Arum: "Pavlik's Win, The Biggest Blow To UFC"

[Kball15]

I made the point that Bob Arum seems to be concerned with the long-term state of boxing's future and you responded with a story about Don King ****ing over Mike Tyson that everyone already knows. I'm confused.

Bob Arum IS DEFINETLY conserned about Boxings future. He CLEARLY gets flustered and angry whenever anyone doubts its future or compares it to UFC.

Arum is gonna do some great things for the sport before he retires/dies

[Wiley Hyena]

See the thing is, Dana sees it, but like the majority of the UFC fanbase, they don't care. The reason they don't care is because they haven't been shown any reason to care about that fighter or any other that's put out. That's why Dana doesn't care, because boxing has yet to address the issues that could help them attract and keep younger fans. Until the problem is fixed, who cares what Arum says.

What are those issues?

[Wiley Hyena]

Say what you want about Arum, at least give the man credit for giving a **** about boxing's future. He's old, has a ton of money and could easily continue to make money and live comfortably until he dies without paying much thought to improving boxing's status. Instead, he actually talks about things like getting young people excited about boxing and taking back some of the ground that may have been given up to "that martial arts bull****". Whether you love him or hate him, if you're a fan of boxing, you have to appreciate the fact that he's looking out for boxing's best interests going forward. And like I said, it isn't just about the money. He's old and he's got plenty of it.

Agree with this. He's worried that MMA is taking over with the kids to the detriment of boxing. I'm not sure I see the connection, but I'm sure he has his reasons.

It's just difficult for me to see MMA ever gaining mainstream attraction. Boxing is embedded in our national psyche. But, there is something that could be done to stop the bleeding:

Consolidating all the various recognized belts into one championship belt could provide a big boost (although it would probably take an act of Congress to do it);

This is something that could be done though.

[FluugMacMan]

What are those issues?

Belt Unification, Main Stream Hype for the key players in Boxing, showing why the mainstream media should care about who these boxers' are, and re-educate the average American mainstream person on what great fights they missed on, without touching their pocket book in the meantime. Those are just some of the issues without getting into the 15+ weight class BS that the general public can't keep track of, or the massively corrupt promoters who steal the rings off the hand that feeds them.

[1bad65]

I pointed out the King/Tyson story because Arum is just as bad, he is just not as flagrant about it as King is. Here is an Arum story from Teddy Atlas' book:

When Michael Moorer's people were negotiating with Arum about the Moorer/Foreman fight and the paydays, there was a conference call. Moorer had a title, but George was a bigger name. Arum was wanting to pay Moorer less than he was worth. Moorer's people would not accept a low offer from Arum so he said, 'I just want you to know, you're going to have to call up Moorer and tell him you ****ed up his career. Don King has George on a plane to Jakarta to sign contracts and you ****ed Moorer out of a big payday.' Moorer's guy said, 'Thats funny Bob, our lawyer spoke to George 10 minutes ago and he was in Houston.' Arum then said, 'Forget that then. Lets move past that.' and he went on to the next point. Moorer's team burst out laughing. They said Arum was shameless.

The only thing Arum cares about is that his gravy train might get derailed.

[1bad65]

The gym I train at has both MMA fighters and boxers. It's common to go to other gyms for sparring. When I go to the boxing gyms I see less kids there learning to box than I see kids learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the MMA/BJJ places.

You guys still in high school, ask yourself this: How many kids want to play in the NFL, or MLB, or the NBA? Now how many want to go into boxing?

I'll still say that the way boxers are expoited is a big reason why more and more kids are not choosing it as a career and looking to other sports.

[McNulty]

It's just difficult for me to see MMA ever gaining mainstream attraction. Boxing is embedded in our national psyche.

True, but all it takes is one generation for that to change. Kids are prolly watching MMA w/their daddys these days and thats how it starts. Forget about us...what about them? We could see a rift in our golden years...doubt it but anything is possible.

[the Bender]

Please read....

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2631192&postcount=78

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2631198&postcount=79

Anyone that has taken high school economics will know that boxing is a CORPORATION....UFC is an ORGANIZATION. It's a PARTNERSHIP...Boxing can afford to pay their fighters $20M because they have 56798739734 organizations within the sport and its fighters all fighting each other. MMA has different organizations that don't work together business wise.

The Bender, you're an idiot.

And UFC will stay a ****ty partnership and never grow as popular as boxing when comes to numbers because the UFC sucks. someone on here made the point that the UFC was in debt a few years ago and that it just recently became popular. UFC will die out soon, not completely but it its popularity will decrease. and even if it doesn't, it really doesn't matter. boxing has been popular for centuries and centuries, its the oldest sport on the dam planet. We don't have to worry about the UFC overthrowing boxing. U can call me an idiot all u want if u feel like im offending ur "sport", but if u think the UFC is more popular than boxing than ur the idiot. and u can make all the excuses u want to why ur boys arn't making the bucks that boxing's top stars make. Partnership, corporations, what ever, the bottom-line is if UFC was making the numbers boxing makes, ur guys would be gettin paid more.

[1bad65]

UFC is growing, boxing really is stagnant or even in decline. Facts are facts. Look at what UFC guys made 5 years ago and what they do now. It's getting bigger. Look at how big the NBA was in the 1970s and what the players made, and then look at it now. Sports that fans want to see will grow.

If boxing is the better sport explain how guys like John Ruiz, a 44-year old Holyfield, and a blown up, pushing 40 MW like James Toney are either recent HW champs or are considered contenders now. If boxing had a deep talent pool, this would not be the case.

And no matter what you think, I'm a fan of both sports. And I've always been a Toney fan. I want boxing to do better, it's why I can see it's problems and point them out.

[the Bender]

UFC is growing, boxing really is stagnant or even in decline. Facts are facts. Look at what UFC guys made 5 years ago and what they do now. It's getting bigger. Look at how big the NBA was in the 1970s and what the players made, and then look at it now. Sports that fans want to see will grow.

If boxing is the better sport explain how guys like John Ruiz, a 44-year old Holyfield, and a blown up, pushing 40 MW like James Toney are either recent HW champs or are considered contenders now. If boxing had a deep talent pool, this would not be the case.

And no matter what you think, I'm a fan of both sports. And I've always been a Toney fan. I want boxing to do better, it's why I can see it's problems and point them out.

Listen, i'm not saying the ufc isn't growing at all or that it has no talent. i even watch it occasionally (if its on for free that is). boxing may not be at it's peak compared to the past and it may not have stars like it did in the 70's and 80's but i can't stand when people say its a dieng sport. Yeh ruiz and toney suck and get title shots cause the hw division is in a slump right now, but the same can be said for UFC ( for god's sake, the UFC heavyweight champ is ruled by a 44 year old man past his prime as well isn't he). though it appears that many of the fighters are hillbilles and hicks and bikers like i said before, it would be iggnorant to say they have no skill cause the would obviously kick my ass. But just don't compare the two, i really ****in hate Dana white that's all. HIm and Rogan always have to talk **** about boxing and how its dying. u don't see lamply and merchant doggin on UFC. just leave the two alone, no one is taking over anyone.