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The sport has had it's ups and downs. I remember in the 1990s when I would go into a Wal-Mart to the magazine section and find copies of The Ring, Boxing '93('94, '95, etc.), Boxing Illustrated, KO and others but now? If I am lucky, they occasionally have The Ring.
Now you may be thinking this is a product of the digital age we live in. But still, why don't those other magazines have digital copies for download? Again, you can make the argument that there are still tons of boxing websites. You could be right.
However, when baseball, basketball and football have their regular games as well as their major events free for all to watch and boxing requires payment to view any major event with few regular events available, you have to wonder how anyone could be surprised that it's popularity has declined.
Has it declined?
Well, I challenge you to walk into any bar and listen to the patrons talk about sports and I guarantee you are more likely to hear about the other three sports or if you even hear about boxing, it's going to be Pacquiao or Mayweather- the two guys who can't seem to ever fight each other.
Not good for the sport to say the least.
So with this current state being reality, what would a casual observer want to see from the occasion they happen to see a boxing match? My guess is a lot of action, a lot of punching, some knockdowns and probably a knockout.
Does Mayweather deliver on any of these things?
There is usually little action, few punches from himself, zero knockdowns and never a knockout. He wins fights and for some hardcore boxing fans, he proves to be slick and know where to be in the ring and how to land pretty outside punches the judges score points for. So for those fans, all is fine. But to the casual observer?
Boxing needs fighters- ACTION fighters. While Pacquioa has not scored a knockout in a while, his fights always feature plenty of punches and lots of action and as in his last fight, plenty of knockdowns. What about Wladimir Klitschko? Usually scores a knockout and usually a knockdown and generally throws plenty of punches. GGG? Always a knockout with knockdowns and plenty of heavy punches that get reactions from casual observers who could turn into hardcore fans. Marquez? He usually makes for an entertaining fight and sometimes gets knockouts or knockdowns at least, although I dare say he is the most exciting either. Counterpunchers rarely are.
The point is that hoisting up a guy who has such a low crowd pleasing style is not a good move for the sport. How he has managed to sell tickets is the idea that he could lose for the most part. But casual fans get turned off by watching him and in the end, are less likely to watch another fight. I understand that ratings are what they are and even the best is not necessarily ranked number one for reasons such as what they have done lately and landing the fight to prove themselves.
In closing, I think Mayweather is given too much praise overall. No matter how good you are, if your style is dull, how are you good for the sport?
Now you may be thinking this is a product of the digital age we live in. But still, why don't those other magazines have digital copies for download? Again, you can make the argument that there are still tons of boxing websites. You could be right.
However, when baseball, basketball and football have their regular games as well as their major events free for all to watch and boxing requires payment to view any major event with few regular events available, you have to wonder how anyone could be surprised that it's popularity has declined.
Has it declined?
Well, I challenge you to walk into any bar and listen to the patrons talk about sports and I guarantee you are more likely to hear about the other three sports or if you even hear about boxing, it's going to be Pacquiao or Mayweather- the two guys who can't seem to ever fight each other.
Not good for the sport to say the least.
So with this current state being reality, what would a casual observer want to see from the occasion they happen to see a boxing match? My guess is a lot of action, a lot of punching, some knockdowns and probably a knockout.
Does Mayweather deliver on any of these things?
There is usually little action, few punches from himself, zero knockdowns and never a knockout. He wins fights and for some hardcore boxing fans, he proves to be slick and know where to be in the ring and how to land pretty outside punches the judges score points for. So for those fans, all is fine. But to the casual observer?
Boxing needs fighters- ACTION fighters. While Pacquioa has not scored a knockout in a while, his fights always feature plenty of punches and lots of action and as in his last fight, plenty of knockdowns. What about Wladimir Klitschko? Usually scores a knockout and usually a knockdown and generally throws plenty of punches. GGG? Always a knockout with knockdowns and plenty of heavy punches that get reactions from casual observers who could turn into hardcore fans. Marquez? He usually makes for an entertaining fight and sometimes gets knockouts or knockdowns at least, although I dare say he is the most exciting either. Counterpunchers rarely are.
The point is that hoisting up a guy who has such a low crowd pleasing style is not a good move for the sport. How he has managed to sell tickets is the idea that he could lose for the most part. But casual fans get turned off by watching him and in the end, are less likely to watch another fight. I understand that ratings are what they are and even the best is not necessarily ranked number one for reasons such as what they have done lately and landing the fight to prove themselves.
In closing, I think Mayweather is given too much praise overall. No matter how good you are, if your style is dull, how are you good for the sport?
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