Boxing doesnt need to be "saved", it's not going to "die"

[guzi815]

Proof? My girlfriend who has watched only 2 other boxing matches her entire life, was captivated by the Pavlik/Miranda war. That's all it takes, someone who may not necessarily be up to speed on the greatness of boxing just needs to see one good fight and they want more.

Dude, you said it..."the Pavlik/Miranda WAR!". As long as prize fighters get in the ring to throw down and bring it, like these two fine warriors did, boxing will and forever be. I speak with old timers (Ali, SSL, Duran era) and they mostly say the same thing....boxing has become a "get paid" sport and not about true greatness, where you fought the best, and not the Title holder on the decline.

[MetalVomit]

boxing is going to die, it's going to get more bastardized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! more than anything else!

What does that even mean?

[MetalVomit]

^^^^^^^^^^ ?????????/

[1bad65]

A few boring fights won't kill boxing, be real. Yes, there are some horrible ones(like Spinks-Taylor), but UFC has them too. Look at any Tim Sylvia or Josh Koscheck fight. And MMA is growing.

Keep in mind, that Pavlik-Miranda fight was an undercard fight. Guys like that are the next generation of guys who will headline boxing PPVs. If boxing plays it right, they really can gain new fans and bring back some fans who left the sport.

[j]

Boxing will never die, but the mainstream North American media is hurting boxing. The problems are:

1) The refusal among some sportswriters in North America to acknowledge how good the Eastern European heavyweights really are.

2) The ignorance of some sportwriters about boxing. (check some of the stories on yahoo.com and even worse, SI's website - those simpletons still have Nicolay Valuev as the WBA heavyweight titleholder!)

3) The refusal of the media in North America to pay attention to the great boxers in other countries (Pacquiao, Calzaghe, the Klitschkos, Chagaev, Mormeck, Darchinyan, etc.).

4) Too little attention given by the media to positive stories, such as the emergence of a classy young guy like Kelly Pavlik as a bona fide top fighter, or the amazing comeback of Oleg Maskaev, winning 12 consecutive fights and the WBC title after he was believed to be washed up at age 33.

5) Too much attention given by the media to negative stories that are hardly worth reporting (Frazier and his daughter's litigation, or Tyson's latest foolishness).

excellent points!!! i agree on all of them. many north american boxing journalists, analysists, and writers are way to stubborn to give very much if any credit to non-american fighters. the more i see non-american fighters doing well, the more pompous many of the american fighters and sportwriters appear.

one problem i have always disliked is the fighters who have that silent agreement on not hitting and not being hit. hardly anybody wants to see two guys who are afraid to stand and trade atleast to a degree. nobody who paid for a ticket to watch some exciting fights should feel like they have to boo!

boxing isn't going to die off though, that is the bottom line. so far, it has survived crooked promoters, fighters taking dives, boring overly technical fights, and the many black eyes that ****ed up fighters have given boxing over the years.

[boxingfan4life]

Yes, and then one fight like Taylor/Spinks turns them off to boxing again.

I agree with that. I hope 07 will be a good year. so far its up to a good start.