The Reason Why There Are No Good American Heavyweights

[MikeBrew328]

LeBron was one of the best high school football players in ohio and he said himself that he didn't continue playing because he didn't like getting tackled, you really think someone like him would've had the attitude to be a great boxer

and a guy like Vince Carter has freakish athletic abilities yet during games he settles for fade aways from beyond the 3 because he's afraid of driving down the lane


don't get me wrong I'm sure there were some potential great boxers that were deterred from entering the sport and instead pursued other sports but there's a lot of of other great athletes that never had the heart to be pro fighters

Football is a much more violent sport. Imagine a 350 pound lineman jumping on you 10, 20 times a game, and more and more in training camp.

I never like getting tackled, or that roughness of it. Too violent for me. Plus I was too small. So I found boxing. And I've been in some deep waters...

[Banderivets]

So first the excuse is that America is indeed tough cause crazy muthaphukas in Philly be shooting each other up on regular basis. I dont know if thats considerd tough, but last time I checked, just about anyone is capable of pointing a 9mm to someones face and pulling the trigger. Anyone actually fired off a weapon before? Easy peasy. I've had the pleasure of firing an AK-74, had no problems, neither do those 12 year old soldiers in Africa, I'm sure a glock is less problematic to operate.

Thats not tough. Tough is having balls to have a one on one fight with bare fists. A concept lost in North America (I study in Canada currently...here its who brings more gats or whose got more men), never just, who can actually beat someone in a fist fight.

So toughness, not an argument you can make for American culture just cause a bunch of education deprived kids in ******s are popin' off at each other like its WWII.

Secondly, the cry for absence of boxing gyms or funds for boxing programs...Just for comparisons sake the boxing infrastructure in US is LITTERALY 100x more then what Ukraine has for example.

I'm not an expert on Mexico, but I will assume that they aswel lack gyms. But whose stopping Mexicans from raising true warriors in the ring?

These Europeans come from countries were football is a religion, it is the ONLY sport. But they still produce boxers dont they? And just for thought, most of the guys in the ukrainian league are well over 6'1"...Prospective heavyweights, all of them.

Why does Canada not produce boxers? Is it because of hockey? **** hockey has plenty of 6'4", 250lb, tough, tough men who have no teeth for most of the season. It must be because of hockey that Canada has no boxers.


And in the end, WTF does it really mater that these "boxers" are in the NBA/NFL, does this change anything? Does this make America still the best boxing nation? It really doesnt change a thing, the fact remains that there are less and less Americans winning titles and the Olympics havent been treating USA nicely either. Who cares about NFL if your not taking any titles...whats going to change?


Trying to answer this question is like trying to a make formula for the big ****...too many factors. And this whole NBA/NFL taking big men theory is just a small factor in an answer to a very complex question.

[Underdog82]

NFL, NBA simple as that...

If you have the strength/speed/size/athleticism as a kid 99 times out of 100 you will pursue a career in football rather than boxing.

OK, because you "said" so.

****** post by yet another upset black whos panties are in a twist because his black brothas are not the best.

[Underdog82]

Slavic peoples were not even allowed to compete during the cold war and hadn't even started showing themselves till the late 90s. They actually have a real excuse...

[mandy may]

The black american excuse-making crybabies are getting

[$partacus]

Most boxers did'nt go to the gym because of money, they went to the boxing gym because they wanted to learn how to fight. Americans don't want to learn how to fight anymore. In a country where violence is more frowned upon than ever and you run the risk of getting sent to prison or even shot, theres just no point in learning how to fight.

[Benny Leonard]

The Greatest Competition in America and Boxing was Pre-World War II. That's when the first generation immigrants were poor and in many ways, couldn't find jobs because of their ethnic background.

When you think of a ***ish person today, what do you think of when it comes to his occupation?
Doctor, Scientist, Mathematician, Lawyer, Banker, etc.
But prior to WW II, there were loads of ***ish fighters.

Why? Because they were hungry and couldn’t' find work in most cases. One door that was open to them was the local boxing gym which was basically every few blocks back in the day.

Gyms were packed; so packed in fact that you could see your favorite fighter train for a small cost.

Most of the ***ish boxers did something many others weren't doing: they would fight and save and/or invest their money. They would open businesses...invest in real-estate...and/or go back to school/college.

