Comments Thread For: Why are today's leading boxers fighting less frequently than they were 30 years ago?

[BoxingUpdates]

Presuming there are no mishaps in the coming months, the world's leading boxing stars will average just under two fights each for 2024 and when you examine their activity since 2021, that figure drops further. It falls some way below their counterparts from 30 years ago.
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[Slip jab]

Silk pajamas have wreaked havoc on the sport

[daggum]

They scared!

[Elheath]

In all honesty, the near irrepairable damage done by the extreme "my holy-0" worship.

When the win-loss record was merely a number in the statistic, the top dogs fought other top dogs to show who the better top dog was, and even after a loss if the fans wanted it they will do rematches. Nowadays every prospect must go 20-0 with 15KO before fighting for a title. Promoters extremely carefully matchmaking to find the balance between those you can pad your resume without risking loss. And to flnd the perfect target, it takes lots of time and negotiations.

[daggum]

In all honesty, the near irrepairable damage done by the extreme "my holy-0" worship.

When the win-loss record was merely a number in the statistic, the top dogs fought other top dogs to show who the better top dog was, and even after a loss if the fans wanted it they will do rematches. Nowadays every prospect must go 20-0 with 15KO before fighting for a title. Promoters extremely carefully matchmaking to find the balance between those you can pad your resume without risking loss. And to flnd the perfect target, it takes lots of time and negotiations.

I think thqta somewhat true but canelo has lost a bunch of times and hes still ducking people

[mjh1969]

We can blame this on Mayweather and the outrageous amounts of money he got paid for his fights. 100 million for a fight against Conor McGregor at a minimum. To top it off, Mayweather used his "0" to capitalize and make his money. This is crazy. Then Canelo and other greedy fighters are trying to keep their almost perfect records to make as much money while incurring the least amount of damage to their bodies. Nowadays the top fighters get paid a lot more money than yesteryear which means they don't have to fight as often. If promoters and the financiers brought down the purses and put in more stipulations for fighting frequently then fighters would fight more often. Now you got sleeper fighters like Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney trying to get paid for their services in the most boring fights for consumers.

Hungry fighters, fight more often and give us the best fights. Fighters in the 30s through the 90s have proven this. History has proven this.

[F l i c k e r]

Health is important.

[Blond Beast]

Lots of good posts here. The big money fight has always been chased by fighters, promoters and the fans. I agree Mayweather made the O worth so much. People had to tune in to see if he’d lose. His long marinated fight with Manny did better than anyone expected. These are precedents that are extremely rare yet what has been the model. It made boxing at the time but it also set it back since cause those parameters rarely come up again. Young guns rarely square off now. Too much risk versus reward. Top Fighters also get paid a lot, athletes salaries have risen faster than anything. You can fight huge underdogs in your prime and still make big money. Say what you want about him but I think Oscar’s career looks better and better as time goes on. He fought everyone and he was not hard to make a fight with. He knew he needed opponents and he paid them. Fought the best. Canelo bitches about people getting their best payday vs him. He resents it. It’s so tacky. Yet all he talks about is getting the money right for himself. He wears Balmain sweatshirts brags about his cars, bikes, and yet thinks his opponent should pay him for the glory of fighting him. Im going to look up his ppv numbers.

[mjh1969]

Lots of good posts here. The big money fight has always been chased by fighters, promoters and the fans. I agree Mayweather made the O worth so much. People had to tune in to see if he’d lose. His long marinated fight with Manny did better than anyone expected. These are precedents that are extremely rare yet what has been the model. It made boxing at the time but it also set it back since cause those parameters rarely come up again. Young guns rarely square off now. Too much risk versus reward. Top Fighters also get paid a lot, athletes salaries have risen faster than anything. You can fight huge underdogs in your prime and still make big money. Say what you want about him but I think Oscar’s career looks better and better as time goes on. He fought everyone and he was not hard to make a fight with. He knew he needed opponents and he paid them. Fought the best. Canelo bitches about people getting their best payday vs him. He resents it. It’s so tacky. Yet all he talks about is getting the money right for himself. He wears Balmain sweatshirts brags about his cars, bikes, and yet thinks his opponent should pay him for the glory of fighting him. Im going to look up his ppv numbers.

Very well stated. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Pac=Duran]

Because thw vast majority of them are a pack of woofters