Do you think fighters fight enough?

[Vendettos]

I wonder about this. I know boxing has evolved since Joe louis (69 fights), Jersey Joe Walcott (71), Foreman (81), Holmes (75) etc etc.

David Haye has been in the World mix for a few years now and has already retired once with 28 fights.

Dereck Chisora - 19 fights
Manuel Charr - 23
Maruisz Wach - 28
Robert Helenius - 18
Odlanier Solis - 19

^^All either already had a title shot or are close to one and I get the feeling that by the time they hit 40 fights the world will have forgotten about them.

Whereas George foreman (81 fights) hadn't lost at his 40th bout
Larry Holmes (75 fights) never lost until his 49th fight.

Maybe I'm just reiterating the lack of decent heavyweights around now but I feel a bit more activity would help fighters.

Mayweather will go down as probably one of the top 5 p4p boxers of all time and we'll be lucky if he sees 50 fights. That's not right to me!

[imp]

So much money involved is the reason for these long breaks to build fights.

I wish they all fought more often but even khan is fighting twice a year.

As long as the quality is there and there good fights..thats all we can hope for.

[Dia bando]

No they don't, let's face some facts we call people great fighters after 20 or so fights, these's day's,
your lucky the Champions fight twice in a year today.! Very poor indeed , money is the downfall and
lots of it, no promoter want there cash cow Champion to lose.

[Vendettos]

So much money involved is the reason for these long breaks to build fights.

I wish they all fought more often but even khan is fighting twice a year.

As long as the quality is there and there good fights..thats all we can hope for.

The delays ruin boxing for me, Calzaghe fought 2 a year after the Eubank fight, sometimes 1. Yet in the 2 years leading up to it he fought 10 times. Although I understand the talent got better, but he made light work of most of them.

Hats of to the ever active Pac-Man, declining or not.

[ruthless rocco]

how many fights you had tough guy?? ?

[Vendettos]

how many fights you had tough guy?? ?

I find when people post this kind of question on boxing forums it generally means they weren't inventive enough to think of a real answer but just had to get there 2 cents in.

But here goes.

About 11! None of them boxing matches and none of them for pay.

However if I was making close to what these guys make I'd fight a hell of a lot.

In fact if I was getting £500 per fight I'd try and fight 4 a month. Unfortunately I am not in that position.


Oh seen as you're so interested my record is 7(3)-3-1.

Prick.

[brocktonblockbust]

fighters are nancy boys and Mary's. little fuck-faced fauck-alls fucking up the screen with fuck left jabs and fuck right leads and fucked-up fuck-ass pieces of shit combinations and no head movement and less than 30 punches thrown per round fuck-fuck.

[Beanz]

I wonder about this. I know boxing has evolved since Joe louis (69 fights), Jersey Joe Walcott (71), Foreman (81), Holmes (75) etc etc.

David Haye has been in the World mix for a few years now and has already retired once with 28 fights.

Dereck Chisora - 19 fights
Manuel Charr - 23
Maruisz Wach - 28
Robert Helenius - 18
Odlanier Solis - 19

^^All either already had a title shot or are close to one and I get the feeling that by the time they hit 40 fights the world will have forgotten about them.

Whereas George foreman (81 fights) hadn't lost at his 40th bout
Larry Holmes (75 fights) never lost until his 49th fight.

Maybe I'm just reiterating the lack of decent heavyweights around now but I feel a bit more activity would help fighters.

Mayweather will go down as probably one of the top 5 p4p boxers of all time and we'll be lucky if he sees 50 fights. That's not right to me!

While boxers today do seem to have less fights I don't think total fights gives that accurate a picture of how busy someone is or has been. Joe Frazier fought only 37 times but the guy rightly is seen as a legendary fighter because of the important contests he shared with Ali and the excitement, heart and class he brought to the sport along with the affinity fans felt for a guy who was for many like the real life Rocky. His career?

In 1965 his first year as a Pro he fought 4 times
In 1966 he fought 9! times in January,twice in March, twice in April,May,July,September and November
In 1967 he fought 6 times
In 1968 he fought 3 times
In 1969 he fought twice
In 1970 he fought twice winning and then successfully defending the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles
In 1971 he fought once in "The fight of the Century" against Ali
In 1972,1973,1974 and 1975 he fought twice then once in 1976 and once again in 1981

He won the heavyweight titles in his 25th fight and like most fighters then slowed down to a couple of fights a year because the opposition was on another level and the purses were better. It is only natural that fighters and their promoters take more time to build fights as events once champions are established but plenty of fighters do stay busy nowadays on the way up. Chris Eubank Jr for example .Then you have guys like Wlad Klitschko who whatever you think of his style has had 59 fights and 3 of them in 2012.

Once you are a world champion then to fight two or three times a year seems entirely reasonable because each fight is a bigger event that needs building and promotion, the opposition and potential for punishment is a lot greater, you are probably getting older and more ring worn ( more susceptible to injuries) and you have earned the right to call out and defend against other elite boxers who may have equally important fights. To behave like you are already a superstar and pick and choose you opposition on the way up to the point where matchmaking is just fodder and tomato can after bum, for just a couple of fights a year is just bowl larks though.

