When did it become alright for fighters to duck each other.

[mike1010011]

It became a common practice because fighters, managers and promoters realized they can make MILLIONS by building up a fighter, making him a staple name in the boxing world, and then let him fight sub-par competition all the while keeping a fighter's record intact(Undefeated) and "appealable" to casual fans whom are the majority of the people who buy PPV's.

We have all heard it before again and again, boxing is sport but it is also a business. It is unfortunate that fans do not always get the fights they would like to see, but at the end of the day a fan's opinion of a fighter is just that, an opinion.

What Al Haymon has done with his stable of fighters is very smart. He takes unknown fighters, builds their records slowly with so-so competition so the fighter has a good record(on paper). Then when the fighter is popular and known in the boxing world, he continues putting the fighter against low-level competition to keep the fighter looking strong, and capable. Once the fighter has enough stardom, he puts that fighter in as Free main events on Showtime or HBO, or co-mains of Mayweather fights. In order to attract more buyers.

A good example of these type of fighters is Amir Khan and Danny Garcia as well as Adonis Stevenson. All 3 of these fighters have been called cowards, cherry-pickers, in the past. Yet all 3 remain big names in boxing.

Haymon built his fighters up using Golden Boy as a platform, then when they achieved the stardom and name-power. He pulled the plug and started his own show.

Verry good assesment,and breakdown. So how do you think that this issue of ducking could be fixed? (if its even possible at this point)

[ModernTalking]

When Shane Mosley can't knock Cotto but he can.

[El-blanco]

It became a common practice because fighters, managers and promoters realized they can make MILLIONS by building up a fighter, making him a staple name in the boxing world, and then let him fight sub-par competition all the while keeping a fighter's record intact(Undefeated) and "appealable" to casual fans whom are the majority of the people who buy PPV's.

We have all heard it before again and again, boxing is sport but it is also a business. It is unfortunate that fans do not always get the fights they would like to see, but at the end of the day a fan's opinion of a fighter is just that, an opinion.

What Al Haymon has done with his stable of fighters is very smart. He takes unknown fighters, builds their records slowly with so-so competition so the fighter has a good record(on paper). Then when the fighter is popular and known in the boxing world, he continues putting the fighter against low-level competition to keep the fighter looking strong, and capable. Once the fighter has enough stardom, he puts that fighter in as Free main events on Showtime or HBO, or co-mains of Mayweather fights. In order to attract more buyers.

A good example of these type of fighters is Amir Khan and Danny Garcia as well as Deontay Wilder. All 3 of these fighters have been called cowards, cherry-pickers, in the past. Yet all 3 remain big names in boxing.

Haymon built his fighters up using Golden Boy as a platform, then when they achieved the stardom and name-power. He pulled the plug and started his own show.

This pretty much says it all. Another aspect is that even when these guys take a step up, it's a very calculated step up, mattysse is a good example of it. He was very beatable but looked extremely dangerous to the public so danny beating him looked like some great victory when it really wasn't.

[goodvibes]

Verry good assesment,and breakdown. So how do you think that this issue of ducking could be fixed? (if its even possible at this point)

Unless boxing turns into a umbrella-esque type sport, I really don't see it stopping. Where there is profit to be made, there will be someone there to collect.

Unlike the UFC, competing promoters such as Golden Boy and Top Rank will block fights, and put up yellow-tape between fighters to not help their rival's agenda. It is like any other business. Managers and promoters know that the majority of fighters do not understand things from a business point of view. This is when a manager comes in and says, "Hey, sign with me, I'll make you into a superstar. You'll owe me a % of your purse, but I'll make you the most money you ever dreamed of.

As far as fighters themselves, I've seen people talk about how when Mayweather leaves the sport, it will go back to "normal" or will be "better". The truth is, as soon as Mayweather steps down, another just like him will step up. During the 60s, Ali was viewed as a loudmouth who was unbeatable until Joe Frazier knocked him off. The 70s had Leonard. The 80s was Tyson. The 90s was Roy Jones. Now it is Mayweather. All these guys(with the exception of maybe Leonard) were known for being pretty c0cky and had their own images for promoters to build off of. There will be another fighter, and another promoter ready to make him the next big name.

[boliodogs]

I'm too young to remember this but didn't Sugar Ray Leonard duck Hagler for years until he slowed down to finally fight him?

Yes that is the truth. Leonard won the closest possible split decision that many thought he didn't deserve and he refused to rematch Hagler who never failed to do much better in rematches.

[boliodogs]

If a fighter is not a champion he can duck who he wants.If he is a world champion he has an obligation to the title he holds and the fans and contenders for his title to fight good contenders twice a year and the #1 challenger once a year. Mayweather is not doing this at 154 and Cotto is not doing this at 160. Stevenson is ducking Kovalev clearly.

[Marvellous1]

Two examples in the past:

Riddick Bowe, led by Rock Newman, making ducking "cool" by dumping the WBC belt in the bin rather than face Lennox Lewis. Chicken Bowe never got the call out he deserved.

Ricky Hatton going on and on about how the British, European and Commonwealth Champion, Junior Witter didn't deserve to fight him when clearly the likes of Wilfredo Vilches and Daniel Pederson did. And his fans constantly backed him up rather than wanting the biggest British rivalry since Benn/Eubank to be settled in the ring.

Ducking has been going on almost as long as the sport.

[Mr. Miyagi]

I'm not Rican,but didn't Chavez sr quit?

I'm rican. I've quit everything I've ever tried. Quit high school. Quit my job. Even quit smoking.

[Elroy1]

TS is exactly the type of moron fit for some "re-education"..

It's been going on forever.

SUGAR RAY ROBINSON- You don't get 200 fights by fighting top comp son, he ducked a host of fighters. Remember Charley Burley?

JACK DEMPSEY- Flat out REFUSED to face a decent opponent much bigger than himself (bums only) and like many of the day and previous, ducked all black fighters!

Truth is, nobody fights more quality opposition than modern boxers. Fact!

[boxra]

Been going on for years.... I'm sure all boxers did it at least once. Some ducking stands out like a mother... Floyd ie