bring in the exciting new talent. It's a damn shame that the high schools in America doesn't have some sort of amateur boxing program to attract the talent that football and basketball does.

[paddy448]

i suppose they dont make them like they use to, its probably like alot of people say that all the next top heavyweights are all in the nfl or nba. im sure some special fighters will come thru eventually. its too big a country not to produce special talents.

[kingfrnk]

to be honest i think no. NFL MLB and NBA have taking over. boxing can make all the biggest fights happen but it wont be a major US sport again.

[Jody Lane]

Nope.....not till every other god damn fight isn't on ppv.

I agree on that. Who wants to pay $50 for a couple hours of entertainment. I'd rather pay $50 on the street with a hooker for a half hour of fun.