No Aggression= No Entrtainment Value

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I really cannot get into the laid back style of boxing. Mayweather, Broner, Leonard, Hopkins and others might win boxing matches on points, but without bad intentions in their punches, what is the point?

If there is no aggression like from say a Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Carmen Basilio, the whole thing seems like a waste of time. Doing enough to win just is not entertaining. The fighters who go after their opponent from first bell to last is what makes boxing and there is a serious lack of that these days.

[Boxing1836]

I really cannot get into the laid back style of boxing. Mayweather, Broner, Leonard, Hopkins and others might win boxing matches on points, but without bad intentions in their punches, what is the point?

If there is no aggression like from say a Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Carmen Basilio, the whole thing seems like a waste of time. Doing enough to win just is not entertaining. The fighters who go after their opponent from first bell to last is what makes boxing and there is a serious lack of that these days.

was leonard really like that his whole career though? I know he was towards the end after he got beat by duran, but i never really thought of like that in his prime at least.

Though I did hate how in the late 80's, he would throw the weakest punches ever with flashy speed and everyone would just award him points. He clearly lost to hagler and hearns(second time).


Im fine with you moving backwards. what im not fond of is that this day in age, moving backwards, pot shotting, and when the guy gets inside you hold. f that, i hate holding, its become like a strategy when its against the rules. Bores the s*** out of me.

[ea22]

Leonard shouldn't be in that list, Hopkins can be boring but it's not a given, he has had entertaining fights.

[miron_lang]

Leonard was not like that againts Hearns.

or anybody else except Hagler. not even againts Lalonde (dehydrated or not)

[Tony Trick-Pony]

was leonard really like that his whole career though? I know he was towards the end after he got beat by duran, but i never really thought of like that in his prime at least.

Though I did hate how in the late 80's, he would throw the weakest punches ever with flashy speed and everyone would just award him points. He clearly lost to hagler and hearns(second time).


Im fine with you moving backwards. what im not fond of is that this day in age, moving backwards, pot shotting, and when the guy gets inside you hold. f that, i hate holding, its become like a strategy when its against the rules. Bores the s*** out of me.

The main point is with the bad intentions. As Tyson put it, you have to want to hurt the other guy. This is boxing after all.

Leonard was not always that way, but he certainly was in many fights. Look at his third fight with Duran. Good lord.

I agree. Holding is terrible and incredibly boring. Should be penalized more often. I am not a fan of backing up though. Maybe here and there, but the whole fight?

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Leonard shouldn't be in that list, Hopkins can be boring but it's not a given, he has had entertaining fights.

Ah, which ones would those be? You really have to go back to the 90s if that. Back then he was more aggressive and did make things more interesting, but for the most part, he has bored many to tears.

[Redd Foxx]

I really cannot get into the laid back style of boxing. Mayweather, Broner, Leonard, Hopkins and others might win boxing matches on points, but without bad intentions in their punches, what is the point?

If there is no aggression like from say a Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Carmen Basilio, the whole thing seems like a waste of time. Doing enough to win just is not entertaining. The fighters who go after their opponent from first bell to last is what makes boxing and there is a serious lack of that these days.

I agree with the main point to a small degree but you need to study boxing history a bit more before tossing names out like that.
There are also great exceptions to the "aggression = entertainment" concept. There are some very entertaining counterpunchers (Toney, Marquez, etc) who don't hunt opponents and technical guys as well. Technical work itself can be entertaining to the educated fan.

[Weltschmerz]

It depends... you have masterful boxers who could do both, boxing and aggression, Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Pernell Whitaker, Ezzard Charles, Gene Tunney, etc.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

I agree with the main point to a small degree but you need to study boxing history a bit more before tossing names out like that.
There are also great exceptions to the "aggression = entertainment" concept. There are some very entertaining counterpunchers (Toney, Marquez, etc) who don't hunt opponents and technical guys as well. Technical work itself can be entertaining to the educated fan.

Aggression from a solid puncher always equals entertainment even when they are not so successful. Toney had some good fights but plenty of boring ones as well where he laid on the ropes and nothing much happened. No that he was not highly skilled, but it was not so entertaining. I think he should have been more aggressive. He definitely had the defense to do so.

And Marquez's best fights as far as entertainment value came against aggressive opponents- Pacquiao, Juan Diaz, Michael Katsidas. Look at the fights where he fought the boxers- Mayweather, Gainer, Chris John. All very forgettable.

The main point being that the boxers who go after an opponent are always more fun to watch. The matadors are only as fun to watch as their opponent.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

It depends... you have masterful boxers who could do both, boxing and aggression, Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Pernell Whitaker, Ezzard Charles, Gene Tunney, etc.

It does depend on the fighter. Never saw Whitaker use much aggression though nor Pep. Charles certainly could do both, but I would rather watch Marciano any day. Robinson could do both, but I would rather watch Basilio. This is really just my opinion, but it is hard for me to fathom that a fan could say a Whitaker fight would be more entertaining than a Marciano fight based on the average, not the exception like the Hurtado fight.