How much do you REALLY know about boxing???

[bcollins]

I watched my 1st Fight 60 years ago, Trained 38 champs. Know most people in the Game. Unfortunatly still know Fuck All.

Ah hell Scrap these days even when we think we know something they go and change it all up before Dinner anyhow ....

Any day I am expecting Susan Lucci to enter the sport and ESPN to flash something on a ticker about a purse bid to be revealed on the afternoons episode of All My Children

I'll buy that PPV.

[Mark TKO]

been following boxing since around 85 - got most of my info back then from the Ring (which I have just stopped buying after 25 years as its too far behind these days and internet is killing it)

I admit I only follow the main guys and two guys who have lost 12 fights between them, and who i know won't be players on world scene, may put on a decent scrap on Friday night fights but I can't get excited about it if youy get my drift

I have a good library of fights going back to late 70s but not seen many fights before then - apart from the classics we all have

If big fights are shown over here I watch but difficult to see some guys in UK eg I've never seen Paul Williams, Edwin Valero etc only on youtube clips.

I been to a dozen or so fights over here eg Benn, Eubank , Hamed, Khan - and made the Vegas trip twice for Lewis Tua and Hatton PBF.

But there's a hell of a lot I don't know and if someone knows more than me - then I don't care !

eg there's some guy called Ali or something like that who sounded like a bit of a big deal in his time - never saw him fight...

[Spicoli]

Re: How much do you REALLY know about boxing
As far as physical aspect and performing the craft...next to nothing.Have stepped into a professionally run gym twice in my entire life.Both in Va.Beach.Have stepped into the ring both times and just slapped boxed around.Never officially spared,never received instruction and frankly never took advantage of vast surroundings to learn and soak up the knowledge of the ones who's company I was in at the time......my physical participation to any thing "boxing" related consist of home implimentation....A heavy bag at work...one at home and gloves we put on to knock around in the backyard,not school yard right hand happy crap....but def not serious studied proper footwork etc aspects.More or less I know what I am and I know what I am not...and thats a professional prize fighter,besides I'm too old and fat for that now HA.Mainly work the bag alot for cardio,flexibility,work many muscles that may go dormant and it is a GREAT stress relief,done properly.

As far as an observer and 'arm chair warrior' if you will.Quite simply I am an addict.Its my tar heroin.Started watching late in age,17,18 I believe on ABC wide world of sports and ESPN in 87'.Originally followed Baseball and scored games,kept stats on everything.After a year it was bye bye baseball and full time boxing junkie.No internet,no computer so I kept 5x8 bio cards on every fighter featured,newspaper articles and notebooks be they a super star or some 5-5 club fighter.Gathered info through all publications,Ring,KO,Boxing Illustrated,World boxing and newspapers,and Ralph citros record books and 'Fight fax inc'Had to call 900 #'s for global updates and started trading/buying tapes in 90'.Ive joked that I was forming a Box-rec before it existed and somehow let technology pass me by.Quit a very good job to do so and actually payed some bills for a while.Ultimately a dumb thing to do.The shit takes you over and blurs lines on reality and sports world.Had little to no internet-computer reliance up until a few years ago..long story.Found Saddo's one night looking for results (on dial up ) and wondered "who are all of these over seas fighters Ive never heard of".Made an account that night,no floating and jumped right in.Has not been the same since and cannot imagine following this sport with no internet...damn near impossible and a lonely azz task.We have a great thing in the instant availability and living in the 'now' with the sport as opposed to what many here remember in the past.After all until recently the major networks did not exactly scramble to cover the fights.Ive recently canceled Cable tv last month and have not seen a live fight in three weeks (streams a rarity or fail often it seems) but make due.Have rethought this decision as I feel like I'm having with drawls .Shite...quite the novel here,need coffee.

[ryanman]

In addition to my previous posts.
In terms of forming opinions of fights/fighters etc, that always comes from me. I won't just take someone elses opinion and use it as my own. And I don't comment on matters that I don't feel I can contribute to. Any opinion I express on a fight or a fighter comes from my analysis on that particular fighter or fight. But in terms of keeping up to date with the latest news and whatnot that comes from places like this.

[Gandalf]

Well, I don't box like YB does and I don't go to watch fights like CMM....but I do follow boxing as a hobby and having been on this site for nigh on half a decade and having had a fair bit of interest before I joined up, I would say I know a bit about boxing. There are others here who follow things more closely than I do and others who have more encyclopedic knowledge than I do, but I think I hold my own on the fighters and areas that hold my own interest.

The internet has been a wonderful tool for boxing fans in that we can get hold of pretty much any fight and quickly too. This access to fights has been vital in maintaining a relatively informed boxing public. The problem with the internet is in all the gossiping and rumour spreading, but we should learn to rise above that really.

[OumaFan]

I can't remember the last time I picked a fight wrong.

