There is a particular reason why floyd is so important to the sport of boxing

[Benny Leonard]

It is about demography, BJ. Because there are as many good boxers today as twenty years ago. But they don't often come through the U.S. amateur system anymore.

The amateur system is flawed. I posted it up a while ago about what Kevin Rooney disliked about the amateur program.

They need to go back to the original form of amateur boxing. It was basically a 3 round pro fight.



Kevin Rooney:

Q – What happened to Boxing? Mike Tyson retires, and even the fights on HBO are few and far between.
A – Well o.k. what the Heavyweight Division doesn’t have is a Rocky Marciano, a Joe Frazier, a Muhammad Ali, and a Mike Tyson. All those guys I just mentioned they were gonna put a hurtin’ on you. They’d just go in and they were gentlemen about it. Alright. I knocked you out. Sorry, but that’s just the breaks. (Laughs). That’s what the public wants to see. You got these European fighters now, but, they’re from a different school. It’s like tap, tap, don’t hurt me. I won’t hurt you. If you can out point me, good for you. Where, back in 1976, up in Montreal when Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Heerns and the other little kid who was a 112 pounds, I forgot his name. They went out there and won 5 Gold medals. They were ripping ass. Ever since then, in my opinion, we’ve been catering to European nations. This is the way we’re gonna fight. No-----this is America! American people are like-----let’s mix it up. I’m gonna knock you out or you’re gonna knock me out-----either way, that’s what the people want to see. They don’t want to see this tap, tap and the referee jump in and break, break and give ‘em all those hand signals. The Fight Game has gone south as far as I’m concerned. For that reason we’re being guided by the Europeans, their ways and rules. What do you mean? This is the United States of America. We do what we want to do. Somewhere it got mixed up. You know, it all comes down to money. Some Big Shot here in the U.S.A. -----There’s been so many scandals in the Amateurs for the last 10-15 years, people got fired ‘cause they were stealing money out there in Colorado. That’s a problem. Get rid of everybody. Let’s just go back to the basics.


http://www.famousinterview.ca/interv...vin_rooney.htm

[kayjay]

I don't know what the problem is supposed to be. Are the best boxers too offensively oriented? Too crude?

[kayjay]

TWhere, back in 1976, up in Montreal when Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Heerns and the other little kid who was a 112 pounds, I forgot his name. They went out there and won 5 Gold medals. They were ripping ass.

We had some good Olympic teams. But the athletes from the East have been better recently. And more importantly, in 1976 Soviets and Cubans did not fight professionally. Our champs then were regional champs, and now we finally have genuine world competition.

[Kevin Jesus]

I don't know what the problem is supposed to be. Are the best boxers too offensively oriented? Too crude?

No, the more offensive boxers get knocked out early in their career and it's praised as "taking risks in the ring" while boxing and being defensive is called "boring" or "getting on the bike".

[kayjay]

No, the more offensive boxers get knocked out early in their career and it's praised as "taking risks in the ring" while boxing and being defensive is called "boring" or "getting on the bike".

I don't think that part has been any different in the past. The guys with power have always been the attraction. Dempsey, Marciano, Liston, Tyson, etc.

[Benny Leonard]

We had some good Olympic teams. But the athletes from the East have been better recently. And more importantly, in 1976 Soviets and Cubans did not fight professionally. Our champs then were regional champs, and now we finally have genuine world competition.

There is no guarantee the Cuban or the Russians would have done well in the Pro ranks. This has been touched on before.

It does suck though that the open market for boxing comes at a time when the Americans are at their weakest......but, at least somebody is keeping boxing alive. It's all about good fighters/fights at the end of the day.

Back to the amatuer program: Still not as good as the past. They need to go back to the old system.

[Bullet Bill]

this is the exact reason why HBO president said Floyd Mayweather means more to boxing than kobe and Lebron. to basketball

[Hisoka]

Nice topic. Personally, I love watching defense more than offense. I enjoy a brawl every now and then as much as the next person, but I'm trying to figure out when the name of the sport became "Knockouts" instead of boxing. Stuff that Larry Merchant says for example "Wake me up when they start slugging it out" just gives off the wrong vibe to me. I've been a boxing fan from a very young age and my guy from the very beginning was Pernell Whitaker. He was the total package and there was nothing more I enjoyed then seeing him hit and not get hit. Defense is a real thing of beauty and I have a ton of respect for fighters that can mix it all together. But I fear that the next GUY isn't right around the corner like it had been throughout my whole boxing experience. When Pernell got a bit older Roy Jones was there to save the day. His brash style that relied heavily on his amazing reflexes. He wasn't traditional, but in his prime he owned the ring and could do everything. Then came Floyd Mayweather Jr who I really started taking notice of in the late 90s. It might sound like I only like the P4P caliber fighters, but at the time I didn't know any of these guys who be a huge success. That's the style I'm most attracted to is all.

I look around today and wonder who's going to take Floyd's place (for me). Obviously some other people don't care because they're out for blood and like KO fighters who get their brains bashed in the process. I guess I've always liked the smarter hit and don't get hit philosophy. I respect the warrior type and a brawl can really get your blood boiling. But I'm one of the rare few who seems to enjoy a boxing clinic just as much. Boxing right now reminds me of basketball in the sense that in the 80s for example, it was all about the fundamentals. Players came into the NBA far more prepared (outside of the few of course) than today. The game is more about speed and athleticism, yet most guys can't even can the mid range jumper anymore. A lot of what used to be standard is a lost art today as Clyde Fraizer would say. Defense in the NBA is a completely difference subject because of all the rule changes.

Anyway, it's nice to see someone else thinking beyond knock outs and wondering what the future holds. I think we're going to see a drastic decrease in fighters who are the overall package. Hell, we already are. You're one of my favorite posters on here btw. Very... logical.

[Benny Leonard]

I don't think that part has been any different in the past. The guys with power have always been the attraction. Dempsey, Marciano, Liston, Tyson, etc.

Agree: Most people gravitate towards the aggressive boxer/slugger/fighter with power and the intention to knock his opponent out. It reminds them more of a school-yard or barroom brawl style fight that gives them excitement as soon as the two fighters approach with bad intentions.

Most Men like to skip foreplay and get right to ****ing....just like most fans. Of course, they don't want the ****ing to end too soon and would like it to be vigorous for at least a few rounds or a bit more.

If you can find to fighters that are equal in ability and they can stand toe-to-toe for the entire fight, like Gatti-Ward, all the more pleasurable to the senses.



Watching Pep, Whitaker, Floyd Jr, etc. is more of a required taste. Like listening to Chopin...who I like.
True die-hard fans seem to appreciate these type of fighters more than the "casual" fan.

[BMWM3P]

Mayweather is not what you make him out to be. I'm actuallly glad that fighters coming up are more offensive minded. They use their offense as defense and focus more on attacking.

One thing you seem to forget this is profesional boxing is not only about winning but also about entertaining the fans. If boxing had 50 Mayweathers it would mean the death of the sport.