Morrell To Fight Radivoje Kalajdzic At 175 In June

[Eff Pandas]

This is a good example of what I referred to in a previous post. Fans of the sport are barely hanging on. There is no more boxing on Showtime, HBO or ESPN. The reason for that is simple: not enough money in it. And why is that? Again, simple: not enough eyeballs. And as I said previously, the IOC is looking to do away with boxing at the games. All symptomatic. A viscous cycle has been created, and I don’t think the sport can survive it.

Disagree on the money part. I think there is more money in boxing today then there has ever been. It might not be where most hardcore fans would like to see it, in novelty fighters/promotions & Saudis hands, but its there in abundance.

I never understand the dying thing. What does boxing not surviving look like to you?

I'd argue ppl will ALWAYS love to watch ppl fight, thats why we got more fighting now then ever too with boxing, mma, karate combat, bare knuckle + other hybrid fighting leagues. Idk that boxing can die. And I'd suggest boxing getting lower in the world, which it isn't right now & it might be the most popular its been since for sure SRL or prime Tyson days, could led to positive reform in the sport that makes things make sense outside the ring far more often than it does today.

[kiaba360]

I agree with that but Not gonna happen this era of young guys are all entitled and Morell is one of them.

of the young bucks so far only Benavidez has worked his way up and earned it.

Benavidez has been his own worst enemy with the way he lost his titles. I don't think he had to apologize for being publicly intoxicated, but I think it was a sign of maturity. It shows that he's aware of the responsibility that PBC has put on his shoulders. I think Morrell's problem is going to be getting meaningful fights consistently, whereas Benavidez's biggest challenge lies in his ability to cope with all the attention/hype he's getting. Not everyone can handle the spotlight.

[garfios]

I agree with that but Not gonna happen this era of young guys are all entitled and Morell is one of them.

of the young bucks so far only Benavidez has worked his way up and earned it.

Morell jr I don't think is an entitled young man, a guy who went through all the $h1t you have to go through to leave Cuba, is not that type of person, confident yes, entitled not, look what he did with the first money he got, bring his parents from Cuba, buy a house for his family, not a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley. He was after benavidez the consensus boogeyman of the division not canelo the cash cow, and he was his mandatory for three years, and still is.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Disagree on the money part. I think there is more money in boxing today then there has ever been. It might not be where most hardcore fans would like to see it, in novelty fighters/promotions & Saudis hands, but its there in abundance.

I never understand the dying thing. What does boxing not surviving look like to you?

I'd argue ppl will ALWAYS love to watch ppl fight, thats why we got more fighting now then ever too with boxing, mma, karate combat, bare knuckle + other hybrid fighting leagues. Idk that boxing can die. And I'd suggest boxing getting lower in the world, which it isn't right now & it might be the most popular its been since for sure SRL or prime Tyson days, could led to positive reform in the sport that makes things make sense outside the ring far more often than it does today.

There’s more money in everything, but that’s not what I was referring to. Corporations will always go where the biggest money is. Clearly that is no longer boxing, otherwise HBO, Showtime, ESPN, etc. would still be broadcasting fights. Boxing will always be around, just as the most obscure pastimes are still with us. By its “dying” and “death,” what I mean is relative. Boxing used to be among the most popular sports in the US, second only to baseball. Fights were broadcast on free TV for decades. Everyone knew the heavyweight champion’s name — EVERYONE. In fact, most people could probably name the champ is various lower divisions. Boxing is now even in danger of losing its Olympic status, something incomprehensible, really, as it’s one of the original events, but it’s just one more example how far interest in the sport has dropped. Yes, people will always pay to watch other people fight, but that increasingly means other combat sports.

