"The US is not doing as well in boxing because they're all in the NBA & NFL" - agree?

[Check]

It meant a lot when Ward won the gold in 2004.

It didn't mean that much. Even before the super 6, Ward was laughed at by majority of people(Americans included). Being a gold medalist doesn't carry much weight in pro boxing any more and certainly doesn't have the same prestige as it used to, due to the decline in Americans interest in boxing(other sports taking control of Americas athletes and interest).

People love to throw around numbers so why don't you throw around these numbers.......America has 314 million people but HBO for example loves to throw around that they have 2 million viewers for a fight(and that's a huge number). Why don't you look at other nations and their percentage of viewers, I bet it's way higher and before you cry that HBO costs money, sure but it still doesn't change the fact that this is how many people actually see boxing. The sport just isn't popular here anymore. Kids don't train in boxing and in return you don't see as much talent. Hell, Detroit, a once budding boxing city has maybe one boxing gym in it's city limits.

Time to face reality that the sport isn't what it used to be and Americans just don't care about it. Not because the talent is lacking because it isn't. In lower divisions, the divisions that are two small for NFL or NBA those still have lots of good American fighters, so it isn't a talent thing because America is still thriving. It is more greed and how HBO/SHO/PPV destroyed the interest in the sport. Forking over sometimes 100 bucks a month just to watch boxing isn't something most people want to do.

[Furn]

Boxing loses athletes to plenty of sports all over the world. However basketball is an option for any tall kid in any country. as for the nfl there may be some truth to it but would those guys have the endurance to be top fighters ?

As others have said you could say the same about rugby and There are some amazing athletes down here in the Australian football League.

For example.

Nick Natanui 6"8 230 lbs.

[IMG]http://i368.***********.com/albums/oo130/Furn15/89e4a5e7.jpg[/IMG]

Adam Goodes 6"7 235lbs

[IMG]http://i368.***********.com/albums/oo130/Furn15/a62722f6.jpg[/IMG]

Lance Frankln 6"6 220lbs

[IMG]http://i368.***********.com/albums/oo130/Furn15/8ce0fc20.jpg[/IMG]

Not only do these guys have speed,skill and strength but have the elite endurance to run up to 12 miles in a 2 hour game and the courage to take NFL type hits without padding. Any of these guys could have been great HWs had they boxed.

[Kagami Taiga]

One country is not supposed to dominate a sport. If U.S. is considered less of a force today, it's because of natural progression of boxing into a world sport.

Why do all the other nations except U.S. suck at basketball? Again, it's the same situation, because basketball didn't evolve into a worldwide sport.

this is not really true. basketball is def a worldwide sport. and there are some really good teams out there. the us just outstrips them all. the level of play of many of the world teams is on par with the level of play of an nba team. and id favor spain, brazil, agrentina and lithuaina over any college basketball team.

[-Lowkey-]

I don't think basketball players (American) fighters particularly, I see them as the better all around athlete. I only give soccer players the advantage in stamina. I don't think NBA players would be as good as NFL players but I do believe they can be better than most athletes in other sports around the world with some exceptions. Ruby players are good athletes and are very tough andcould make for good fighters but I think American football players are better all around athletes (speed,quickness, size, power and agility). Ruby players have those attributes but not to the level of NFL players. I am definitely not saying that all or even most NFL players would be good boxer but I truly believe having these two sports in America has lowered talent pool of boxers in America.

It's more of a numbers game imo.

I'm from the UK when I wad a kid I wanted to be a pro football (soccer) player so did all of my friends hardly anyone I know went to boxing gyms and wanted to become a pro boxer this is the same across the country. Of course most people would fail to become successful in either sport but if just 10% of those kids tried boxing instead of football (soccer) at a young age it would equate to more people from the UK becoming successful boxers. The same can be applied to most countries with various sports.

[tredh]

this is not really true. basketball is def a worldwide sport. and there are some really good teams out there. the us just outstrips them all. the level of play of many of the world teams is on par with the level of play of an nba team. and id favor spain, brazil, agrentina and lithuaina over any college basketball team.