[Fenster]

At the top level it's understandable - Fighters are attached to promoters and promoters are attached to TV companies. There are only so many TV dates available. If you check those fighters from the 70s, you'll see they only fought 2-3 times a year once they became champ, just like the fighters today.

At the other end of the scale I think it's ridiculous.

Using a British example - David Price, James DeGale, Billy Joe Saunders, George Groves etc - these guys have had around 15 fights in 3-4 years.

Chris Eubank jr has fought 9 times this year.

Obviously these cunty promoters wont allow their fighter on anothers bill. But if Eubank jr could be kept so active what holds back these other prospects?

Saunders fought Bradley Pryce this year after nearly 4 years as a pro. Eubank jr fought him in 12 months.

(Sounds like a Eubank jr lovefest but just using him as an example)

[Fenster]

I wonder about this. I know boxing has evolved since Joe louis (69 fights), Jersey Joe Walcott (71), Foreman (81), Holmes (75) etc etc.

David Haye has been in the World mix for a few years now and has already retired once with 28 fights.

Dereck Chisora - 19 fights
Manuel Charr - 23
Maruisz Wach - 28
Robert Helenius - 18
Odlanier Solis - 19

^^All either already had a title shot or are close to one and I get the feeling that by the time they hit 40 fights the world will have forgotten about them.

Whereas George foreman (81 fights) hadn't lost at his 40th bout
Larry Holmes (75 fights) never lost until his 49th fight.

Maybe I'm just reiterating the lack of decent heavyweights around now but I feel a bit more activity would help fighters.

Mayweather will go down as probably one of the top 5 p4p boxers of all time and we'll be lucky if he sees 50 fights. That's not right to me!

While boxers today do seem to have less fights I don't think total fights gives that accurate a picture of how busy someone is or has been. Joe Frazier fought only 37 times but the guy rightly is seen as a legendary fighter because of the important contests he shared with Ali and the excitement, heart and class he brought to the sport along with the affinity fans felt for a guy who was for many like the real life Rocky. His career?

In 1965 his first year as a Pro he fought 4 times
In 1966 he fought 9! times in January,twice in March, twice in April,May,July,September and November
In 1967 he fought 6 times
In 1968 he fought 3 times
In 1969 he fought twice
In 1970 he fought twice winning and then successfully defending the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles
In 1971 he fought once in "The fight of the Century" against Ali
In 1972,1973,1974 and 1975 he fought twice then once in 1976 and once again in 1981

He won the heavyweight titles in his 25th fight and like most fighters then slowed down to a couple of fights a year because the opposition was on another level and the purses were better. It is only natural that fighters and their promoters take more time to build fights as events once champions are established but plenty of fighters do stay busy nowadays on the way up. Chris Eubank Jr for example .Then you have guys like Wlad Klitschko who whatever you think of his style has had 59 fights and 3 of them in 2012.

Once you are a world champion then to fight two or three times a year seems entirely reasonable because each fight is a bigger event that needs building and promotion, the opposition and potential for punishment is a lot greater, you are probably getting older and more ring worn ( more susceptible to injuries) and you have earned the right to call out and defend against other elite boxers who may have equally important fights. To behave like you are already a superstar and pick and choose you opposition on the way up to the point where matchmaking is just fodder and tomato can after bum, for just a couple of fights a year is just bowl larks though.

Sorry, I didn't see this post when I finally hit submit on mine. I wouldn't have posted if I did. Good stuff.

[mightyfighter]

Fighters that are being built up as a contender or future champion usually don't fight often, only twice a year. If you're trying to get noticed and get a name, then you should fight at least 3-4 times a year. Don't forget that many fighters with low records have had long amateur careers also.

[Beanflicker]

I don't think they fight too often.

People bring up the old guys fighting 200 times (and several times a month) like it's the way it should be, like it was a good thing.

I think the amount of times those old guys had to fight was just a sad indication of the times. Do you think SRR wanted to fight several times a month? He had to, because the promoters and the mob took most of the money and you couldn't make as much off of one fight obviously as you can now with PPV.

Boxing is a dangerous, dehibilitating sport, and we should want our favorite boxers to retire and have a great quality of life and not end up pugilistic dementia like guys like SRR, Dempsey, Louis, ect ect ended up with.

I think 40-50 fights with multiple titles is a great career. Yeah 200 fights looks good, but that was a different (worse) time.

Floyd could go on little "tours" and fight bums in each state a couple times a month like the old guys did, but who would be interested in that now adays?

[Vendettos]

I wonder about this. I know boxing has evolved since Joe louis (69 fights), Jersey Joe Walcott (71), Foreman (81), Holmes (75) etc etc.

David Haye has been in the World mix for a few years now and has already retired once with 28 fights.

