Does Boxing Really Need to be "Saved?"

[potatoes]

Well, anyone can be a boxer. Not anyone can jump right into the NFL...

Doesn't matter. The talent is heading into other professional sports and boxing is getting the dreggs.

[TheEvilSaint]

yes, boxing needs to be saved. with all the bull**** going on in boxing right now, people dont want to watch it or be associated with it. with tyson gone, mayweather and de la hoya are on their way out, boxing doenst have any stars anymore. tyson was the last great thing that happend to boxing.

dont get me wrong, de la hoya's a huge thing for boxing, too. but oscar doesnt captivate fans. people dont stand in awe of oscar. they did and some still do of mike tyson.

with the million things wrong with boxing, one way to add some life to it: get a new star. some1 who can sell out crowds, captivate the audience, and make people know your name.

stars have the drawing power. if there are no stars to make noise, you're not gonna hear anything.

[Steelhammer86]

Doesn't matter. The talent is heading into other professional sports and boxing is getting the dreggs.

No, there's more talented boxers than ever before worldwide, and there will be even more in a few years. In the Philippines, every boy wants to be like Pacquiao. It's the same in Uzbekistan because of Chagaev, in the Ukraine because of the Klitschko brothers, in Russia because of Maskaev and Povetkin, etc.

Only in boxing is someone able to make $20 million for less than one hour in the ring (PBF's last fight). The rewards in boxing are great for talented athletes.

[Kakutogi-Gumi]

Nahhh. Boxing's not dead. It's just that a lot of ideas and concepts of the way fights are promoted and packaged is starting to become obsolete. To be honest, you guys got hit by globalization hard to a point where no one can promote them hard yet. You're still stuck with the idea that nationality matters. That's cool. Nothing wrong. But it's going to take a bit of time to promote somebody on skill alone. Sure, you know Pac is the real deal, but it's going to take a bit longer to show that fact to the casual.

If I could make one good suggestion, I'd say extend PPV to three hours, put on at least five-six good fights on the card and if you need to hype up the fights, do some specials on HBO/SHOWTIME and give out a free pre-show as a final selling point on PPV channels.

It'll be slow, but it's a start.

[Jim_Davis]

Boxing Needs

[TyrantT316]

I agree with the TV circuit notion. For example, put "mandatory" title defenses on network TV. Big fights on Cable TV. Mega fights on PPV.

I also liked how they worked Floyd/Oscar. Build up on cable television (should also be on network TV) as well as a post fight show interviewing both fighters and recapping the fights.

[Jim_Davis]

I agree

Thought you would

[Derranged_]

Yeah, boxing isn't as popular as it has been in the past but I don't really think it's on life support right now either. There are still a lot of great fights happening, a lot of great fighters, and people all over the world are watching boxing. You see arenas in Europe filled up and boxing's popularity is only behind soccer in Latin American countries. You have fighters like Manny Pacquiao and Koki Kameda who have captivated their respective countries.

The only thing wrong right now with boxing, at least in the US, is that it's not on free TV anymore. That would help bring in more fans. But the true fans have no problem paying a few bucks a month for HBO and/or Showtime and you can usually get a few people together to split a PPV.

When I look at boxing, I don't really see a sport that needs to be saved...

Wow Sin, what a great thread from someone who creates numerous ******ed Floyd Mayweather threads!...Sin, maybe a got you mixed up with another poster here? Anyways, some good k's on the way when I get a chance..

[Kakutogi-Gumi]

I agree with the TV circuit notion. For example, put "mandatory" title defenses on network TV. Big fights on Cable TV. Mega fights on PPV.

I also liked how they worked Floyd/Oscar. Build up on cable television (should also be on network TV) as well as a post fight show interviewing both fighters and recapping the fights.

I think Title and Mega fights should be PPV only, but cable should be used to highlght hot up and comers making there way up. As a matter of fact, Cable is a great way to introduce people to Pac and other international boxers.

[Steelhammer86]

Wow Sin, what a great thread from someone who creates numerous ******ed Floyd Mayweather threads!...Sin, maybe a got you mixed up with another poster here? Anyways, some good k's on the way when I get a chance..

Yeah, I could hardly believe it too - an intelligent thread from $iN!