Boxing Doesn’t Need To Be Saved - Just Watched

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Jake Donovan - Here we go again.

Another big boxing event on the horizon brings about another chorus of cries from the mainstream media asking if this is the one to save the sport.

If we’re to believe the masses, this weekend’s clash between Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (Saturday, HBO PPV, 9PM ET/6PM PT) is the first significant event to take place since Floyd Mayweather knocked out Ricky Hatton in the very same arena 52 Saturday’s prior.

Such logic would classify this weekend’s show as the first and only significant event of 2008. At the very least, it’s illogical. To put it blunt, it’s downright ignorant; as they needn’t look any further than the sports they already cover.

With the exception of the National Football League, ratings for professional sports have been on the decline in recent years. Every sport has featured more than their share of memories, but it’s become glaringly obvious that it takes a special hook in order to draw in crowds beyond the diehards.

Major League Baseball fans can most certainly empathize. There weren’t any shortage of stories to be told with this year’s World Series, particularly from the side of the Tampa Bay Rays (nee Devil Rays). [details]

[El Dominicano]

Better Undercard
Less PPV's

Even though I've watched alot of fights on Sop/ Justin...I wouldn't mind buying if the card was stacked with good fighters.

Also throwing **** right after the fight would be good. Is that too much to ask?

[roundingace]

Better Undercard
Less PPV's

Even though I've watched alot of fights on Sop/ Justin...I wouldn't mind buying if the card was stacked with good fighters.

Also throwing **** right after the fight would be good. Is that too much to ask?

LOL I like your thought process.

[Cadillac Man]

Fantastic read...Revamped YES, saved NO!!!

[MANGLER]

If every big fight wasn't on PPV we'd be a lot better off.

[RODHOOK]

Dec.6 The Big Fight

IT,S HARD FOR ME TO GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS BIG FIGHT. WHATS A 130lb.
GREAT FIGHTER DOING ,IN A MATCH WITH A 154lb. GOOD FIGHTER.
THEY SAY MANNY IS WALKING AROUND AT 153 lbs. WOW! SO OSCAR IS WALKING AROUND AT 165 LB. THE TALK THAT DE LA HOYA ALWAYS CHALLENGES THE BEST, GIVE ME A BREAK, HIS LAST 3 FIGHTS HAVE BEEN
AGAINST SMALLER MEN. MANNY HAD ONE FIGHT AT 135 NONE AT 140.
HE IS AT HIS BEST AT130. TO ME WITH THE REACH , THE HIEGHT, AND THE
NATURAL WEIGHT DIFFERENCE OF 17LBS. HOW CAN OSCAR LOSE, HE CAN
LOSE IN THE WORST WAY. THERE IS A LOAD OF EXCELLENT FIGHTERS IN OSCARS WEIGHT CLASS,HE WILL LOSE THE RESPECT OF THE HARD CORE BOXING FANS. IF OSCAR WANTS TO CHALLENGE THE BEST,HELL FIGHT
MARGARITO, MOSLEY , WINKY MANY MORE. PLEASE DONT MENTION POOR
MAYORGA AS A CHALLENGE OF THE BEST. OSCAR , FIGHT SOMEONE YOUR SIZE
OR GET OUT. SOON YOULL BE EYING 126 lb DIVISION.
RODHOOK

[sterling]

IT,S HARD FOR ME TO GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS BIG FIGHT. WHATS A 130lb.
GREAT FIGHTER DOING ,IN A MATCH WITH A 154lb. GOOD FIGHTER.
THEY SAY MANNY IS WALKING AROUND AT 153 lbs. WOW! SO OSCAR IS WALKING AROUND AT 165 LB. THE TALK THAT DE LA HOYA ALWAYS CHALLENGES THE BEST, GIVE ME A BREAK, HIS LAST 3 FIGHTS HAVE BEEN
AGAINST SMALLER MEN. MANNY HAD ONE FIGHT AT 135 NONE AT 140.
HE IS AT HIS BEST AT130. TO ME WITH THE REACH , THE HIEGHT, AND THE
NATURAL WEIGHT DIFFERENCE OF 17LBS. HOW CAN OSCAR LOSE, HE CAN
LOSE IN THE WORST WAY. THERE IS A LOAD OF EXCELLENT FIGHTERS IN OSCARS WEIGHT CLASS,HE WILL LOSE THE RESPECT OF THE HARD CORE BOXING FANS. IF OSCAR WANTS TO CHALLENGE THE BEST,HELL FIGHT
MARGARITO, MOSLEY , WINKY MANY MORE. PLEASE DONT MENTION POOR
MAYORGA AS A CHALLENGE OF THE BEST. OSCAR , FIGHT SOMEONE YOUR SIZE
OR GET OUT. SOON YOULL BE EYING 126 lb DIVISION.
RODHOOK

co-sign this fight is ****** but if pacman wins wow.

[Davros?]

When ITV started showing boxing again the sport got a big lift in this country, Joe Calzaghe was unknown to casual sports fans but after being shown on ITV his profile went up significantly. If Boxing moved from PPV and HBO onto a station like ABC it would becoming popular in America again, as long as the matchups where good though.

[Peterp]

I do fear for the sport when Oscar, hatton and pbf truly retire

None of the young fighters have any star power

E.g. compare Oscar to say Andre Berto. Berto young exciting fighter with a world title but none of the general public know him from a bar of soap ! at the same age Oscar was a household name

There hasn't been a PPV not featuring Hatton or Oscar which has done really good PPV buys. A lot of the PPV numbers are quite pathetic

[djsygo]

there are a lot of good fighters and good fights, besides those mega events. So yes, boxing needs to be watched.

At the same time it should be more available for the public, here in italy boxing doesnt exists, it all ended after the last Tyson fight. But back in the late seventies and in the eighties national tvs would put on the big fights of Hagler, Leonard, and the likes, i grow watching boxing with my father, and ppl knew about it because it was shown.

Now all i can do is wake up late and watch streams or download what i missed.