Comments Thread For: State of The Game: So Let Me Get This Straight…

[jtiger78]

I think this article is spot on what is wrong with boxing. All these top athletes, who are so afraid of losing a match makes top fights rare today.
This sport is unique in ways that makes every move you make so intense, every boxing fan knows what a loss means, you simply must not lose in boxing. It's not like in any other sport, it's win or the garbage can for many fighters. A good example is Kesslers loss to Ward, the favourite wins to the more or less unknown fighter, all of a sudden Kessler is in the bottom of the hierachy and Ward is the new king of SMW-tourny.

Basicly I think it's because of the lossfactor that so many elite boxers chooses the easier competetion to stay in the money making business for longer, and to keep on being a top name in the division. Top boxers today should be a lot more like in the old days, and challenge themselves. That is what boxing needs right now, that is what the fans need and basicly I think that is how you reach the top in boxing. Fight the best, become the best. Don't let anything else fool you.

Luckily there's boxers out there who always takes on whatever put in front of them:

Marquez
Kessler
Abraham
Margarito
Froch
Cotto
Wladimir
Vitali
Ward
Mosley

Just to name a few. All these fighters have been great champions, true warriors.

maybe a super 6 tourtament in each division would be the answer lol good post!

[The Big Dunn]

Very good point but the difference is from back then to today the fights were made eventually when the fighters were still closer to top form in not still in top form. Today fights are either not made altoghter or a one of the fights has lost more than just a step.

This was the same back in the day, its just we didn't know about it. There were no boxing websites, no 24hr sportschannels. Hearns leonard, tyson holyfield, hagler leonard, Chavez ODH, Lennox Bowe. Late or didn't happen.

IMO, what you describe happens only with the fighters that are really big names, that have crossed over or are on the verge of doing so. What i will agree with you on is that nowadays guys who are not evenbig names among hardcore fans do the same thing.

I mean, does tim bradley beating abregu and if devon alexander beat koltelnik will that make a bradley devon fight bigger?

[Dick Buffman]

Well said and well written.

Good stuff Jake.

[NECK SNAPPER]

Just look at whats happen to a great sport.there turning from champs to chumps this has to be one of the lowest periods in
history.

[Blue Heffner]

As boxing moves forward, the best will continue to dodge each other.

[Kakutogi-Gumi]

i dont think dana white will put st pierre and silva in the ring but it sounds good,

Actually, Dana is nagging for it.

[GloriousG]

The problem with boxing is HBO and Showtime. They hold all the cards because they fund and televise these fighters, yet they dont exercise their muscle. Instead of getting offers from Top Rank and Golden Boy they should be giving Golden Boy and Top Rank lists of the fights their willing to pay for. Right now they should refuse to do a ppv of pacquiao against margarito/cotto.

Also, someone or some company needs to buy out all the sanctioning organizations and merge them into one. Create one solid ranking system that is just and not corrupt.

[tusc1976]

A lot of the blame lies on Floyd for the fight not being made but some of it also lies on Bob Arum…I give arum credit for his big, memorable fights from the 70's and 80's who's promoted the best from Ali to Leonard...But,
Arum in my opinion causes more damage than he does good in the Floyd vs Pac situation. I think he is a great promoter but he has played a big part in the biggest fight in many years not being made. Him constantly throwing out two names who happen to be in his promotional stable as alternates for Manny disgust me. There are other fights we need to see. It seems to me that Arum is being a hypocrite. He claims Bradley, Williams and Berto have no following or names but yet he makes a fight with Manny and Clottey. Clottey is lesser known than any of those 3 and he is not an American. I am assuming Clottey was ok because he was a Top Rank fighter.

In my opinion Arum sort of holds the boxing world hostage. For example guys like Bradley, Berto, Cotto, Williams and Alexander won’t make a move until they knows what’s going to happen with Manny and Floyd. That sucks for us, we are going into the 2nd half of the year. Just think about this, Bradley just fought. Alexander will be fighting in 2 weeks. So it’s safe to assume we won’t see either of them until early next year. Berto, Williams or Martinez have nothing lined up. They are all just waiting……. This one hiccup of a fight not being made has a negative domino effect on boxing. Arum not helping the fight be made lays some blame on him. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem!!

[SlimTim]

Great article, insightful and the only one I can remember reading in recent memory where I agree with everything said

[jtiger78]

a lot of the blame lies on floyd for the fight not being made but some of it also lies on bob arum…i give arum credit for his big, memorable fights from the 70's and 80's who's promoted the best from ali to leonard...but,
arum in my opinion causes more damage than he does good in the floyd vs pac situation. I think he is a great promoter but he has played a big part in the biggest fight in many years not being made. Him constantly throwing out two names who happen to be in his promotional stable as alternates for manny disgust me. There are other fights we need to see. It seems to me that arum is being a hypocrite. He claims bradley, williams and berto have no following or names but yet he makes a fight with manny and clottey. Clottey is lesser known than any of those 3 and he is not an american. I am assuming clottey was ok because he was a top rank fighter.

In my opinion arum sort of holds the boxing world hostage. For example guys like bradley, berto, cotto, williams and alexander won’t make a move until they knows what’s going to happen with manny and floyd. That sucks for us, we are going into the 2nd half of the year. Just think about this, bradley just fought. Alexander will be fighting in 2 weeks. So it’s safe to assume we won’t see either of them until early next year. Berto, williams or martinez have nothing lined up. They are all just waiting……. This one hiccup of a fight not being made has a negative domino effect on boxing. Arum not helping the fight be made lays some blame on him. If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem!!

good post!!!!!!!!!!!