Dereck Chisora - 19 fights
Manuel Charr - 23
Maruisz Wach - 28
Robert Helenius - 18
Odlanier Solis - 19

^^All either already had a title shot or are close to one and I get the feeling that by the time they hit 40 fights the world will have forgotten about them.

Whereas George foreman (81 fights) hadn't lost at his 40th bout
Larry Holmes (75 fights) never lost until his 49th fight.

Maybe I'm just reiterating the lack of decent heavyweights around now but I feel a bit more activity would help fighters.

Mayweather will go down as probably one of the top 5 p4p boxers of all time and we'll be lucky if he sees 50 fights. That's not right to me!

While boxers today do seem to have less fights I don't think total fights gives that accurate a picture of how busy someone is or has been. Joe Frazier fought only 37 times but the guy rightly is seen as a legendary fighter because of the important contests he shared with Ali and the excitement, heart and class he brought to the sport along with the affinity fans felt for a guy who was for many like the real life Rocky. His career?

In 1965 his first year as a Pro he fought 4 times
In 1966 he fought 9! times in January,twice in March, twice in April,May,July,September and November
In 1967 he fought 6 times
In 1968 he fought 3 times
In 1969 he fought twice
In 1970 he fought twice winning and then successfully defending the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles
In 1971 he fought once in "The fight of the Century" against Ali
In 1972,1973,1974 and 1975 he fought twice then once in 1976 and once again in 1981

He won the heavyweight titles in his 25th fight and like most fighters then slowed down to a couple of fights a year because the opposition was on another level and the purses were better. It is only natural that fighters and their promoters take more time to build fights as events once champions are established but plenty of fighters do stay busy nowadays on the way up. Chris Eubank Jr for example .Then you have guys like Wlad Klitschko who whatever you think of his style has had 59 fights and 3 of them in 2012.

Once you are a world champion then to fight two or three times a year seems entirely reasonable because each fight is a bigger event that needs building and promotion, the opposition and potential for punishment is a lot greater, you are probably getting older and more ring worn ( more susceptible to injuries) and you have earned the right to call out and defend against other elite boxers who may have equally important fights. To behave like you are already a superstar and pick and choose you opposition on the way up to the point where matchmaking is just fodder and tomato can after bum, for just a couple of fights a year is just bowl larks though.

This is all that was necessary! Good post.

[Freedom]

When fighters are on the way up fighting soft opposition, they should fight more often.

Mike Tyson fought 17 times in a year, Wladimir Klitschko fought 14 times in 1997.

David Price should have more fights by now because he's been KOing his opponents with ease.

As Cus D'Amato said "inactivity ruins a boxer".

[IamInuit]

I don't think they fight too often.

People bring up the old guys fighting 200 times (and several times a month) like it's the way it should be, like it was a good thing.

I think the amount of times those old guys had to fight was just a sad indication of the times. Do you think SRR wanted to fight several times a month? He had to, because the promoters and the mob took most of the money and you couldn't make as much off of one fight obviously as you can now with PPV.

Boxing is a dangerous, dehibilitating sport, and we should want our favorite boxers to retire and have a great quality of life and not end up pugilistic dementia like guys like SRR, Dempsey, Louis, ect ect ended up with.

I think 40-50 fights with multiple titles is a great career. Yeah 200 fights looks good, but that was a different (worse) time.

Floyd could go on little "tours" and fight bums in each state a couple times a month like the old guys did, but who would be interested in that now adays?

Valid points but a bit of a broad brush. Yes fighters fought much more in other eras and yes in many cases it was simply to literally put food on the table and pay rent but I do think that hard times makes better fighters both in and out of the ring.

Other factors need to be taken into account though. For instance Langford fought Wills about 20 times because he could not get fights. The same can be said about the entire Murdrers Row. They had to fight each other lots because the establishment would not embrace them. Robinson would not even fight them although he did fight Marshall after Lloyd was essentially done.

Another factor is that only 1 belt existed not 25 so the drive was there and legacy had a meaning. Today it’s a bunch of tin pots who all claim to be world champions and for the most part staying away from each other.

Greb fought 45 times in one year once and it was not a tour bus. Stribling fought more then that once and sure boxing was a "job" more so then today but these guys wanted to fight. P4P actually meant something then to. Langford was a short middle at best and yet knocked out almost every hev of his day including Wills, Mcvey and Jeannette. Probably the first man to introduce the shoulder roll and would fight the last part of his career pretty much blind.

Greb beat 7 world light heavy champions, dominated the middleweight division and beat several contending heavyweights and finished his career blind in one eye. He only lost 11 times in 300 fights and was only stopped twice, once because his arm was broken.

Today if you lose or get knocked out you are almost written off or tossed to the recycling bin but in past eras a loss was looked on almost as a badge of honour.

@Beanflicker. I know what you mean man, we history buffs can go a little overboard at times in comparisons but the differences from the past and today as far as attitude goes is really quite striking.
The difference between risk and reward as applied today and how it was applied in other eras even as early as the mid 80's almost has its own taste. Point well taken though as all one has to do is look at Leonards 40 fights. His resume stacks up to almost anyone in history quality wise.