Another "Boxing is dead" video.

[adrsan84]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/si_video/2012/05/10/050912.boxing_mayweather_cotto_ufc.SportsIllustrated/

I hate it when the mainstream american sports media talks about boxing because a) they don't no anything about boxing and b) they always talk negatively about the sport. They actually do the same about soccer though, so it's a matter of being unfamiliar. I'm just glad boxing has a real solid hardcore following and internationally it is still as popular as ever and it isn't going anywhere.

These clowns think that when Mayweather and Pacquiao go the sport will go, but we've seen it every single time the greats retire someone is there to carry the sport.

[4Corners]

What's funny is the whole "Who's going to sell that much after Mayweather and Pacquiao"????

People were saying the same thing about when Oscar, Tyson, Mosley, were all getting up there in age as well. Mayweather and Pacquiao were not big draws yet.

Alvarez, Chavez, Broner, Khan, Donaire, all can become future big draws.

[RL_GMA]

The sport in itself will never die, but I'd be lying to you if I said it had the same overall appeal as it did in the 80s and 90s. A hardcore fan would say "Well Oscar vs Mayweather did 2.4 Million buys!!!". But in hindsight, what exactly has that done for the sport? Remember, that fight was supposed to "Bring Boxing Back!!". If you're a fan of the sport you'll see the new fighters flourish and continue to watch. That's all that really matters at the end of the day.

[adrsan84]

The sport in itself will never die, but I'd be lying to you if I said it had the same overall appeal as it did in the 80s and 90s. A hardcore fan would say "Well Oscar vs Mayweather did 2.4 Million buys!!!". But in hindsight, what exactly has that done for the sport? Remember, that fight was supposed to "Bring Boxing Back!!". If you're a fan of the sport you'll see the new fighters flourish and continue to watch. That's all that really matters at the end of the day.

I guess the media portrays the sport as dying because it doesn't have the mainstream appeal that others do here in the states. But at the end of the day, there's too much competition from other sports which are more friendly and marketable. Boxing is brutal and at the end of the day robberies and bad decisions also mar its image, but I think boxing fans have come to live with that while others would rather watch other sports which they consider more "civilized" and fair.

I say **** them then. I will continue to watch boxing and know many others who will as well.

I feel the same way when the American press says stuff about soccer being boring. Don't watch it then, you don't matter since half of the ****ing worlds population tunes in anyway.

I guess I don't want to bring boxing back if it means changing the sport to conform to casual watchers, as long as they watch the occasional big ppv and know some big names the sport is fine. Of course I wouldn't mind more fair decisions and big fights being made, but that's just not in the cards lol.

[Steak]

These numbskulls never seem to have any brains. First of all, these PPV numbers they mention are only talking about how well the fight did in America alone. And these #s are some of the highest in the history of the sport.

Do they simply ignore that everyone in the Phillipines watches when Pacquiao fights, that half of Germany tunes in to Klitschko fights, or how big Bute and Alvarez are starting to get in Canada/Mexico for a few examples?

And 'hogging up' other fights? Is he serious right now? Guy has no idea what hes talking about, or simply is trying to push some biased point of view.

Outrageous, they dont even call it mma either. Do they not even realize that 'UFC' is a brand name, and that fans only tune in to that brand name while many other mma organzitions have been failing miserably.

It pains me that people that dont know what theyre talking about actually get paid for this kind of garbage commentary.

[RL_GMA]

I guess the media portrays the sport as dying because it doesn't have the mainstream appeal that others do here in the states. But at the end of the day, there's too much competition from other sports which are more friendly and marketable. Boxing is brutal and at the end of the day robberies and bad decisions also mar its image, but I think boxing fans have come to live with that while others would rather watch other sports which they consider more "civilized" and fair.

I say **** them then. I will continue to watch boxing and know many others who will as well.

I feel the same way when the American press says stuff about soccer being boring. Don't watch it then, you don't matter since half of the ****ing worlds population tunes in anyway.

I guess I don't want to bring boxing back if it means changing the sport to conform to casual watchers, as long as they watch the occasional big ppv and know some big names the sport is fine. Of course I wouldn't mind more fair decisions and big fights being made, but that's just not in the cards lol.

At least here in the States, Boxing in the 80s was very prominent because it was shown regularly on Network TV (ABC, NBC, etc) and it wasn't just your regular up and comers. Even as a young kid I saw Marvin Hagler, Julio Cesar Chavez, Meldrick Taylor, etc on Network TV before HBO, Showtime and PPV business completely took over Boxing. That took away a lot of the viewers who weren't going to pay for HBO, Showtime, or buy a PPV to watch Boxing, and it wasn't just casual fans either.

The cable industry and PPV in the States has a lot to do with the state of the sport, that's pretty clear. Even for some of the UK fans who get to see big fights on Sky Sports is like us watching a big fight on ESPN, but all we get there is Friday Night Fights (which I'm not mad at either).

In relation to the UFC which has become widely popular here, they've recently signed a multi year deal with Fox, they have fight cards on the sister station FX on top of their regular PPVs. I have no doubt that's the direction Boxing needs to head to and Golden Boy are already lining that up (I believe with CBS). Boxing needs that prime time slot it once had to generate more interest in the sport. Sure, we'll always have the hardcore fans who will support, but if you want the sport to flourish even greater you need a bigger platform.

[adrsan84]

At least here in the States, Boxing in the 80s was very prominent because it was shown regularly on Network TV (ABC, NBC, etc) and it wasn't just your regular up and comers. Even as a young kid I saw Marvin Hagler, Julio Cesar Chavez, Meldrick Taylor, etc on Network TV before HBO, Showtime and PPV business completely took over Boxing. That took away a lot of the viewers who weren't going to pay for HBO, Showtime, or buy a PPV to watch Boxing, and it wasn't just casual fans either.

The cable industry and PPV in the States has a lot to do with the state of the sport, that's pretty clear. Even for some of the UK fans who get to see big fights on Sky Sports is like us watching a big fight on ESPN, but all we get there is Friday Night Fights (which I'm not mad at either).

In relation to the UFC which has become widely popular here, they've recently signed a multi year deal with Fox, they have fight cards on the sister station FX on top of their regular PPVs. I have no doubt that's the direction Boxing needs to head to and Golden Boy are already lining that up (I believe with CBS). Boxing needs that prime time slot it once had to generate more interest in the sport. Sure, we'll always have the hardcore fans who will support, but if you want the sport to flourish even greater you need a bigger platform.

Very true. In Mexico fights are televised on the two big national networks and draw insane ratings. It has to be said the cable companies definitely outbid the networks for big fights, but part of that has to do with ratings. Not that anything every will, but when you have super bowl like rating and the ad revenue streams in like that you will always be on network tv. It's all about money.

[RL_GMA]

Very true. In Mexico fights are televised on the two big national networks and draw insane ratings. It has to be said the cable companies definitely outbid the networks for big fights, but part of that has to do with ratings. Not that anything every will, but when you have super bowl like rating and the ad revenue streams in like that you will always be on network tv. It's all about money.

Absolutely! In the States it's all about numbers (and I'm sure elsewhere to). But even with that said, there's still nothing like the build up or hype for a big Boxing match. Athletes from all kinds of sports looks forward to big fights which is one of the reasons why I don't think the sport will ever die.

[Simply Zyzz]

idiots....

[ramses07]

as long as there are mexicans, britons, and puertoricans, boxing will be ok.