Can USA boxing upper weight boxing be fixed?

[Anomalocaris]

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.

The Iron Curtain came down - it's that simple.

Plus the UK has had Lewis and Fury.

Keep an eye on Moses, he just might be the best prospect we have.

The Riing thinks so.

Beautiful boxer, lightening fast and with huge power.

He weighs 245 too so let's just wait.

[The D3vil]

We need to just look at the last American HW champion that we had, Deontay Wilder.

He was a basketball/football crashout, who took up boxing in his late teens/early 20s

That is the new model.

We're going to have to focus on basketball/football crashouts. It's going to take actively recruiting young athletes between 16-24

There's who generations of dudes in high-school & college basketball & football, who aren't good enough to play in the NBA or NFL, but want to still keep competing & want to make money. That's why Wilder went into boxing, to make money for his handicapped daughter.

We need to get those dudes into boxing.

[billeau2]

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.

I can confirm your points as one who taught High School for a while. I have contradictory feelings about it... On the one hand having the best of the best in these major high schools in urban areas makes them a virtual farm system for the professional leagues... High schools like Crenshaw High in LA (for example), but when you see the end result... I mean sure football players are bigger, stronger and faster, but quarterbacks? Geez, these kids today have to have high IQ, flawless physical abilities, and be on point... early on! The guys we grew up admiring... like Kenny Stabler, Bradshaw, would not stand a chance in the league these days...

It shows what can be achieved, even if it makes High School a virtual farm system... And we wonder why kids arent boxing...

[billeau2]

We need to just look at the last American HW champion that we had, Deontay Wilder.

He was a basketball/football crashout, who took up boxing in his late teens/early 20s

That is the new model.

We're going to have to focus on basketball/football crashouts. It's going to take actively recruiting young athletes between 16-24

There's who generations of dudes in high-school & college basketball & football, who aren't good enough to play in the NBA or NFL, but want to still keep competing & want to make money. That's why Wilder went into boxing, to make money for his handicapped daughter.

We need to get those dudes into boxing.

Love it! . It has been that way for a time. People just have not seen it.

[billeau2]

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.

Nah... Thats a myth... And listen I am not proud of the reasons, but they are what they are. Murica is, was and perhaps always will be a violent society. This violence acts as a forge... it breeds a uniquely qualified individual when it comes to violence, even socially sanctioned violence that occurs in a ring. Sure, not every fighter that comes up can make that into something ATG level, but when an American fighter does, they have that quality that often lacks in other fighters... Not always, but often.

[DeeMoney]

I can confirm your points as one who taught High School for a while. I have contradictory feelings about it... On the one hand having the best of the best in these major high schools in urban areas makes them a virtual farm system for the professional leagues... High schools like Crenshaw High in LA (for example), but when you see the end result... I mean sure football players are bigger, stronger and faster, but quarterbacks? Geez, these kids today have to have high IQ, flawless physical abilities, and be on point... early on! The guys we grew up admiring... like Kenny Stabler, Bradshaw, would not stand a chance in the league these days...

It shows what can be achieved, even if it makes High School a virtual farm system... And we wonder why kids arent boxing...

You are right, but it really is crazy. I coach HS football in one of the most competitive regions in the nation. We won a ring this year in a mid to mid high classification; less than a month after the season had two of our all league under classmen get poached by other high schools. Other high schools recruit players from rival high schools and promise them more college exposure, which means more of a chance for NIL money.

This of course is ridiculous though, because all the college recruiters have access to the internet, and every high school puts all their players info out there for colleges to see as is. The kids get themselves recruited by their talent and ability, coaches just ride the kids coattails into the spotlight and act like they were the ones who did it. And while yes, the players as a whole are better than they were 50 years ago, this has nothing to do with them going to the top schools. The best teams in the nation are training the same ways as the mid level teams, they are just recruiting better talent to do it with.

[DeeMoney]

We need to just look at the last American HW champion that we had, Deontay Wilder.

He was a basketball/football crashout, who took up boxing in his late teens/early 20s

That is the new model.

We're going to have to focus on basketball/football crashouts. It's going to take actively recruiting young athletes between 16-24

There's who generations of dudes in high-school & college basketball & football, who aren't good enough to play in the NBA or NFL, but want to still keep competing & want to make money. That's why Wilder went into boxing, to make money for his handicapped daughter.

We need to get those dudes into boxing.

Problem is now, with NIL in play, plenty of college athletes who won't be going pro are making money while in college.

[billeau2]

You are right, but it really is crazy. I coach HS football in one of the most competitive regions in the nation. We won a ring this year in a mid to mid high classification; less than a month after the season had two of our all league under classmen get poached by other high schools. Other high schools recruit players from rival high schools and promise them more college exposure, which means more of a chance for NIL money.

This of course is ridiculous though, because all the college recruiters have access to the internet, and every high school puts all their players info out there for colleges to see as is. The kids get themselves recruited by their talent and ability, coaches just ride the kids coattails into the spotlight and act like they were the ones who did it. And while yes, the players as a whole are better than they were 50 years ago, this has nothing to do with them going to the top schools. The best teams in the nation are training the same ways as the mid level teams, they are just recruiting better talent to do it with.

! Insane!! I believe you. Human nature...

Regarding talent. There used to be more problems for kids getting spotted before the internet. baseball was usually most scouted on the West Coast because kids could essentially play and develop all year. I played for a top Gil Hodges team in New York for one stint, and in Brooklyn you had guys scouted like Willie Randolph, Torres (the manager of the mets), etc... you even had occasionally players scouted out of the Spanish Puerto Rican leagues (I believe Rod Carew was first spotted in my hood East Harlem)... But the scouts would inevitably get more **** for their buck going to Kali and Florida and other such places.

But now-a-days? I think you are correct, kids have exposure...

You are speaking as an expert here... People often ask me "what martial arts style should I study" expecting me to give them an answer, much like one might expect you to say "ohh go to Dunbar in Baltimore and you will get an NBA contract . " In both cases we know better. Give me a kid who can keep from getting dragged into the streets, has a strong family, elite talent, and the drive to succeed and he can go to the local charter school! And regarding styles of martial arts? I always tell people, HOW and WHOM are you training with... "This Master Smith is a 10nth degree Red Belt!" "Oh yeah? HOW long has he been training?" My point being, the perspective of someone in the know understands and will be levels to the game above the same perspective of people who are not knowlegable about the subject.

What is nice is to have various posters, like yourself, who are in the know and can educate people on these matters. Many parents probably lose sleep over trying to get their kid in the best athletic situation, and need to hear from people in the know.

[billeau2]

Problem is now, with NIL in play, plenty of college athletes who won't be going pro are making money while in college.

Can you imagine if some kid, took college money, and put it into a fund with about 50% ******, aggressive investments, then simply went and played a few years maybe for a Canadian league football team... retired before getting destroyed? .

[DeeMoney]

Can you imagine if some kid, took college money, and put it into a fund with about 50% ******, aggressive investments, then simply went and played a few years maybe for a Canadian league football team... retired before getting destroyed? .

I've known more than a few who are about that level of talent, problem is the field, just like the ring, is an addictive mistress. Most of them want one last shot so they hang around a bit too long