Boxing has to be the biggest joke in sports. Only, it's not even funny anymore

[N/A]

How can a sport on life support like this even still exist?

More people in the US are watching boxing than at any other point in decades. TV networks in the US are paying more for boxing than at any other point in history. The sport is not on life support. It's thriving more than it has in a very very long time.

[Beercules]

Yeah it is pretty much a joke.


I still watch but not as much as I used to.

[Lomadeaux]

Let's not leave out Silver. ''Peoples'' champ has more cred.

It really is embarrassing.

[blitted_master]

I accept boxing for what it is and enjoy it. It's the most corrupt of all sports by a longshot, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the action in the ring.

[Richard]

Only in Boxing does Talent not play the biggest factor of a athletes Success. Avg Fighters who are popular and have the right team behind them ( Chavez Jr) can earn World Titles , Receive Unlimited Opportunities , Fight the Biggest Names all because of Popularity and $ they can generate not because of the Talent the possess.

On the flip side only in Boxing can a fighter who isn’t popular or have a good team be seen as too talented ( Andrade / Rigo / Golovkin to name a few) and end up hurting their career and finding only limited success or having to wait until the twilight of their career to get a fraction of the opportunity Chavez receives , the Risk they present without the $ they can bring in . fighters can easily avoid and not fight them with little resistance from fans /media.Even if they get a strap Sanctioning Organizations can take it from them for the smallest infractions

Interesting post .Deep down though if a boxing promoter is in it for the money as opposed to the talent I dont think there representing the noble art of boxing and shouldn't be in the game.

I still feel fan power will ultimately win through though as there the lifeblood of the sport.I feel as well truth sometimes does prevail even in boxing and you get some genuine promoters eg Frank Warren.He has acknowledged in interviews if the fighters are ready he isnt afraid of pitting them early on in their careers eg if the opportunity presented itself he would pit Daniel Dubois against Anthony Joshua tomorrow. Likewise he doesn't want to see a third instalment of Fury/Wilder but wants to see the winner take on Anthony Joshua.

[Phenom]

Imagine if the NBA pulled these stunts and wouldn’t let Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs because they’re small market and LA & LeBron might not win a championship if They faced the Bucks in the Final and more people will watch and more $ if it’s the Celtics

The NBA did this to the Portland Blazers and Sacramento Kings when blatantly denied them the NBA Finals so a big draw like the Lakers can play

Why do you think the Patriots made so many super bowls on the back of penalties and controversial calls like the tuck rule no one ever heard about before ever

[Madison Boxing]

Yeah its terrible, no wonder youtube boxing is taking over

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

The best don't fight the best.

There are a billion titles which mean nothing.

Some decent fights happen here and there but only because of luck.

How can a sport on life support like this even still exist?

It's truly amazing.

I've hung on for a long, long time, going back to the early 90s but I mean, why should anyone even care anymore?

Don’t forget the institutionalised cheating as well.

Boxing will always remain a niche sport because of these issues you stated.

It is ostensibly still a mafia sport, promoters are essentially still trying to fix results by leveraging every advantage imaginable, the sanctioning bodies are bias and don’t reflect neutrality. Incompetence from officials go unpunished and without investigation, and proven cheats often get off without prosecution. The sport as a whole is riddled with corruption.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Don’t forget the institutionalised cheating as well.

Boxing will always remain a niche sport because of these issues you stated.

It is ostensibly still a mafia sport, promoters are essentially still trying to fix results by leveraging every advantage imaginable, the sanctioning bodies are bias and don’t reflect neutrality. Incompetence from officials go unpunished and without investigation, and proven cheats often get off without prosecution. The sport as a whole is riddled with corruption.

I agree. The boxing mob just doesn't have Italian names anymore. Heck, it's probably worse than it ever has been.

[MEXICAN STYLE]

Ice skating & wrestling is a bigger joke