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

[Raonic]

Why in the hell would they take risks in fights that may get them hurt to please people who wont give a damn about them should they take great damage? win, get your money and stay healthy..**** everything else

If a guy did that and admitted he was a coward, I would have absolutely no problem.

[GhostofDempsey]

Maybe because most fans aren't interested in boring defensive fighters who aren't willing to engage their opponent and close the show. Same way no one wants to watch a Superbowl that goes into overtime and ends with a score of 3-0.

[Larry the boss]

Maybe because most fans aren't interested in boring defensive fighters who aren't willing to engage their opponent and close the show. Same way no one wants to watch a Superbowl that goes into overtime and ends with a score of 3-0.

So why is Floyd the highest paid athlete of all time? why is Ward getting more money the Kovalev?

[-PBP-]

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.

Tyson, Pac, Mayweather, De La Hoya, Leonard, and whoever else were winners and celebrities outside of the ring. The Forbes list included Mayweather and Klitchko for so many years because they were popular and dominant.

The attention you get from being an offensive fighter is temporary and after a handful of losses the fans will lose interest in you. Ruslan Provodnikov, Lucas Matthysse, Mike Alvarado, Brandon Rios, Kamegai, Kirkland, the list goes on.

They generate a temporary spark, get recycled over and over again until they are of no use to anyone.

The most successful boxers with the longest careers are winners. Those that achieve significant levels of wealth became celebrities because of their outside of the ring personalities.

[Combat Talk Radio]

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

Winning and accomplishments
Celebrity status

You forgot one: Gimmick.

"Money" Mayweather was a hell of a lot more famous and recognized than Pretty Boy Floyd.

[-PBP-]

You forgot one: Gimmick.

"Money" Mayweather was a hell of a lot more famous and recognized than Pretty Boy Floyd.

Good one. And Adrien Broner is more famous and recognized than Shawn Porter

[Porter's Dad]

Why in the hell would they take risks in fights that may get them hurt to please people who wont give a damn about them should they take great damage? win, get your money and stay healthy..**** everything else

So you'd be happy with Golovkin going back to fighting guys like Wade and Monroe? Making bring up another welterweight?

Gennady should make his money, stay healthy, **** eveything else, right?

[Reloaded]

Maybe because most fans aren't interested in boring defensive fighters who aren't willing to engage their opponent and close the show. Same way no one wants to watch a Superbowl that goes into overtime and ends with a score of 3-0.

And that's right MOST fans do feel like that and it goes back to pre gladiator days, they didn't care about technique or training or any of that stuff they just want to be excited.

MOST fans know very little about the sport they fans off, for them its more an emotional ride than a logical one, they form opinions and will seek to justify that opinion rather that logically evaluate it.

MOST fans are dumb rocks that can pushed to roll anywhere you like. Bob Arums famous words.

It takes more than being a fan to understand boxing on a deep level, the fans are the paying customers and as long as they pay the BS will flow.

[GhostofDempsey]

So why is Floyd the highest paid athlete of all time? why is Ward getting more money the Kovalev?

Floyd paired himself well with big name opponents. His biggest PPVs were as much about his opponent as him. Then he got a guaranteed contract with SHO and he was able to cash in on Guerrero, Ortiz, Maidana and Berto without having to worry about sales. Canelo and Pac brought as much of a fanbase too.

Make no mistake, a majority of buyers paid to see him lose, joke was on them though, he wasn't going to give them a fight. He couldn't fill the venue in his last bought and fans actually walked out halfway through.

[GhostofDempsey]

And that's right MOST fans do feel like that and it goes back to pre gladiator days, they didn't care about technique or training or any of that stuff they just want to be excited.

MOST fans know very little about the sport they fans off, for them its more an emotional ride than a logical one, they form opinions and will seek to justify that opinion rather that logically evaluate it.

MOST fans are dumb rocks that can pushed to roll anywhere you like. Bob Arums famous words.

It takes more than being a fan to understand boxing on a deep level, the fans are the paying customers and as long as they pay the BS will flow.

When I use the term fans I am not referring to the casuals who think Floyd is the GOAT because he is undefeated or who think Tyson was the greatest HW of all time.

Real boxing fans want to see and appreciate a well rounded fighter who uses all of his tools in the ring and puts on a dominating performance with the emphasis on punches thrown and landed.

Floyd had his villainous image that helped. Most defensive fighters aren't very popular. If there are fans who like them then good for them. They should count themselves lucky that they are so easily entertained.