How much do you REALLY know about boxing???

[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.