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Before the 60's boxing was "dying" it was controlled by the mob and it wasn't all that mainstream. Until a certain Muhammad Ali "Cassius Clay" as he was known at the time turned professional. It was a stagnant, there were obviously great fighters but no dominant Heavyweight around. That is why, Time Magazine says;
Boxing in the early '60s, largely controlled by the Mob, was in a moribund state until Muhammad Ali — Cassius Clay, in those days — appeared on the scene. "Just when the sweet science appears to lie like a painted ship upon a painted ocean," wrote A.J. Liebling, "a new Hero...comes along like a Moran tug to pull it out of the ocean."
This is why Boxing isn't mainstream right now, the Heavyweights! Klitchko may be the leader but he isn't english speaking or Particularly exciting (he has his moments) he hasn't fought the very best in the division (but his resume isn't terrible). Most of all he hasn't unified you can't 100% say when someone askes who is THE Heavyweight champ? Klitchko maybe on the verge of your tongue but its never 100%.
When Klitchko beats Peter (again but more dominant), Chagaev, Valuev (if he wins) and Haye (if he's any good at Heavy) then Boxing will begin to come up on a BIG rise. Boxing has stood still to the casual fans when it's Marquee division isn't great. Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. Ask someone who lived at the time period these Heavyweights reigned and pretty much everyone will know who they are. Even the greats SRR's era had Joe Louis to prop it up and most casual fans proberbly wouldn't have seen Robinson if not for Louis first grabbing there attention.
The UFC, MMA have Fedor and alot of other competitive heavyweights, as soon as Boxing gets a dominant Heavy it going to come back and quickly.
Boxing in the early '60s, largely controlled by the Mob, was in a moribund state until Muhammad Ali — Cassius Clay, in those days — appeared on the scene. "Just when the sweet science appears to lie like a painted ship upon a painted ocean," wrote A.J. Liebling, "a new Hero...comes along like a Moran tug to pull it out of the ocean."
This is why Boxing isn't mainstream right now, the Heavyweights! Klitchko may be the leader but he isn't english speaking or Particularly exciting (he has his moments) he hasn't fought the very best in the division (but his resume isn't terrible). Most of all he hasn't unified you can't 100% say when someone askes who is THE Heavyweight champ? Klitchko maybe on the verge of your tongue but its never 100%.
When Klitchko beats Peter (again but more dominant), Chagaev, Valuev (if he wins) and Haye (if he's any good at Heavy) then Boxing will begin to come up on a BIG rise. Boxing has stood still to the casual fans when it's Marquee division isn't great. Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. Ask someone who lived at the time period these Heavyweights reigned and pretty much everyone will know who they are. Even the greats SRR's era had Joe Louis to prop it up and most casual fans proberbly wouldn't have seen Robinson if not for Louis first grabbing there attention.
The UFC, MMA have Fedor and alot of other competitive heavyweights, as soon as Boxing gets a dominant Heavy it going to come back and quickly.
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