Can USA boxing upper weight boxing be fixed?

[Marchegiano]

Ive worked in education with teenagers in America for the last 25 years. There are a fair amount of boxing fans among kids here, but it definitely does not match the popularity of major team sports out here. However, its been that way for awhile. I remember hearing the same stuff 20 year ago, about how other sports were pulling talent away from what used to go to boxing; this is probably true.

Top athletic talent (and yes whether or not we want to admit it, boxers are athletes and those who make it to the pinnacle need to be great natural athletes) who would be in the upper weight classes are more likely going to choose one of the major team sports. Especially now with NIL money being offered to collegiate athletes. Many major D1 football and basketball programs add on six figures of NIL money to the already valuable college scholarship. Parents know this, and they are funneling their children towards those sports. I know there are other sports in Europe as well, but I feel soccer far ahead as the favorite, and in general I think NFL and NBA players are more on par with heavy weight boxers, ergo more of an impact in the US

Not to mention, how much boxing hurts itself by putting everything on ppv, and by rarely having the best fight each other. Imagine if the winners of the upcoming NFL conference championships decided to marinate the superbowl out for a few months, then made you pay and extra $100 to watch it.

Fair points bro. That might even be the bigger issue, but as Dempsey said, seems like even major leagues are in decline and that can't be helping.

Some of this is like cause and effect. They made boxing a pay-to-watch event and so no one watches and instead they watch and emulate other sports which now includes virtual sports.

[Marchegiano]

I think the two go hand-in-hand. Young fans aren't as interested in boxing, but there also aren't many fighters to spark their interest. Even young fighters of their generation who have some buzz around them like Tank Davis are cherry picking and only fighting once per year. Ryan Garcia has a strong following but there just aren't enough competitive fights to be made with household names. Most younger people are going to be drawn to MMA and other big league sports. Even some of the big league sports are seeing lower ratings and less interest among zoomers. As you said, they'd rather play video games and live in a virtual reality. I can't recall the last time I saw kids playing any type of sports in the streets.

Another factor is how expensive it is to attend a live sporting event. The price of tickets, parking, concession, merch is pricing out a lot of fans old and young. Less people are subscribing to cable television as well. Too expensive and more potential viewers have dropped their subscriptions by at least 20% or more over the last decade.

Fair points G. O. D.

[DeeMoney]

Fair points bro. That might even be the bigger issue, but as Dempsey said, seems like even major leagues are in decline and that can't be helping.

Some of this is like cause and effect. They made boxing a pay-to-watch event and so no one watches and instead they watch and emulate other sports which now includes virtual sports.

I don't think major leagues are in decline. Participation in major sports at the HS level is down, but thats mostly with non athletes; allow me to explain.

Lets use HS football as an example- 30 years ago a season would begin with 1-2 weeks of two-a-days (hell week) followed by the season. Whenever the season ended, if you didn't play another sport, you would work out with the team for about 6-8 hours a week. Not practices, just weights, speed, agility training etc. This would go on for the next several months until you had a couple weeks of spring ball (practice for 10 hours a week). Summer would usually be 10 hours a week throughout the summer. Once again very little actual practice, mostly athletic development with some practice time each week or 7-on-7 scrimmages, until you got to 2-a-days.

Nowadays, we expect FAR more of kids in HS sports. After the season is done most teams have players putting in 12+ hours a week until Spring Ball, which is a bit longer than before. This isn't just athletic development, but actual practices, film study, etc. There are also many winter and spring passing leagues that add to these hours. Summers are now 20+ hours a week for all kids, once again practices, athletic development, film, etc. Many places are starting early in the morning, throughout the summer. And this is for most all sports.

Those kids who are top athletes, those who will play in college, or those who really love it, they still do it. But those kids who used to just want to have fun, who want to maybe check it out, or just be part of a team- those are the ones who aren't playing anymore. People like to blame social media or video games, but the truth is you wouldve had the same issue 4 decades ago with fringe participants not wanting to give up their summers.

[Willie Pep 229]

I don't think major leagues are in decline. Participation in major sports at the HS level is down, but thats mostly with non athletes; allow me to explain.

Lets use HS football as an example- 30 years ago a season would begin with 1-2 weeks of two-a-days (hell week) followed by the season. Whenever the season ended, if you didn't play another sport, you would work out with the team for about 6-8 hours a week. Not practices, just weights, speed, agility training etc. This would go on for the next several months until you had a couple weeks of spring ball (practice for 10 hours a week). Summer would usually be 10 hours a week throughout the summer. Once again very little actual practice, mostly athletic development with some practice time each week or 7-on-7 scrimmages, until you got to 2-a-days.

Nowadays, we expect FAR more of kids in HS sports. After the season is done most teams have players putting in 12+ hours a week until Spring Ball, which is a bit longer than before. This isn't just athletic development, but actual practices, film study, etc. There are also many winter and spring passing leagues that add to these hours. Summers are now 20+ hours a week for all kids, once again practices, athletic development, film, etc. Many places are starting early in the morning, throughout the summer. And this is for most all sports.

