If boxers can get good money and fight a style that takes the least damage

[1hourRun]

I appreciate a masterclass -- a real one where true boxing is employed without bending the rules or blatantly cheating.

At some point when you continue to dominate the contenders in your own weight there will come a point where you're going to have to step up to bigger men -- there is were your skill will not afford you masterful performances and you WILL be forced to fight ; ask Andre Ward when Kovalev almost sparked him clean.

GGG yeah hes looking OK and getting worse every fight but all that skill will be nullified when he steps up ; hes going to find that WAR hes been seeking.

[*TonyMontana*]

true..but you dont have to fight like an idiot to satisfy people who will walk right past you when you are broke and brain damaged

Completely Agree
Everybody should learn from Ali

It's a Brutal sport

[LockardTheGOAT]

Because taking risks is part of the sport. If I were a fighter, I'd be a real man and strive for whooping another man's ass and knocking him out instead of just taking the easiest path to victory by "pinching" (that's what I call soft punching) him for the better part of 12 rounds.

Just winning alone wouldn't provide me with enough emotional gratification unless I had no other choice; I'd have to win in at least a semi-spectacular manner.

[-Kev-]

and if they are getting guaranteed money why the hell would they care about you?

To be fair, that hasn't really turned out very well for Rigondeaux. Lots of things can go wrong, guy was blacklisted by Top Rank, HBO, and no fighter wants to fight him.

[LockardTheGOAT]

It's a proven fact that all out action fighters are not the highest paid and do not generate the highest ratings or the highest amount of ppv buys. The blood and guts action fans are a niche group.

The numbers don't lie and the most important things that attract fans are

Winning and accomplishments
Celebrity status

That's it. If you win fights and you are a celebrity outside of the ring you will sell no matter what your fighting style is.

lol No. Action and knockouts gets people's attention better than anything, hence why the crowd goes crazy when a brawl breaks out or a KO is impending. Also why knockout highlight always have the highest amount of views on Youtube. You'll never see a crowd go into a frenzy because of the way someone dodged or blocked a punch.

[KillaCamNZ]

At the end of the day, fans speak with their wallets. It's hard to criticize a fighter for making a logical, rational decision - and not putting the desires of a select amount of fans at the top of their priority list.

There are always other factors to take into consideration, however.

If a fan doesn't like the fight that someone is taking - don't watch it. Suddenly, with more people turning away, this more financially lucrative option may not be so rewarding. But then, we confirm to the world that people who genuinely want great boxing fights are probably the minority, so **** 'em.

[-PBP-]

lol No. Action and knockouts gets people's attention better than anything, hence why the crowd goes crazy when a brawl breaks out or a KO is impending. Also why knockout highlight always have the highest amount of views on Youtube. You'll never see a crowd go into a frenzy because of the way someone dodged or blocked a punch.

YouTube views and cheers don't translate to popularity. How much money did Francisco Vargas earn for all those wars he endured on HBO? How does Glen Tapia's earnings looking after being hospitalized after his last HBO appearance vs James Kirkland. What's Angulo been up to these days?

These guys are exploited, underpaid, recycled and then abandoned when they are of no use to the networks and promotional companies anymore.

[HandsofIron]

Then don't expect me to be a fan or support them. This is the hurt business ffs! If you're scared go to church. We need more quality competition if it's to be called a sport. If you want to be a hype job to make $ you're a shit stain on boxing. You should want to be the best you can be by testing yourself. Strive for greatness instead of mediocrity. It would be nice if people boycotted all hype jobs to force them to step up if they want the $.

Exactly, this is the hurt business, the fight game. It's part of the job description, getting punched in the face. If these new age sissies don't like it, they can find another job.

[ea22]

They are free to do it and I am free to dislike them for it. I prefer to be entertained during fights I have no stake in how much money they make.

[LockardTheGOAT]

YouTube views and cheers don't translate to popularity. How much money did Francisco Vargas earn for all those wars he endured on HBO? How does Glen Tapia's earnings looking after being hospitalized after his last HBO appearance vs James Kirkland. What's Angulo been up to these days?

These guys are exploited, underpaid, recycled and then abandoned when they are of no use to the networks and promotional companies anymore.

Mike Tyson come to mind? Manny Pacquiao? Of course charisma and personality have a lot to do with a fighter's popularity (those are the main things that get the casuals who would usually not give a lick about boxing interested in watching the sport, even if only for that fighter) but to what extent a fighter grabs people's attention for their fighting style, being an offensive fighter and bringing the action will definitely get people's attention better than anything else.