I just watch fights. I don't even read much on the internet or Ring mag anymore. I don't even consider myself a hardcore boxing fan anymore honestly. Well I guess I'm fairly hardcore, anybody that watches FNF is I guess. But its not close to my favorite sport anymore. I don't go to many fights, like at all (not out of lack of interest, I just live in a boxing graveyard.)

I talked to a guy who got jacked up by Audley Harrison in 2. I was pretty good at sock gloves boxing when I was a kid. I was a volume puncher, just head down throwing hooks.

[generalbulldog]

Generally I have pretty good knowledge on the sport with regards to fighter's accomplishments, records and history on the boxing stars of past and present, but kind of hazy and probably need the internet on lesser known fighters like a Malinaggi or Chuvalo type. Been following boxing since the late 80s when my older brothers got me hooked. It was Tyson-Bruno I that did it for me. Probably my 2nd favorite sport to follow after the NFL.

As far as knowing the ins and outs of being in a boxing ring, slipping a punch, or getting dazed and trying to buy time for the round to end, things like that, then I know next to nothing. I've only been to a boxing gym probably 4 or 5 times in my life. Like another poster here, I do have a heavy bag, speed bag, and boxing gloves at home. I'm no expert on it but find it to be a great cardiovascular exercise.

I've been to a few fights in my life such as the De La Hoya-Quartey fight, Mayweather-Jesus Chavez fight, Mosley-De La Hoya I, etc. Mainly nose bleed seats, but it was a fun atmosphere to be in.

[Hulk]

Well I am 22 years old now. I began watching boxing with my Dad when I was about 12. I believe the first fight I watched and really paid attention to was Holyfield vs. Lewis II. Then Mosley vs. Delahoya and so on.

On TV I've watched easily over 1,000 fights, probably around 1,500. I watch all that I can be it, ESPN 2, Showbox, FSN, HDNET, and HBO and PPV.

Yes I've really been in a gym and done more than hit a heavy bag. lol

I first learned to box properly from a boxing trainer who himself had 80 amatuer fights and was 13th in the nation and #1 in the state of California at one time.

Since then I've boxed and trained for 2 years at the MMA gym in my town because that is the only fighting gym we have.

I've sparred hundreds of rounds, with anyone who would spar me, including pro MMA fighters.

As far as fights go I have had 3 "smokers" which are unofficial amatuer boxing matches with 16 oz gloves and headgear and only 3, 2 min rounds.

Two of my opponents were pro MMA fighters. The first outweighed me by a good 25 lbs of muscle and that was a hell of a fight that I am very proud of. lol

And I get all my boxing news from here, ESPN 2, and Yahoo sports.

[DaxxKahn]

Well I am 22 years old now. I began watching boxing with my Dad when I was about 12. I believe the first fight I watched and really paid attention to was Holyfield vs. Lewis II. Then Mosley vs. Delahoya and so on.

On TV I've watched easily over 1,000 fights, probably around 1,500. I watch all that I can be it, ESPN 2, Showbox, FSN, HDNET, and HBO and PPV.

Yes I've really been in a gym and done more than hit a heavy bag. lol

I first learned to box properly from a boxing trainer who himself had 80 amatuer fights and was 13th in the nation and #1 in the state of California at one time.

Since then I've boxed and trained for 2 years at the MMA gym in my town because that is the only fighting gym we have.

I've sparred hundreds of rounds, with anyone who would spar me, including pro MMA fighters.

As far as fights go I have had 3 "smokers" which are unofficial amatuer boxing matches with 16 oz gloves and headgear and only 3, 2 min rounds.

Two of my opponents were pro MMA fighters. The first outweighed me by a good 25 lbs of muscle and that was a hell of a fight that I am very proud of. lol

And I get all my boxing news from here, ESPN 2, and Yahoo sports.

Yeah that how I started off as well watching with my Dad....Ali Vs Spinks 1 was my first actual fight

[JonnyFolds]

I like to keep up with the current champs. I also have favorite fighters whom I know may never win a world title.I watch about 6 fights a week. I know NO boxers personally.

Boxrec is a great resourse, and I think a bigger fool would not use it. I think 70% of my knowledge is from fights I've seen. Only fight I've ever been to was Gatti/Gomez... rather disappointing for my hero only to follow tragedy (RIP).


My first memories are Tyson/Douglas, but at the time I didn't realize what I was watching.. the biggest upset in history. I used to watch Foreman in his comeback with my dad. My dad was an Olympic power lifter, and a lot of his close friends boxed. (he's 82 now) He planted the seed a long time ago when I still thought that team sports would take over the world.

