If you were brand new to the sport, would you find it appealing?

[Guest]

Such an interesting thread screwed up
But I will think about the original question and try to come up with a good response.

Cheers man, I do try and create hopefully interesting discussion topics from time to time, but until children are banned here they'll all meet a similar fate.

[Jazzy Paul]

I think the nature of sports media has changed with the 'information age'. There aren't fights on free TV (in America - - I can't describe the exposure elsewhere) anymore, but fewer people watch the networks anyway. They have 700 cable channels in some instances, not to mention the internet. It is more difficult, I think, to make any event so big that the entire public will watch (a few exceptions: Champions League Final, Super Bowl, etc.). but the ability we have to pursue a given interest is extraordinary. I was explaining in another thread last week how popular the EPL is in America. I mean the numbers are not necessarily mind-blowing, but there is a certain percentage of Americans who see every game that you can see, most of them live and in the same exact broadcast as you get. That would have been unthinkable fifteen years ago, but since the big media powers (ESPN, FOX, and HBO here, SKY etc. there) open up to a dozen channels each, they can do this. In boxing, HBO, Showtime, and ESPN have made it good to be a boxing fan, if you can pay for the channels (so there is a noteworthy socioeconomic factor here). This is not to mention that when a fight is not on this channels but, say, on English television, you're sending me the dl link within a few hours. As a result of all this information overload, it becomes increasingly difficult to follow diverse things (you could be a fulltime boxing fan, and don't have to wait for that big Saturday fight that the network decides to show), and harder for the promoters to reach any but the hardcore fan. It doesn't seem possible for the trend to reverse. There will continue to be greater exposure to fewer available for more $$$$

That's a really good post..and true to the core. Nice one.

[Guest]

Yeah, Geronimo made some good points there.

[PATO 1]

If that's the case then why doesn't the P4P ranking coincide with the ranking in the divisions, you little dumb****? Floyd was P4P No.1 but not No.1 at 140. Why? Because it's only THEORETICAL that Floyd could beat Hatton, he hadn't done it. :

maybe if the ''hitman'' had the bollocks to take more than 1 risk in 42 fights floyd woulda been number 1 at 140, but the fact is hatton ducked an ran from mayweather and all the british fans an media hype the maussa an urango's up while sidestepping the fact hatton didnt want it

[Guest]

maybe if the ''hitman'' had the bollocks to take more than 1 risk in 42 fights floyd woulda been number 1 at 140, but the fact is hatton ducked an ran from mayweather and all the british fans an media hype the maussa an urango's up while sidestepping the fact hatton didnt want it

Which is COMPLETELY irrelevant to the point I was making, well done.

[BigCol]

No, I wouldn't be a fan. The fights are too boring. It is rare to see two top, undefeated guys in there weight class fight each other.

[TheEvilSaint]

of course i wouldnt!

who the **** would this sport appeal to aside from greedy managers and promoters?

[BigCol]

Kind of like how Ali (my favourite boxer) turned people on to boxing by being witty, engaging, charismatic... how about that?

I wouldn't go that far. If you had any grasp on boxing history you would know that Ali was not loved up until he retired and people started to realize his greatness.

[Guest]

I wouldn't go that far. If you had any grasp on boxing history you would know that Ali was not loved up until he retired and people started to realize his greatness.

"If I had any grasp on boxing history"... who the **** do you think YOU are?

What an arrogant, pretentious prick.

Yes, I'm WELL AWARE that Ali was not liked before his exile. However, upon his RETURN from exile he was considerably more liked.

If YOU had any grasp on boxing history you would know this. PRICK.

[BigCol]

You said Ali turned people into boxing because he was, in your words, "by being witty, engaging, charismatic". That is false. I am sorry if I disagree with your opinion.