Tweet
Network Boxing in the 1970’s. What can the 2000’s learn from the 70’s?
By Dan Hernandez
Addressing this question is a little like asking who is the best pound for pound boxer, or the best baseball, and tennis players of all time. Different times, different training methods, it is all conjecture. I can share my favorite in each sport and what I remember most vividly. In all honesty, I don’t have any idea of who would have been the victor in a head-to-head combat or who was the best all around player. There are just too many variables.
The same holds true for spans of time, what worked in the 70’s may not work in the 2000’s. It is evident, successful tomorrows depend on an acute knowledge of what worked and what did not work in the past.
The 1970’s were pivotal in boxing history. Thanks primarily to boxing impresarios Bob Arum and Don King and Champions Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the popularity of the sport reached an all time high. Closed-circuit television firmly established itself as an outstanding marketing vehicle for championship matches. Great anticipation preceded each match.
The theory of less is more prevailed. Fewer championships available meant more interest. A qualified contender, with strong credentials and a fan base, secured a highly desired contest. The fighters had limited alternatives. If they gave a poor showing, it could be quite awhile before another opportunity to climb to the top arose. In other words, each participant had to earn their shot at the title and their performance had to be significant to warrant another opportunity.
Network television played a positive role in escalating the future of boxing headliners and developing the fans awareness of the boxing scene on a worldwide scale. We saw the rise and fall of the regional golden boys, and it was exciting. Many live telecasts of title matches and re-plays of closed-circuit fights aired on network television thereby enhancing our curiosity and creating an even larger audience. I believe the 2000’s can benefit from some of these attributes of the 1970’s.
Asked recently, “If the death of boxing was around the corner.” My response was that there has always been boxing. Boxing is a form of expression that has a distinct place in our society. Matches have taken place in a variety of locations; fields, parking lots, and even barges were not uncommon. It also did not matter if they fought with large or small gloves, ****es attached to their hands or bare knuckled. If there are two people cheering or thousands, boxing will prevail.
My concern lies with the lack of action by the boxing governing powers in either not recognizing or camouflaging the need for change. There are some good ideas out there, such as Golden Boy Promotions developing a series of Boxing World Cup competitions. This would pit the best fighters of one country against the top fighters of another. The potential is clear. Still, it seems plausible that an implementation of the basic ideals of the 1960’s and 1970’s would put the marginal fan on the boxing bandwagon.
As a fan, I want to see the top fighters in combat with each other regardless if they were from the same country, city, or block. It is important to see fighters do their best to win, and to win decisively or expend themselves in a valiant effort. Those are the kind of engagements I witnessed on a weekly basis as a young man in Los Angeles, California. Almost everyone that had the privilege of attending or viewing a match on television during this time period ignited a lifelong passion for the sport. They were not all championship contests but each was fought by boxers with championship hearts.
Jerry and Mike Quarry, Joey Orbillo, Jose Medal, Raymundo “ Battling “ Torres, and Mauro Vasquez, were just a few of the outstanding contenders of that era that I was able to see and enjoy. Alexis Arguello, Jesus Pimental, Reuben Olivares, Bobby Chacon, Lionel Rose, Davey Moore, Archie Moore, and Muhammad Ali were some of the champions I saw first hand. The common bond aside from being skillful boxers and sluggers was their infinite desire to win. Coming back from the brink of defeat was a normal occurrence and giving up in one’s corner was almost an embarrassment.
We, the fan, could not wait for the next engagement. The up and coming protégé was of as much interest as the titleholder. It was clear that whoever fought would give a tremendous effort, win, lose, or draw.
Unquestionably, there have been stand out fights in recent years. Among the stand outs have been the championship wars of Marco Antonio Barrera versus Eric Morales , the Jose Luis Castillo Diego Corrales blowout, the Miguel Cotto-Zab Judah bash, and the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez classic. Each should fair well the test of time.
These and other terrific contests have been rare over the last few years. Therein lays the problem. Too few competitive and engrossing contests accompanied by weak under cards and exorbitant ticket prices have turned the casual fan to other forms of entertainment.
A new beginning with some of the old ideals may be the secret ingredient for boxing in the 2000’s to not only survive, but also flourish.
