If Boxers had Floyd/Spink's fighting style, would the sport be popular today?

**ElGranLuchador** · 04-22-2008, 11:22 AM

u kidding me?
it would be as boring as baseball

**KingTito** · 04-22-2008, 11:24 AM

If all those fighters fought the same style? That wouldn't be too entertaining. Styles make fights. It'd be ****** if they all fought the same. They'd just stand around until someone threw a punch.

**deevel79** · 04-22-2008, 11:24 AM

If fighters from the Gladiator days fought like Floyd and Spinks, they would be beheaded and fed to the lions.

**Pugilistic�** · 04-22-2008, 11:28 AM

no chance .

**2501** · 04-22-2008, 11:42 AM

i think it would get as much coverage as chess posibly. water polo. lacross.

**sentido com�n** · 04-22-2008, 12:43 PM

the only way cowardly fighters make money is by not losing and getting his on the p4p list. mayweather knows this and that is why he ducks anyone with even a 1% shot of knocking him out. all the true warriors could lose many times but they do not lose the fans. thats why fighters like margarito gatti miranda diaz katsidis will comeback from losses while a fighter like spinks who just lost will never make any money again. even in his hometown of saint luis where they never have much boxing the fans wont pay to watch him run.

**frankpaganini** · 04-22-2008, 01:01 PM

Originally posted by 2501

Let's take it back farther: Robinson, Leonard, Hagler, Duran, Ali, Morales, Pacquiao, Chavez, Barrera, Hamed, Tyson, Holyfield, Cotto, Calzaghe, etc, if they all used/use a style similar to Floyd's defensive style, would Boxing be were it is today? Would it get coverage on ANY network? Would there have been great movies such as Raging Bull, Cinderella Man, the Rocky Franchise? Would we even have FNF or WNF? Would we even have an PPV's?

Casual fans are what make or break our sport as a business entity. Their interests is what allows us to watch our favorite fighters on TV instead of having to travel to a dingy gym just to catch them fight. Would our sport survive if most fighters utilized a defensive style such as Floyd's? How bout Calderon's? Spink's?

Before some of you get completely emotional, I am not knocking Floyd's talent. I know he was more ******* before moving up in weight. I know he's the best in the world, I know that "boxing is about hitting and not getting hit", I know that "anyone who doesnt like Floyd's style doesnt know Boxing", blah blah blah blah..this has nothing to do with his ability, but rather the MARKETABILITY of our Sport, so calm your emotional ass up.

If more/all fighters followed spinks and mayweather's foot steps then no.

I dont think you'd have ppv events as often (maybe once or twice a year at best); most fights wouldnt even be on HBO or SHO; they would be on broadcast tv (to gain as much attention as possible).

Boxing Fans (especially the casual fans) seem to flock to certain types of fighters:

A) The people's champ (similar to that of say Oscar De La Hoya; Roy Jones Jr.)

The casual fans want a fighter they can get behind who is a good guy; cares about the fans; etc.

B) The underdog with all the heart (Ie. The diego corrales type who would put his whole heart into the ring even if that meant he might not leave that ring on his feet; or even an Arturo Gatti)

C) Your traditional Warrior (ie. Corrales fits in this category too; Erik Morales, Marco Antionio Barerra, JMM, Antionio Margarito, etc.)

they want to see a fighter go in there and inflict as much punishment as possible and potentially deliever a knockout; knockouts are HUGE with casual fans; the way some talk it almost sounds like they believe its the only way everyfight should end, "forget a 12 round decision; knock him out" type of mentality (this is where tyson comes into play and why he was so popular; he could deliever the knockouts)

so i guess what im trying to say is casual fans like the scenarios that we all like in movies; seeing the good guy win; seeing the underdog pull through; the heart of a warrior, etc.

While fighters like Spinks and Floyd are extremely gifted fighters who have an abundance of skill they dont get much love from casual fans because they dont have a crowd pleasing style generally (the knockout of hatton was a situation that just happened to arise; not many expected floyd to knockhim out).

Think about de la hoya v. mayweather I...majority of the fans (especially in attendance) were all behind de la hoya; and its not because they never heard of mayweather; its because:

A) Oscar is a people's champ

B) Oscar provides a crowd pleasing style of fighting.

C) floyd's trash talking of the fans' people's champ didnt help get him fans.

hope this answers your question.

**Boxinguru** · 04-22-2008, 01:07 PM

Good Thread 2501, First of all, I respect boxing. I like counter-punchers, brawlers, boxer/punches, "pure" boxers, unorthodox, & etc. etc... It really doesn't matter to me! To ask your question, if everyone had a cautious/ safety first style would boxing be popular? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT, ESPECIALLY with the MMA/UFC frenzy as of late, people would say it's tooooo boring!
On the flip side you could make an argument for face-first brawling styles as well! I've heard people say Margarito v Cintron II was a not that exciting, no skilled, no defense Slug-Fest & same thing about the Vazquez v Marquez Triliogy (NO B-S)... To sum it up you can't make everyone happy, but it wouldn't be THE SWEET SCIENCE without all the several contrasting styles that make it what it is!

**frankpaganini** · 04-22-2008, 01:16 PM

Originally posted by Boxinguru

Good Thread 2501, First of all, I respect boxing. I like counter-punchers, brawlers, boxer/punches, "pure" boxers, unorthodox, & etc. etc... It really doesn't matter to me! To ask your question, if everyone had a cautious/ safety first style would boxing be popular? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT, ESPECIALLY with the MMA/UFC frenzy as of late, people would say it's tooooo boring!
On the flip side you could make an argument for face-first brawling styles as well! I've heard people say Margarito v Cintron II was a not that exciting, no skilled, no defense Slug-Fest & same thing about the Vazquez v Marquez Triliogy (NO B-S)... To sum it up you can't make everyone happy, but it wouldn't be THE SWEET SCIENCE without all the several contrasting styles that make it what it is!

i agree 100%.

If boxing just had one or two styles it wouldn't be very exciting anymore.

I admire all styles of fighting; i like what gatti/ward did in their trilogy; i like what vasquez/marquez did; i like what cintron/margarito did. those were exciting moments in boxing as of recent (especially some of Juan Diaz' fights).

I also admire what cory spinks, floyd mayweather, paulie malignaggi do as well. I like to see floyd break down a fighter while being able to win rounds on only 35 punches (while the other guy throws 50-70 punches). I like seeing paulie win 12 rounds on a jab. actually thats very interesting to me to see paulie beat a guy so bad with just the jab...they should nickname paulie, "stick and move". i like seeing cory spinks also do so well without a ton of power (like paulie). I like watching the old ali fights and seeing him make a fighter miss 5-7 consecutive shots without raising his gloves to block those shots; he would literally slip 5-7 consecutive punches.

its great moments in boxing that make the sport exciting and its not always brawling thats exciting; sometimes it is just great pure talent that makes the fans want to watch.

Thats why im a supporter of the Oscar de la hoya v. floyd mayweather jr rematch. its going to be exciting (to me) to see two great fighters in there trying to impose their style on the other. Thats why i cant wait to see hatton v. malignaggi (two completely different styles) its going to be very interesting to see who can break down who and impose their style.

its good for boxing to have a good balance of action and i personally enjoy watching all different styles of boxing.

If Boxers had Floyd/Spink's fighting style, would the sport be popular today?