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Will Bernard Hopkins fight again?
By Jeff Stoyanoff
OK, I lied a little here. The fact is, I am not sure I have ever asked this particular question. With all due respect to Bernard Hopkins who is a truly great fighter, he is just who I came up with to illustrate a larger point. Every so often in any sport an individual can transcend the sport that he plays. However, what is so exceptionally rare in other sports is quite literally commonplace in boxing. Perhaps it is the fact that the down time between fights leaves a vacuum that is often filled with increased coverage of the personalities of the combatants themselves. Or, perhaps that lengthy pause that separates the intense action in the ring opens the door to a brand of hype that all too often turns men into legends. In any event, no athlete can capture the imagination of sports fans like a dominant fighter. For the love of god, Wladimir Klitschko could still make twice as much money to fight Mike Tyson as he could to fight any other heavyweight around right now. And, were it not for the presence of David Haye, it would be more like ten times what he could to fight any other heavy out there today. The point is, boxing fans become mesmerized by the legends they create, and for whatever reason, they are hesitant to invest in someone new.
It is ironic that Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz had their rematch just recently. Both men were coming off of losses. Perhaps Marquez was and is still thought to be at least near the height of his powers, but Diaz is clearly winding down a fine career in the ring. Yet, the fight was a pay per view contest. To be fair, the first fight was scintillating and the two did make for an exciting clash of styles and there was no reason to think that they couldn’t put on another good show in a rematch. But, was this really compelling? Where is Juan Diaz really going at this point? He has had a remarkable career and he is an amazing story, but it’s coming to an end now and fans knew that going in. It was the name Marquez that carried the card. Juan Manuel Marquez is in that elite status of fighters who, in and of themselves, capture the interest of fight fans. Apparently, he doesn’t even have to be put in with a guy who can really beat him anymore; it still costs 60 dollars to watch him fight. Marquez may not have transcended boxing, but he is a fine example of what any fighter is likely trying to be; a “money” fighter.
Let’s return to Amir Khan once again. Khan is furthest along in the 140 pound division to being the 21st century “champion”; the fighter who gets the money regardless of who he fights; a “money“ fighter. Currently, it looks like he is trying to line up Marquez and Hatton. That is no accident, as those two are also 21st century champions; guys who bring the money regardless of opponent. Let me digress here to make an important point. Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez are truly great fighters. They have reached the level that they have by beating a long line of outstanding fighters. There are no pretenders in the group of widely recognized names in boxing. The point here is not that they haven’t earned the money, but only what their status brings about….gridlock. Every fighter fights for money, let’s not be naïve. And, it seems that every fighter is trying to become the name that brings the money. Some things never change, the quickest way to become the man is to beat the man. Anyone who thinks that this is not the way it works should consider just how much Manny Pacquiao has elevated his stature by doing just that. Pacquiao was one of the best fighters of his era and a true all time great and a legitimate star in the world of boxing. However, he could have probably walked down a street in any US city completely un******ed after his second fight with Marquez early in 2008. Then he beat: De La Hoya, Hatton, and Cotto and he became a global icon making ten times the money he did before. Manny Pacquiao doesn’t need anyone to make money at this point. The opponent only determines how much money he will make. He has become the quintessential transcendent fighter. And if he gets money every time he fights then so does his opponent. Why would Bradley and Maidana fight each other for relatively little money when they can get several times the money to fight Pacquiao….welcome to gridlock.
We find ourselves wondering when our favorites will fight again. If Joe Calzaghe contemplated a comeback it would be huge news in the boxing world. Rumors of a Tyson return have always generated huge interest, forget that we are nearly twenty five YEARS removed from the cover of Sports Illustrated and over 20 years removed from the knockout of Michael Spinks. Roy Jones was still able to command pay per view as of last year when he clearly had lost most of his remarkable gifts in the ring. The legends and personalities dominate the sport to such a degree that the intriguing match ups are often cast aside because an intriguing match up without any notable names produces very little money in comparison to a lesser fight between widely known fighters. That is what happens when the names transcend the sport.
We wonder when and if we will see Bernard Hopkins, or who will be the opponent for Marquez, and of course we are beside ourselves wondering about Floyd and Manny (good sign of transcendence….first names only). But, we are asking the wrong question. My question is, why isn’t boxing the star? Danny Jacobs and Dimitry Pirog was the best fight on the Marquez-Diaz card, not just as it turned out, but going in. And the result doesn’t really matter as the exciting and competitive fight means that fans want to see BOTH of them again. What would happen if boxing somehow just made great fights? Two things would happen: Boxing may move beyond its niche just a little bit, and new legends would invariably be created. How do you think the current guys became so notable? The only way they could, by dominating in the ring. The only problem is, it’s a gamble for individual fighters and good businessmen don’t like to gamble. But, the stakes are high here; if boxing succumbs to this dynamic too much it will continue to lose fans and the money will eventually become hard to find. There is already persistent speculation that HBO might drop boxing and Showtime already shows MMA right along side its boxing coverage. The money seems to be very good in boxing right now, but that doesn’t mean it can’t change. Boxing needs to make fights and create new legends. That is what should be happening in the 126 and 140 pound divisions.
