How RACIAL is Boxing? (2007)

[Addison]

Lou DiBella commented/inferred on ESPN in a showdown with Joe Rogan that UFC has seen success because of the fan base of White males it appeals to.

(I have made similiar comments like this myself here on the forum.)


What is the truth about race and fighting sports - in particular; Boxing?


Would Boxing be hurting like it is if it had as many White champions and superstars as it has non-White champions and superstars?


Is the sport really a victim of racial politics as Teddy Atlas has suggested?


What is the story here?..

[Welter_Skelter]

OH YEAH!!!!

Race and Nationality play major roles in almost every aspect of the game...

The story is.. Our ideas are far more advanced than our Biologies.. We just aren't as open minded and evolved as we would like to think we are..

[EliteSoldier]

Theres alot of white champions, Wlad, Vitali, Calzaghe, Kessler, Abrahams, Pavlik, Hatton and I know I'm missing some. Not all of them are current belt holders but there pretty good boxers and their all white. And the heavy weight division is basically owned by the klits brothers. And theres alot of black people I know who like Calzaghe and Hatton and their not even American(hatton and calzaghe).

[Addison]

OH YEAH!!!!

Race and Nationality play major roles in almost every aspect of the game...

The story is.. Our ideas are far more advanced than our Biologies.. We just aren't as open minded and evolved as we would like to think we are..

Beautifully spoken.. And from a man who is no *******.

I love it.


The best came first here.

[Addison]

Theres alot of white champions, Wlad, Vitali, Calzaghe, Kessler, Abrahams, Pavlik, Hatton and I know I'm missing some. Not all of them are current belt holders but there pretty good boxers and their all white. And the heavy weight division is basically owned by the klits brothers.

That's a good point.

Although, everyone who already knows about this and these men are already on the inside.. Or in their respective country's.

If I walk up to some guy on the street and say any of these guys names I will draw a blank.. At least, here in the US that is..

It's here that UFC and MMA are making their full scale assault on Boxing..

It's here where the battle is fought, and won or lost..


Average Americans have no clue who Kessler, Calzaghe, Hatton is, ect..

[abdiel2k3]

fans dont want just "white" champs or fighters
they want white american champs or fighters

[Owlzfan84]

yea american fans want a white american champ. the reason there arent that many white american boxers is well...for the most part white kids really arent training to be boxers cuz they feel its a black sport. its sad but its true. and in Europe, they dont give a **** about race and thats why u see a lot of euro champions and a lot of hot prospects from there. If ur good, ur good, race has nothing to do with it.

[squealpiggy]

I wouldn't agree that race "doesn't matter" in Europe, but what I will say is that having experienced the US, Canada and Britain, race is more of an issue in America. There are problems with racism in the UK (largely between white and west asian, though more recently an influx of Eastern Europeans has led to some problems in the more provincial towns) there is less racial segregation, less ******isation. One of the things I picked up in the US is that black people hang out with black people, white people hang out with white people, hispanics with hispanics etc to a far greater degree than occurs in Britain and Canada. And I can see how this would have an impact on boxing if it is percieved as a "black sport". In Canada, especially outside of the main centres, boxing is not a black sport at all and participation is more reflective of relative populations. In the UK I don't think I ever met a black amateur boxer. I knew a lot of west asian boxers and quite a few white boxers, but very little by way of black afro-carribean fighters.

[Sweet Pea 50]

I don't see it as a race issue anymore. I think boxing fans are more into national rivalries more then "The white dude can beat the black dude". At least, thats how I HOPE people who follow boxing see it. It's a global sport in my eyes, and even if your from B.F.E., if you got skills, you get respect from the people that actually follow boxing. I could be wrong, but thats how I view the issue.

[BrooklynBomber]

Very racial, just look at this forum.