Fights on regular tv are good when they are good fights; they get good ratings and are fun to watch. But they are expensive for the network to put on, because a good fight requires good fighters and you have to pay them. Also, managers aren't willing to risk their prospects on national tv so you get a lot of Star vs. Victim matchups. ESPN, in the 80s, used to have great fights with guys like Tommy Cordoba and Rocky Lopez, among others, but really, today that is almost a career killer. The thinking seems to be that if a guy isn't 28-0, all by KO, that somehow he sucks. That he is limited, or has been exposed, not that he's been in with good opposition, learned and improved.
The biggest thing hurting boxing is the lack of fights for up and coming fighters. There aren't enough places where a guy can fight 4 or 6 rounds every two weeks and learn his trade, without getting fed to some amateur super-star on short notice because he doesn't have money behind him. Think about it...How many guys are considered world champs and veterans at 25 fights and less than 200 rounds? So you get 'top-level' guys with ear muff defense, leaping in with their chin in the air, showing toughness and strength but no "class"...It gets hard to watch.
That's my pet peeve, guys that can't fight and there is no system to change that.