But those teams you named are made up of grown ass men who are the best from their country against teenagers and 20 somethngs ranging from 17-23 yrs old that isn't really fair. I will say this pick a college all-star team and let them play together for a year. I would take that college team over those teams you just named.

[Check]

Boxing loses athletes to plenty of sports all over the world. However basketball is an option for any tall kid in any country. as for the nfl there may be some truth to it but would those guys have the endurance to be top fighters ?

As others have said you could say the same about rugby and There are some amazing athletes down here in the Australian football League.

For example.

Nick Natanui 6"8 230 lbs.

[IMG]http://i368.***********.com/albums/oo130/Furn15/89e4a5e7.jpg[/IMG]

Adam Goodes 6"7 235lbs

[IMG]http://i368.***********.com/albums/oo130/Furn15/a62722f6.jpg[/IMG]

Lance Frankln 6"6 220lbs

[IMG]http://i368.***********.com/albums/oo130/Furn15/8ce0fc20.jpg[/IMG]

Not only do these guys have speed,skill and strength but have the elite endurance to run up to 12 miles in a 2 hour game and the courage to take NFL type hits without padding. Any of these guys could have been great HWs had they boxed.

That's not the question though, bro. The question was about America and it's decline. People still want to say America is still pushing through it's very best in boxing and it isn't. Like other nations America finally is doing the same thing and that's why it's evened out. It isn't that the world caught up or anything like that. It's the fact that America isn't sending its best to box anymore or else it would have the same advantage it used to, since most other nations don't send theirs.

[minasyan]

If it wasn't for table tennis China would be destroying this sport.


Ufc being popular in the States hasn't helped. But the main reason is that Soviets were not involved and that European countries are getting much better. Just like in tennis and other sports we see a domination from European countries. One country cannot take on a continent forever.

[Ray Corso]

The interests in boxing has dropped every year since the early 90s! I ran a boxing gym from 1969 to 1985 and a young boxer who trained under me has continued to run the gym from 1985 to today! We deal with inner city kids from all back grounds but the commitment that the sport requires isn't of interest to alot of kids today. The lack of "positive" role models that the press can get behind to help promote the individual and then the sport is missing. The sports reports know very little about the sport so its not a top priority to them and the sport being void of a personality that the news can run with a two main reasons why the sport has fallen so quickly.
I also believe that theres fewer and fewer quality trainers avalible today. Its very difficult to run a program today, you need sponsorships from companies to keep everything a float and money is tight for everyone today.
Most kids are into "team sports" now and football basketball and baseball are still kings far ahead of boxing now. Knowledge of the sport and Funds are the main ingredants needed to promote the sport and their not avalible as they used to be. Ray Corso

[jayjames616]

It's more of a numbers game imo.

I'm from the UK when I wad a kid I wanted to be a pro football (soccer) player so did all of my friends hardly anyone I know went to boxing gyms and wanted to become a pro boxer this is the same across the country. Of course most people would fail to become successful in either sport but if just 10% of those kids tried boxing instead of football (soccer) at a young age it would equate to more people from the UK becoming successful boxers. The same can be applied to most countries with various sports.

I agree with what you are saying and every country has elite athletes that would do good in other sports but the TS started this thread with a agenda so it turned in a different direction. I do think that America has the best athletes in the world though overall and that is not a diss to other countries because there are great athletes everywhere. The TS is basing American "boxing" on our lack of Olympic success and not looking at how successful we are in the Pros. American boxing is not based on the Olympics and one weightclass (hw). Seth Mitchell is not great but I think he his good. The thing is he his a football player. If he boxed his whole life he could be very good, like many other athletes around the world. I just think because of America's athletic prominence it would have a greater affect on American boxing than it would in countries that aren't as prominent in sports from top to bottom.

[New England]

Maybe it would maybe it wouldn't maybe if Boxing was big in China or India maybe they would be dominating certain weights its all hypothetical.

I don't know much about the progression of NBA I don't watch basketball but like I said in a previous post losing potential boxers to other sports is an issue but that issue is not restricted to one nation.

then why even enter the discussion?

if you dont watch the sport you cannot grasp the size and level of talent of these men