Boxing needs to think out of the box. The Super Six was a great thing. A tournament structure should be a boxing fans dream. The best fighters have to fight eventually, something I deeply suspect that they want to do anyway. But, perhaps we, as fans, need to get out of our own way and find a way to demand this. Some reports suggest that Marquez and Diaz was a success. That is good news for fight fans because I think we all like it when fighters make money. But, it was bad news in that it encourages a damaging dynamic. Juan Manuel Marquez had one of his biggest paydays in a fight that didn’t represent a significant risk. How irrational would the still burgeoning stars in boxing have to be if they didn’t want to emulate that?
And so we see it, Bradley, Ortiz, Maidana, Khan, and Alexander all carefully plotting. Not avoiding each other, but simply trying to make as much money as they can. Trying to become a pay per view attraction. Each one trying to keep winning until they can get their shot at one of the money men. Should Timothy Bradley fight Marcos Maidana? Perhaps not because If he loses that fight, there goes the chance he covets to share the ring with Manny Pacquiao. Instead, he needs to stay active and keep winning until he gets the call to fight a modern day “champion”; a pay per view attraction. Finally, the decision is made even easier by the fact that apparently the top fighters can make nearly the same money taking safer fights since the casual fan has no idea who any of them are anyway, a sad ancillary effect of the pay per view culture that pervades boxing. So, the demand to see these talented boxers fight each other exists only amongst hardcore fans; the only ones watching boxing anymore. It is the money men that bring the casual fans, hence the ****e in the money for everyone involved. Ironically, boxing has put itself in its niche and that is the dynamic that hurts boxing the most. If only those in boxing just focused on making great fights then one gets the feeling that the number of fans would grow and the money would be there for all of the fighters in the end, who knows?
source: http://ringsidereport.com/?p=4390
By Jeff Stoyanoff
OK, I lied a little here. The fact is, I am not sure I have ever asked this particular question. With all due respect to Bernard Hopkins who is a truly great fighter, he is just who I came up with to illustrate a larger point. Every so often in any sport an individual can transcend the sport that he plays. However, what is so exceptionally rare in other sports is quite literally commonplace in boxing. Perhaps it is the fact that the down time between fights leaves a vacuum that is often filled with increased coverage of the personalities of the combatants themselves. Or, perhaps that lengthy pause that separates the intense action in the ring opens the door to a brand of hype that all too often turns men into legends. In any event, no athlete can capture the imagination of sports fans like a dominant fighter. For the love of god, Wladimir Klitschko could still make twice as much money to fight Mike Tyson as he could to fight any other heavyweight around right now. And, were it not for the presence of David Haye, it would be more like ten times what he could to fight any other heavy out there today. The point is, boxing fans become mesmerized by the legends they create, and for whatever reason, they are hesitant to invest in someone new.
It is ironic that Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz had their rematch just recently. Both men were coming off of losses. Perhaps Marquez was and is still thought to be at least near the height of his powers, but Diaz is clearly winding down a fine career in the ring. Yet, the fight was a pay per view contest. To be fair, the first fight was scintillating and the two did make for an exciting clash of styles and there was no reason to think that they couldn’t put on another good show in a rematch. But, was this really compelling? Where is Juan Diaz really going at this point? He has had a remarkable career and he is an amazing story, but it’s coming to an end now and fans knew that going in. It was the name Marquez that carried the card. Juan Manuel Marquez is in that elite status of fighters who, in and of themselves, capture the interest of fight fans. Apparently, he doesn’t even have to be put in with a guy who can really beat him anymore; it still costs 60 dollars to watch him fight. Marquez may not have transcended boxing, but he is a fine example of what any fighter is likely trying to be; a “money” fighter.
