The NFL/Boxing Theory have some real weight behind it.

[Mr. Fantastic]

When I see threads like this, I think of this.

[damuttz112]

When I see threads like this, I think of this.

Reported. You sick person.

[Mr. Fantastic]

Reported. You sick person.

Reported for what you moron?

[ShoulderRoll]

The idea that football is stealing talented boxers is just b/s, they were never boxers in first place, you can't take something that doesn't exist.

Imagine if football had taken Lennox Lewis. How would history have changed?

Well, that has been happening with all of our top big men for decades now.

[-Antonio-]

It's obvious this is true. I'm not saying take any specific player and they would have been successful. You look at it as a huge talent pool. Take 5% of the gifted kids who would typically go towards football or basketball and that's a huge difference. It's about doing it when you're young. I believe you develop a boxing mentality when you're young.

[TysonBomb]

Ehhhh whatever, we'll still NEVER EVER see a young, prospect like Mike Tyson. EVER.

Tyson was a one of a kind, unique talent

To this day no one has ever come close to matching his blend of power, speed, and skill

[Tom Cruise]

I think the main culprit for boxing's decline in the US is your promoters (and this is a problem globally but this threads about US).

They seem to be trying to screw fighters for money constantly at any opportunity, they dont look after fighters after injury/retirement (Mcclellan).

Putting all big fights on PPV and putting some moderately big fights on PPV means casual fans only ever get to lower level fights.

Theres no investment back into local communities boxing programs, look at say football (soccer) in England, every club spends millions scouting and training talent, as does the FA. This doesnt happen in boxing so its left to dedicated trainers mostly from poor backgrounds to start up there own gyms at there own financial risk.

The growth of NFL/NBA is only a PART of the decline of boxing, you have to look at why those sports continued to grow while boxing has stagnated. For these sports its about investment in the future of the franchise, for boxing its about making quick bucks and getting out. Ive heard people in this thread saying how the growth of HDTV has made NFL more popular, but why is that any different to boxing? is it because for boxing you need to fork out for HDTV, subscriptions to like a million channels AND then PPV for big fights?

Having no central boxing commission doesnt help either as there is no coordination throughout the boxing world like there is in football with FIFA.

Either way boxing seems to be doing fine globally but like others have said earlier (and it pains me to admit this) America is the Mecca of boxing, when its good there its good everywhere.

Plus id love to see Wlad and Vitali Klitschko dominating all these 'super athletes' you have in the ring

[Dr Rumack]

Theres no investment back into local communities boxing programs, look at say football (soccer) in England, every club spends millions scouting and training talent, as does the FA. This doesnt happen in boxing so its left to dedicated trainers mostly from poor backgrounds to start up there own gyms at there own financial risk.

The growth of NFL/NBA is only a PART of the decline of boxing, you have to look at why those sports continued to grow while boxing has stagnated. For these sports its about investment in the future of the franchise, for boxing its about making quick bucks and getting out.

Definitely one of the biggest factors. It's pretty scandalous that American boxing teams go to the Olympics with worse preparation than smaller and economically poorer countries all around the world. This the country where boxers go to make money. USA Boxing has had its fair share of scandals too of course and that hasn't helped.

[Deathknight88]

This is fact. Just like how European Football (soccer) stole a giant chuck of WelterWeights to SMW fighters. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Theo Walcott, we are talking guys with the ability to fight at WW-SMW, Mario Balotti etc.. It works both ways.

[Deathknight88]

I think the main culprit for boxing's decline in the US is your promoters (and this is a problem globally but this threads about US).

They seem to be trying to screw fighters for money constantly at any opportunity, they dont look after fighters after injury/retirement (Mcclellan).

Putting all big fights on PPV and putting some moderately big fights on PPV means casual fans only ever get to lower level fights.

Theres no investment back into local communities boxing programs, look at say football (soccer) in England, every club spends millions scouting and training talent, as does the FA. This doesnt happen in boxing so its left to dedicated trainers mostly from poor backgrounds to start up there own gyms at there own financial risk.

The growth of NFL/NBA is only a PART of the decline of boxing, you have to look at why those sports continued to grow while boxing has stagnated. For these sports its about investment in the future of the franchise, for boxing its about making quick bucks and getting out. Ive heard people in this thread saying how the growth of HDTV has made NFL more popular, but why is that any different to boxing? is it because for boxing you need to fork out for HDTV, subscriptions to like a million channels AND then PPV for big fights?

Having no central boxing commission doesnt help either as there is no coordination throughout the boxing world like there is in football with FIFA.

Either way boxing seems to be doing fine globally but like others have said earlier (and it pains me to admit this) America is the Mecca of boxing, when its good there its good everywhere.

Plus id love to see Wlad and Vitali Klitschko dominating all these 'super athletes' you have in the ring

It's also harder now for boxing to become a top sport in the USA again.
In Europe it's easy because in Europe it goes like this:

#1 Sport- Soccer

MASSIVE GAP

The Rest.

Boxing can easily become king of 'the rest'. They will forever be a distant #2 to Soccer in Europe, but boxing could easily become the 2nd most popular sport in Europe. Overtaking basketball there.


In America, there are too many sport leagues now. Like NBA-NFL-MLB-NHL-NASCAR etc. It's just harder to compete. The highest possible place I can see boxing ranked in America in terms of popurality is 3rd- behind NFL and NBA.