is the presence of death what makes Boxing exciting?

[mathed]

I've thought about this long and hard, and am convinced that people freak out and get that buzz on those big fight nights, or get buzzed about fights in general because of the ominous presence that lurks. You can't tell me when they made Castillo vs Corrales I, that if you knew anything about boxing you didn't automatically know someone was going to get carried out that night. Sometimes you just know the knockout or pain will come when you see a particular matchup of two styles that are just horrible for each other.

When you see these insane matchups it makes us happy. The purists will tell us this makes them happy so they can see the sweet science. The bloodthirsty millions will say they want to see a knockout. The truth of the matter is that the respect given to people who box on the world level is because of the risky nature of the venture. We're talking about taking a risk where you won't get old 'properly mentally' and that's in the very least. So champions are given more respect by the public than say, someone like the president or a dictator of a country. Well deserved respect I can say, but the question remains, is it the presence of death that makes combat sports attractive to the general public? I got C's in Psychology in college, but from what I've studied about psychology, it looks like a big maybe

I think it is a level playing field and you have one skill, JUST ONE....pugilistic ability. There is not one guy who knows kickboxing versing a jui-jitsu guy and the fight ends up on the ground in a man on man humpfest.

Yet, within such a narrow realm of tactics is a vast world of strategy, and subtleties that can change the fight. Lead foot on the outside, shortening up punches a few inches, feinting, throwing different combinations, which way do you pull back after throwing a punch, etc. The fight becomes a chess match at times as well as an all out war.

[Golden Boi 360]

humans are savage, we want to see knock outs. most of us don't want to see death though.

[jasbar]

People want to see violence, its human nature. Boxing is boring without seeing someone getting hurt.

[Frighteous]

When a guy climbs on top of a building threatening to jump, what happens? People gather around at the bottom, interested in the ominous spectacle. They sit waiting, watching, for various reasons. If there is a large group of people and the guy is a nobody, the majority of the people are bored and wanna see a guy's head hit the pavement, but it's subconscious and they don't even think about it like that, they're just there for the 'spectacle'. They don't really think about it, but it's a primitive subconscious thing going on where they know some seriously ominous tragedy could possibly happen, so they stick around.

Just like with Klitschko, people watching him with the best end result being either to see him get ktfo, or ktfo someone else




The two above posts really help bring this to light...

[boxasmash]

I don't look for deaths, just KOs. Infact if I knew someone would die on live tv (cystal ball) I wouldn't watch it.

I love fighters who are knock out punchers but only if they are smooth about it, e.g Pacquiao throws technically good punches. The most excited for an upcoming fight I will get is for Abraham vs Froch.

[TheGreatA]

Wanting to see a person get knocked out and wanting to see a person die is quite different though.

[boxasmash]

Can't speak for anybody else, but I'm drawn to KO's, not the threat of a man being flat out killed. I wouldn't wanna see that happen. I was against the 4th Marquez-Vazquez fight because I was worried they might do serious damage to each other. I love KO's but seeing guys get badly hurt is uncomfortable to watch. Not something I get off on as a fan.

True, when I look at fights I will look at the possibility of a KO, it draws be more because those fights are usually exciting.

[Frighteous]

Wanting to see a person get knocked out and wanting to see a person die is quite different though.

it's subconscious

[TheGreatA]

it's subconscious

Everything is easy to explain that way but I can't see most people going to watch their TV subconsciously hoping to see someone die in the ring.

Usually when something terrible does happen, for example boxer Oscar Diaz letting out a scream and then falling into coma after a fight with Delvin Rodriguez during a Friday Night Fights episode in 2008, the responses of viewers were more of horror than excitement.

Most people, after seeing Hatton get knocked out by Pacquiao, were obviously excited at first but then worried for Hatton's health as he stayed down, and relieved as he got up and walked out of the arena on his own.

[Heeb]

When I watch boxing and someone gets knocked down its exciting. I would never want to see someone die. There is pretty much no chance of death in amateur boxing and I still enjoy watching it.