Would boxing be better if it embraced the UFC view that losses aren't deal breakers?

[RightJabLikeZab]

Losses are a big deal in any sphere of life. Nobody comes to lose and, when they do, they are held to that. In real life, if you fail repeatedly at your job, you'll be fired. Same with school. Failing grades are losing grades. You don't get a second chance.

At least in boxing you do. You can keep going until you are a clear bum.

People shouldn't romanticize losers.

Nobody gets into anything to lose but most people do lose. It's about how you respond to the losses and the value that you still have even through a loss. By your logic, we should give up on people because of said losses even though we have so many examples of people in every sphere of life doing great things after losses. I'm sure you'll give up on Gervonta if and when he loses, right?

[BoxingIsGreat]

Nobody gets into anything to lose but most people do lose. It's about how you respond to the losses and the value that you still have even through a loss. By your logic, we should give up on people because of said losses even though we have so many examples of people in every sphere of life doing great things after losses. I'm sure you'll give up on Gervonta if and when he loses, right?

You missed where I say in boxing you could still go on and on until you are flat. Yes, if Gervonta turns into a bum with 8 losses, I wouldn't regard him as highly as I now do. I'll still watch him.

[Roadblock]

This new generation of fans are the reason that a loss is a deal breaker. You CAN get yourself back into contention the way you said.

Yep thats what I was going to say, its the fans that reject a guy after he loses.

[Dip_Slide]

I disagree with anyone who blames this on the fans! It's not the fans, it's the fact that we haven't seen any good comeback stories from losses in a long time and people just forget what that's like. It seems like the fighters themselves don't trry hard enough to correct what they messed up to get back to the top again. Also managers try to give their fighters too many comeback fights to help their confidence but what that does sometimes is making the fighter get used to fighting lower level guys.

Fighters don't have the drive to come back from losses like they used to simply because most are overpaid! UFC fighters have no choice but to try to get better to be able to come back to the top as soon as possible because they need the money, otherwise their 10-15 years in martial arts don't mean nothing. There has to be a balance somewhere to keep fighters motivated and willing to take more risks while making sure their futures are secured.

[Toffee]

Boxing fans don't seem to be able to differentiate between losing in a competitive fight and losing to a bum.

Then they complain that top fighters keep fighting bums. Why would they take a chance at greatness when the fans view the risk as exactly the same?

You get the fights you deserve.

[BoxingIsGreat]

I disagree with anyone who blames this on the fans! It's not the fans, it's the fact that we haven't seen any good comeback stories from losses in a long time and people just forget what that's like. It seems like the fighters themselves don't trry hard enough to correct what they messed up to get back to the top again. Also managers try to give their fighters too many comeback fights to help their confidence but what that does sometimes is making the fighter get used to fighting lower level guys.

Fighters don't have the drive to come back from losses like they used to simply because most are overpaid! UFC fighters have no choice but to try to get better to be able to come back to the top as soon as possible because they need the money, otherwise their 10-15 years in martial arts don't mean nothing. There has to be a balance somewhere to keep fighters motivated and willing to take more risks while making sure their futures are secured.

Excellent post. Green K.

[TrollyMcTroll]

In the UFC rankings as long as you can string back together 3-4-5 wins after a loss you can get yourself right back into title contention, regardless if you have potentially double digit losses on your record, as in a Jorge Masvidal.

In boxing careers are almost deemed over if a top boxer gets his first loss.

I think that's one of the main reasons the top guys in boxing don't want to fight the other top guys.

Top guys in MMA who have had great comebacks after losses probably would have been deemed long washed in boxing and by boxing fans to be fair.

The problem with this is:

1. UFC is the premier MMA league. It has a very limited roster in comparison to the overall sport. They run a lot more shows and put a lot of emphasis on finding ways to get their guys on people's screens. You've got the main card on PPVs, a preliminary card on a cable channel and then they'll stream the first couple fights online. Most boxing events will be lucky to air even 3 fights in a night. This means unless you're in the main event or one of the co-main events you're not going to be able to rebuild your reputation in front of an audience that isn't actually in the arena. This creates a lot of pressure on fighters to win and so they'll play it safer when it comes to picking opponents.

2. The pay scale in boxing is unbalanced towards the superstars but once you get knocked off your pedestal your paycheck is going to drop like a rock unless you have a massive following. Once again, this discourages risk taking.

[buddyr]

Belts are hurting boxing everyone protecting their 0 out of fear they won’t get a title shot. And we know which promoters are in bed with with sanctioning bodies. Get rid of ALL the belts and boxing changes overnight. Lack of belts eliminates promoters bribing to keep their ****ty fighters among the top rankings. No way should there be multiple weight classes with several undefeated fighters in the top 10.

[Roadblock]

I disagree with anyone who blames this on the fans! It's not the fans, it's the fact that we haven't seen any good comeback stories from losses in a long time and people just forget what that's like. It seems like the fighters themselves don't trry hard enough to correct what they messed up to get back to the top again. Also managers try to give their fighters too many comeback fights to help their confidence but what that does sometimes is making the fighter get used to fighting lower level guys.

Fighters don't have the drive to come back from losses like they used to simply because most are overpaid! UFC fighters have no choice but to try to get better to be able to come back to the top as soon as possible because they need the money, otherwise their 10-15 years in martial arts don't mean nothing. There has to be a balance somewhere to keep fighters motivated and willing to take more risks while making sure their futures are secured.

You say its not the fans and then site the fans as not seeing any comeback stories, bottom line its all about selling to the fans and if fans are not buying its game over, its most definitely all about the fans and what is fed them and when its fed, the fans control the entire gamut of sport and its popularity or not.

[_Rexy_]

Boxing fans don't seem to be able to differentiate between losing in a competitive fight and losing to a bum.

Then they complain that top fighters keep fighting bums. Why would they take a chance at greatness when the fans view the risk as exactly the same?

You get the fights you deserve.

Yup. Just a few weeks ago I saw someone say that "Prograis is a bum. he tricked us into thinking he was better than he was"

Dude lost a ****ing 115-113 fight in a #1 vs #2 fight and he's a ****ing bum? Boxing fans are the ****ing worst.