***ish Mothers {especially} didn't want their kids in boxing so many ***ish fighters would change their name for their boxing career and avoid telling their parents until the time was right. And when they did, their parents liked the fact that they were making money despite the brutal sport boxing was. But, I suspect with greater opportunity after the War, there was no excuse left to get into boxing for a good ***ish boy
Mario Cuomo said the ***s were able to basically leave boxing behind because they were the people of the “book.” They were educated from their youth to read. When other opportunity was provided, they went.
With the War...and then the End of the War, it would allow Veterans to gain easier access to college through the G.I. Bill; this allowed them other opportunities away from the boxing gym. America also started to come together allowing for more opportunity for most/all ethnic backgrounds to prosper.
The Economy boomed.
Italians, Germans, Russians, Irish, "***s," were moving away from boxing and into Civilian life.



So who stuck around in boxing? Those that were still poor and suppressed in opportunity: Usually the Blacks and Hispanics.

As the years went on, boxing Gyms started to close and Coaches/Trainers, as well as Managers that would have been in boxing, went into more lucrative sports...Like the NFL, NBA, and MLB. You go where there is greater opportunity; you go where the Money is. It’s hard to create talent if you don’t have the teachers and talent to learn from. You need a good program to follow and today, from what I hear, our Amateur system sucks. Hell, I think the amateur fighting sucks in general. Bring back the old ways of amateur fighting because it’s making the Pro fighters suck.



I know people bring up the NBA as having some of our "Champs," but I just don't know. I would say the NFL, YES; the NBA, probably not.

Football provides greater opportunity than boxing provides. The First thing you notice with Football is that most High-Schools have it as a sport...and Chicks dig it. Next, you have the opportunity to go to college...so just in case you get injured and you can kiss your Pro chances good-bye, you have an education to fall back on. College Football also has many other advantages. Moving on to the NFL: You have a Union to back you up; you can make millions of dollars; you have an agent, managers, team doctors, etc.

What does boxing provide?

[Benny Leonard]

Most boxers did'nt go to the gym because of money, they went to the boxing gym because they wanted to learn how to fight. Americans don't want to learn how to fight anymore. In a country where violence is more frowned upon than ever and you run the risk of getting sent to prison or even shot, theres just no point in learning how to fight.

Yeah I have a problem with the pussification of America. I grew up with kids that fought in schools and only got a 2 day suspension…most of the time it was just broken up and you would get detention for a few days.

Now, ******* that get beat up come back with guns and shoot up the schools, so now you get expelled if you fight.

Mother's baby their damn kids and Fathers aren't allowed to beat them anymore for fear of being prosecuted. I’m not saying beat your kids…although I might be saying that …but WTF. Sometimes beating your kids down can straighten them up and even toughen them up…although sometimes it can **** them up. It’s not a pure science. Be Parents; listen to your "inner-voice" on how to parent and also get advice on what works...nobody has the best solution...if you do, pass it along.

I'm not sure what the balance is or where we want to go in life and I'm not sure what will lead to what.

In a "Jesus" World, Boxing shouldn't exist. In the World of Nature of Animals, boxing should exist.






And, I don't want to hear this nonsense that the Russians and Cubans would have always ruled...bull****. It would have been better competition, but by no means would they "Own." ****, some of those Men {Cuban and Russians} got their ass kicked by teenage Americans.

Great Amauters don't always make great pros either.


Here's an example: 19 year old George Foreman with little amatuer experience going up against a Grown Man with lots of amatuer experience.

USA vs. Soviet Union



SRL vs. Soviet Union fighter Valeri Limasov


SRL vs. Cuba's Andres Aldama




Just remember, USA still had young teens winning Medals in boxing despite having to go up against paid Pro-Amatuer Grown Men from Russia and Cuba.

Our Amatuer system sucks now so...take the Medals and hopefully bring us some good blood for the sport.

[KostyaTszyu44]

I agree, not everyone with athletic talent makes it to the pros of the NFL and NBA. Now the ones that did make it quite possibly could have made it in boxing but you have to be a special type of person to box and just because you're athletic doesn't mean you can fight.

yeah, that is true

i know some guys who are great all round sports players, great guys too, but when they try out boxing...theyjust dont have it, or they pick it up but once they get hit they instantly get put off

[Benny Leonard]

Oscar actually talks about this on ESPN

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=3741110

Look for videos and go to Sunday Conv: Oscar


He basically says that boxing isn't mainstream like the other sports; not organized with rankings. To many titles. To much confusion on who is who in boxing compared to the other sports. More coverage for the other sports.
It all causes lack of interest.