The first fight that got me hooked was (oddly enough) Gatti/Mayweather. Even though Mayweather is not one of my favorite fighters, my bro and I got it and I could not believe the hailstorm Gatti walked through... only to get KTFO. Well... it was inspiring anyway! Except I could not figure out why Mayweather was crying at the end (again). And I hated his ostrich trunks. And I hated that he was carried out by 4 guys dressed as Roman soldiers... Guess, I just don't like Mayweather, really.

[Gandalf]

I like to keep up with the current champs. I also have favorite fighters whom I know may never win a world title.I watch about 6 fights a week. I know NO boxers personally.

Boxrec is a great resourse, and I think a bigger fool would not use it. I think 70% of my knowledge is from fights I've seen. Only fight I've ever been to was Gatti/Gomez... rather disappointing for my hero only to follow tragedy (RIP).


My first memories are Tyson/Douglas, but at the time I didn't realize what I was watching.. the biggest upset in history. I used to watch Foreman in his comeback with my dad. My dad was an Olympic power lifter, and a lot of his close friends boxed. (he's 82 now) He planted the seed a long time ago when I still thought that team sports would take over the world.

The first fight that got me hooked was (oddly enough) Gatti/Mayweather. Even though Mayweather is not one of my favorite fighters, my bro and I got it and I could not believe the hailstorm Gatti walked through... only to get KTFO. Well... it was inspiring anyway! Except I could not figure out why Mayweather was crying at the end (again). And I hated his ostrich trunks. And I hated that he was carried out by 4 guys dressed as Roman soldiers... Guess, I just don't like Mayweather, really.

He is a homosexual. It turned him on hitting the man titties so much. There was just no way to control the emotion.

[Andre]

First fight I went to was 37 years ago .
I was just out of primary school and went with my dad.There was betting in the asiles and heavy smoking all around and all sorts of shit going on in and out of the ring,money flying everyhwere between people. It was fought in a large tin covered shed called festival hall. Nearly everyone dressed in black trousers and white or blue shirts in those days for some reason. If the fight was a good one everyone used to pelt coins into the ring after the fight and the corner men would scamble around and collect it for the fighters.
First fight I had was when I was about 10 a guy at school kept callingme stuff but wouldnt fight me cause he recons he would only fight "in a ring" so my mate jumped the fence went home and bought a rope back and tied it around four trees,the other nasty kids goaded us in there, the kids dad came to my house later that night and complained i beat his kid and my dad basically told him to fuk off.
The Old pro fighters I hung around with when watching fights until 4 years ago are both dead now one a carnival fighter from Queensland Roy Geary and the other a pro from Bendigo with 20 odd fights at featherweight we used to sit up in the bleeches all scoreing our own cards and pick fights apart.

I havent boxed western style but did Wing Chun, judo and zen do kai for many years. Boxing is a better art for the spectator though and we usually go to see the big fights in the City when they come on mainly Kostyas and Solimans in the past.

I dont follow the sport like you guys do anymore, its too much info for me to take in and retain these days. All the empty space in my head Im now attempting to fill with peace love and light not info.


I do love the physiology and phycology behind whats makes all fighters different though and love watching them for natural reactions in the ring that lead to winning moves. The octagon has my interest as much as the ring these days but Im picky on who I'll watch in both as i usually only hunt down a fight and watch if I hear it was a good fight from you guys,thank you.

[The Fightfan]

My friend's call me an encyclopedia of boxing history when they had a question. But when I came here about recent boxing news I was a novice.To tell you the truth about 85 percent of my picks for weekly fights are guesses because I just don't know who these people are. On the other hand I could tell you that Jimmy McLarnin and Barney Ross had three great fight's in the mid thirties with confidence and know that McLarnin beat Ross 2 out of the three times. Other fighter's like Battling Nelson fighting Joe Gans in lost the first fight by DQ but later came back and stopped him in later fight's in the 17th and 21st round.

I've been in and out of gyms since I was 17 I am now 26 and had quite a few gym wars. I've had sparring sessions with Tim Witherspoon to help me get prepared for a fight as well as Tim Jr and Chazz. I've met countless fighter's in my short time but could only talk to a few fighters personally. Like the Witherspoon's or even now Mike Jones. That about does it.

[mattboxingfan]

Im 16 and started following boxing in 2000 so i dont know alot about the glory years, but i have seen many of the old greats fights! I read the papers when i can to see the news on boxing. I look at the internet for updates on fighters, fights, and what not. I have boxed for around 3 years now so i do know a bit about doing the sport. I watch boxing when ever its on wether it be a stream or on tv ill be watching it, i love the sport......and that is all

[Lefty]

Not an awful lot to be honest. Started watching around 2006 and only knew Calzaghe and Hatton for British fighters. Calzaghe v Lacy was massive and pretty much followed up on that. I'm trying to learn more everyday, only way to do that is the internet and by watching fights. The current boxing scene I feel I know quite a bit, but not a lot in terms of fights in the 70's, 80's etc.