-----
link: http://www.boxingrepublic.com/2010/0...ng-in-the-1970
By Dan Hernandez
Addressing this question is a little like asking who is the best pound for pound boxer, or the best baseball, and tennis players of all time. Different times, different training methods, it is all conjecture. I can share my favorite in each sport and what I remember most vividly. In all honesty, I don’t have any idea of who would have been the victor in a head-to-head combat or who was the best all around player. There are just too many variables.
The same holds true for spans of time, what worked in the 70’s may not work in the 2000’s. It is evident, successful tomorrows depend on an acute knowledge of what worked and what did not work in the past.
The 1970’s were pivotal in boxing history. Thanks primarily to boxing impresarios Bob Arum and Don King and Champions Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the popularity of the sport reached an all time high. Closed-circuit television firmly established itself as an outstanding marketing vehicle for championship matches. Great anticipation preceded each match.
The theory of less is more prevailed. Fewer championships available meant more interest. A qualified contender, with strong credentials and a fan base, secured a highly desired contest. The fighters had limited alternatives. If they gave a poor showing, it could be quite awhile before another opportunity to climb to the top arose. In other words, each participant had to earn their shot at the title and their performance had to be significant to warrant another opportunity.
Network television played a positive role in escalating the future of boxing headliners and developing the fans awareness of the boxing scene on a worldwide scale. We saw the rise and fall of the regional golden boys, and it was exciting. Many live telecasts of title matches and re-plays of closed-circuit fights aired on network television thereby enhancing our curiosity and creating an even larger audience. I believe the 2000’s can benefit from some of these attributes of the 1970’s.
Asked recently, “If the death of boxing was around the corner.” My response was that there has always been boxing. Boxing is a form of expression that has a distinct place in our society. Matches have taken place in a variety of locations; fields, parking lots, and even barges were not uncommon. It also did not matter if they fought with large or small gloves, ****es attached to their hands or bare knuckled. If there are two people cheering or thousands, boxing will prevail.
My concern lies with the lack of action by the boxing governing powers in either not recognizing or camouflaging the need for change. There are some good ideas out there, such as Golden Boy Promotions developing a series of Boxing World Cup competitions. This would pit the best fighters of one country against the top fighters of another. The potential is clear. Still, it seems plausible that an implementation of the basic ideals of the 1960’s and 1970’s would put the marginal fan on the boxing bandwagon.
As a fan, I want to see the top fighters in combat with each other regardless if they were from the same country, city, or block. It is important to see fighters do their best to win, and to win decisively or expend themselves in a valiant effort. Those are the kind of engagements I witnessed on a weekly basis as a young man in Los Angeles, California. Almost everyone that had the privilege of attending or viewing a match on television during this time period ignited a lifelong passion for the sport. They were not all championship contests but each was fought by boxers with championship hearts.
Jerry and Mike Quarry, Joey Orbillo, Jose Medal, Raymundo “ Battling “ Torres, and Mauro Vasquez, were just a few of the outstanding contenders of that era that I was able to see and enjoy. Alexis Arguello, Jesus Pimental, Reuben Olivares, Bobby Chacon, Lionel Rose, Davey Moore, Archie Moore, and Muhammad Ali were some of the champions I saw first hand. The common bond aside from being skillful boxers and sluggers was their infinite desire to win. Coming back from the brink of defeat was a normal occurrence and giving up in one’s corner was almost an embarrassment.
We, the fan, could not wait for the next engagement. The up and coming protégé was of as much interest as the titleholder. It was clear that whoever fought would give a tremendous effort, win, lose, or draw.
Unquestionably, there have been stand out fights in recent years. Among the stand outs have been the championship wars of Marco Antonio Barrera versus Eric Morales , the Jose Luis Castillo Diego Corrales blowout, the Miguel Cotto-Zab Judah bash, and the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez classic. Each should fair well the test of time.
These and other terrific contests have been rare over the last few years. Therein lays the problem. Too few competitive and engrossing contests accompanied by weak under cards and exorbitant ticket prices have turned the casual fan to other forms of entertainment.
A new beginning with some of the old ideals may be the secret ingredient for boxing in the 2000’s to not only survive, but also flourish.
-----
link: http://www.boxingrepublic.com/2010/0...ng-in-the-1970
Comment