Those kids who are top athletes, those who will play in college, or those who really love it, they still do it. But those kids who used to just want to have fun, who want to maybe check it out, or just be part of a team- those are the ones who aren't playing anymore. People like to blame social media or video games, but the truth is you wouldve had the same issue 4 decades ago with fringe participants not wanting to give up their summers.

There use to be very strict rules limiting student-coach interaction during the off season.

This was designed so as not to discourage students from participating in multiple sports.

We became so obsessed with winning (even at the high school level) that we lost sight of the purpose of high school athletics.

It is suspose to be about building young men's character. Now it's all about winning at any price (or cost to the child).

As with so many other things we lost sight of what we are suspose to being doing with these kids, i.e. coaches are more concerned with themselves than the kids.

[DeeMoney]

There use to be very strict rules limiting student-coach interaction during the off season.

This was designed so as not to discourage students from participating in multiple sports.

We became so obsessed with winning (even at the high school level) that we lost sight of the purpose of high school athletics.

It is suspose to be about building young men's character. Now it's all about winning at any price (or cost to the child).

As with so many other things we lost sight of what we are suspose to being doing with these kids, i.e. coaches are more concerned with themselves than the kids.

California has something known as the 18 hour rule. This limits individual athletes to no more than 18 hours of practice during the school year. This is for all athletics combined- so if an athlete is in season for one sport, they really cant workout with another sport.

This however doesnt take place in the summer. Summer is a free for all, and to be honest, teams break hours restrictions all the time

[Anomalocaris]

In the 80's and to a certain extent in the 90's in the UK many of the biggest fights were shown on the BBC (mainly domestic) or ITV (mainly international).

Most people knew who the Four Kings were for example - even if not boxing fans.

Plus they fought far more often and against the best of the best.

For example - in just a couple of years Leonard's opposition was almost supernatural. Benitez, Duran twice, Kalule and Hearns!

[DeeMoney]

Upper weight boxing in the USA is dead. Heavy, cruiser, light heavyweight has 30 men ranked at ring ****zine. How many are American?


2 or 3 of 30? Yep.


https://ring****zine.com/en/ring-ranking


The NBA is becoming more European by the day.

The NBA is becoming more European, but its the allure of college that attracts young athletes that is, and has been for a while, pulling young athletes away from boxing.

If you are an American male athlete and you are thinking about your future and how athletics may play a part, boxing doesnt offer as secure of prospects. Whereas major team sports offer full ride or even partial scholarships. That usually means all your food, and living arrangements are covered for the next few years, and if you know how to fill out forms some scholarship money can be given cash-in-hand (so you got a little spending money). And when all is said and done, you got a college degree to go start your career with.

All of that was the deal prior to NIL, now, heck you can be wealthy as soon as you step on campus. I know that Michigans NIL collective offers a baseline 80k annually for anyone on their football team (even a backup). Heck, a mid level D1 baseball player can get a few thousand added on to their free education and room and board.

This is why so many parents pin their kids futures on getting a scholarship, but thats not offered in boxing.

[Willie Pep 229]

California has something known as the 18 hour rule. This limits individual athletes to no more than 18 hours of practice during the school year. This is for all athletics combined- so if an athlete is in season for one sport, they really cant workout with another sport.

This however doesnt take place in the summer. Summer is a free for all, and to be honest, teams break hours restrictions all the time

My high school use to break the rules by calling them conditioning classes. Anyone could technically attend but it seems no one but the team ever did.

[Dr Z]

The NBA is becoming more European, but its the allure of college that attracts young athletes that is, and has been for a while, pulling young athletes away from boxing.

If you are an American male athlete and you are thinking about your future and how athletics may play a part, boxing doesnt offer as secure of prospects. Whereas major team sports offer full ride or even partial scholarships. That usually means all your food, and living arrangements are covered for the next few years, and if you know how to fill out forms some scholarship money can be given cash-in-hand (so you got a little spending money). And when all is said and done, you got a college degree to go start your career with.

All of that was the deal prior to NIL, now, heck you can be wealthy as soon as you step on campus. I know that Michigans NIL collective offers a baseline 80k annually for anyone on their football team (even a backup). Heck, a mid level D1 baseball player can get a few thousand added on to their free education and room and board.

This is why so many parents pin their kids futures on getting a scholarship, but thats not offered in boxing.

Not so, there is college boxing! I urge all football players not projected to go in the NFL draft ( 90+% of them ) to give collllege boxing a try. In theory some of them will be good enough at it. I think there is gold in this idea. Thank you for helping me come up with it. This idea combied with others can save USA boxing. Michigan vs. Ohio State heavyweight, curiser weight and light heavyweight boxing? There is blood between fans but in a good way.

[Incapable]

It is a mess. A crash from what it was in the 1990's.

So what is needed to fix things?

• A big time USA promoter is a start. Or a boxing fan with a lot of money to spare.
• Past living former very good to great fighters active in the media scene and fight game.
• Hungry and talented fighters are lacking but needed. A big problem with no grade A prospects at Heavyweight, Cruiser, and Light heavyweight.
• Risk taking by the fighters and promoters. There are plenty of young fighters. The USA prospects should face each other first.

Or is the international competition to great?

The USA is nothing compared to what it was.
They'll never reign undisputed at heavy weight again, that's not the European s turf.