[Eff Pandas]

There’s more money in everything, but that’s not what I was referring to. Corporations will always go where the biggest money is. Clearly that is no longer boxing, otherwise HBO, Showtime, ESPN, etc. would still be broadcasting fights. Boxing will always be around, just as the most obscure pastimes are still with us. By its “dying” and “death,” what I mean is relative. Boxing used to be among the most popular sports in the US, second only to baseball. Fights were broadcast on free TV for decades. Everyone knew the heavyweight champion’s name — EVERYONE. In fact, most people could probably name the champ is various lower divisions. Boxing is now even in danger of losing its Olympic status, something incomprehensible, really, as it’s one of the original events, but it’s just one more example how far interest in the sport has dropped. Yes, people will always pay to watch other people fight, but that increasingly means other combat sports.

I haven't watched free TV in a decade & change I don't think. Its a new era. NFL used to be standard on free TV, but now you gotta pay a couple subscriptions to keep up with it. Times have changed. I feel like you got nostalgia for the old days as much or more than you don't like where boxing is at. I feel like you don't see where boxing is winning tho.

Boxing is losing or could lose olympic status cuz of corruption not cuz of interest. AM boxing has been a sh^t show for decades. I'm surprised it wasn't dropped sooner tbh. Thats a whole other thing than interest. Interest is at a all time high for the last 4 decades probably.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I haven't watched free TV in a decade & change I don't think. Its a new era. NFL used to be standard on free TV, but now you gotta pay a couple subscriptions to keep up with it. Times have changed. I feel like you got nostalgia for the old days as much or more than you don't like where boxing is at. I feel like you don't see where boxing is winning tho.

Boxing is losing or could lose olympic status cuz of corruption not cuz of interest. AM boxing has been a sh^t show for decades. I'm surprised it wasn't dropped sooner tbh. Thats a whole other thing than interest. Interest is at a all time high for the last 4 decades probably.

100% disagree. I see it all around me and in my own life. My friends who used to be much more into boxing aren’t so much anymore. Neither am I. Members of this forum complain about the state of the sport, how top guys won’t fight other top guys, all the time — and with good reason. Boxing’s heyday is long gone. It was aided in great part by wide dissemination and high activity from top fighters. I doubt we’ll ever see such a thing again. Champions these days avoid each other and fight only a couple of times a year. You need to capture the public’s attention, and that is accomplished by greater visibility and star power. Only a couple of years ago you could tune-in to ESPN every Friday night and catch some decent boxing matches. It satisfied the thirst of hardcore followers and helped create new fans. How many new fans could possibly be created these days? Everyone has to pay exorbitant prices to watch any boxing event. Boxing will survive in the sense that it will probably always exist…but just barely.

[kiaba360]

I haven't watched free TV in a decade & change I don't think. Its a new era. NFL used to be standard on free TV, but now you gotta pay a couple subscriptions to keep up with it. Times have changed. I feel like you got nostalgia for the old days as much or more than you don't like where boxing is at. I feel like you don't see where boxing is winning tho.

Boxing is losing or could lose olympic status cuz of corruption not cuz of interest. AM boxing has been a sh^t show for decades. I'm surprised it wasn't dropped sooner tbh. Thats a whole other thing than interest. Interest is at a all time high for the last 4 decades probably.

Does that business model benefit Boxing? Does Boxing have a big enough audience for the subscription model to work....or does Boxing need to be subsidized by other more popular sports? Could all of the major promoters unite and create a true BoxNation?

The fact that Beterbiev/Bivol is on ESPN+ and not ESPN........

[JakeTheBoxer]

Beterbiev
Bivol
Benavidez
Morrell jr.

It will be a really good division if these guys all fight each other.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Beterbiev
Bivol
Benavidez
Morrell jr.

It will be a really good division if these guys all fight each other.

And that is the problem. These are all fantasy fights, and they shouldn’t be.

[JakeTheBoxer]

And that is the problem. These are all fantasy fights, and they shouldn’t be.

depends what will happen after Beterbiev - Bivol fight and which way will both guys go after that. Maybe the winner fights Benavidez.