Let’s return to Amir Khan once again. Khan is furthest along in the 140 pound division to being the 21st century “champion”; the fighter who gets the money regardless of who he fights; a “money“ fighter. Currently, it looks like he is trying to line up Marquez and Hatton. That is no accident, as those two are also 21st century champions; guys who bring the money regardless of opponent. Let me digress here to make an important point. Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez are truly great fighters. They have reached the level that they have by beating a long line of outstanding fighters. There are no pretenders in the group of widely recognized names in boxing. The point here is not that they haven’t earned the money, but only what their status brings about….gridlock. Every fighter fights for money, let’s not be naïve. And, it seems that every fighter is trying to become the name that brings the money. Some things never change, the quickest way to become the man is to beat the man. Anyone who thinks that this is not the way it works should consider just how much Manny Pacquiao has elevated his stature by doing just that. Pacquiao was one of the best fighters of his era and a true all time great and a legitimate star in the world of boxing. However, he could have probably walked down a street in any US city completely un******ed after his second fight with Marquez early in 2008. Then he beat: De La Hoya, Hatton, and Cotto and he became a global icon making ten times the money he did before. Manny Pacquiao doesn’t need anyone to make money at this point. The opponent only determines how much money he will make. He has become the quintessential transcendent fighter. And if he gets money every time he fights then so does his opponent. Why would Bradley and Maidana fight each other for relatively little money when they can get several times the money to fight Pacquiao….welcome to gridlock.
We find ourselves wondering when our favorites will fight again. If Joe Calzaghe contemplated a comeback it would be huge news in the boxing world. Rumors of a Tyson return have always generated huge interest, forget that we are nearly twenty five YEARS removed from the cover of Sports Illustrated and over 20 years removed from the knockout of Michael Spinks. Roy Jones was still able to command pay per view as of last year when he clearly had lost most of his remarkable gifts in the ring. The legends and personalities dominate the sport to such a degree that the intriguing match ups are often cast aside because an intriguing match up without any notable names produces very little money in comparison to a lesser fight between widely known fighters. That is what happens when the names transcend the sport.
We wonder when and if we will see Bernard Hopkins, or who will be the opponent for Marquez, and of course we are beside ourselves wondering about Floyd and Manny (good sign of transcendence….first names only). But, we are asking the wrong question. My question is, why isn’t boxing the star? Danny Jacobs and Dimitry Pirog was the best fight on the Marquez-Diaz card, not just as it turned out, but going in. And the result doesn’t really matter as the exciting and competitive fight means that fans want to see BOTH of them again. What would happen if boxing somehow just made great fights? Two things would happen: Boxing may move beyond its niche just a little bit, and new legends would invariably be created. How do you think the current guys became so notable? The only way they could, by dominating in the ring. The only problem is, it’s a gamble for individual fighters and good businessmen don’t like to gamble. But, the stakes are high here; if boxing succumbs to this dynamic too much it will continue to lose fans and the money will eventually become hard to find. There is already persistent speculation that HBO might drop boxing and Showtime already shows MMA right along side its boxing coverage. The money seems to be very good in boxing right now, but that doesn’t mean it can’t change. Boxing needs to make fights and create new legends. That is what should be happening in the 126 and 140 pound divisions.
Boxing needs to think out of the box. The Super Six was a great thing. A tournament structure should be a boxing fans dream. The best fighters have to fight eventually, something I deeply suspect that they want to do anyway. But, perhaps we, as fans, need to get out of our own way and find a way to demand this. Some reports suggest that Marquez and Diaz was a success. That is good news for fight fans because I think we all like it when fighters make money. But, it was bad news in that it encourages a damaging dynamic. Juan Manuel Marquez had one of his biggest paydays in a fight that didn’t represent a significant risk. How irrational would the still burgeoning stars in boxing have to be if they didn’t want to emulate that?
And so we see it, Bradley, Ortiz, Maidana, Khan, and Alexander all carefully plotting. Not avoiding each other, but simply trying to make as much money as they can. Trying to become a pay per view attraction. Each one trying to keep winning until they can get their shot at one of the money men. Should Timothy Bradley fight Marcos Maidana? Perhaps not because If he loses that fight, there goes the chance he covets to share the ring with Manny Pacquiao. Instead, he needs to stay active and keep winning until he gets the call to fight a modern day “champion”; a pay per view attraction. Finally, the decision is made even easier by the fact that apparently the top fighters can make nearly the same money taking safer fights since the casual fan has no idea who any of them are anyway, a sad ancillary effect of the pay per view culture that pervades boxing. So, the demand to see these talented boxers fight each other exists only amongst hardcore fans; the only ones watching boxing anymore. It is the money men that bring the casual fans, hence the ****e in the money for everyone involved. Ironically, boxing has put itself in its niche and that is the dynamic that hurts boxing the most. If only those in boxing just focused on making great fights then one gets the feeling that the number of fans would grow and the money would be there for all of the fighters in the end, who knows?
source: http://ringsidereport.com/?p=4390
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