What will save boxing?

[2535Miles]

It seems like boxing, especially the Heavyweight Division, has gone downhill. Can it be saved? What will save boxing?

[brevity]

The same question popped into my head when I attended the Chris Byrd - Shaun George fight last week. (If you want, click my signature link for more info on that experience.) In a time where there's a clear TV and arena audience for fighting (albeit in the UFC), you'd think that the sport of boxing would right itself for the sole reason of gravitating toward the money.

People lost interest in the heavyweight division for many reasons -- Mike Tyson's descent, mismanagement, poor sportsmanship, few American prospects, bad product -- but the lack of a unified champion (and the despair in seeing no unification attempts on the horizon) turned a lot of people off. I don't know much about the UFC or mixed martial arts, but I would imagine it's turned younger fans on to more athletic fighters, and the heavyweights won't cut it anymore. If boxing is to regain the prestige it had even 10 years ago, it's going to have to spotlight pugilists of the pound for pound variety.

[hc5duke]

Not sure if i should be voting since i never found boxing all that interesting... but from my perspective I don't think there is anything that would get me to watch boxing. The only time I find it interesting is the bloopers where the ref gets knocked down, or a guy's mom comes into the ring.

[Ben63]

To save boxing two things must happen:

1. Title unifacation
2. It must leave PPV. I would watch these big name fights but will not pay $60 to do so.

[YmoBeThere]

The younger generation has moved on from boxing...which means in the long run it can't really be saved.

[pamtar]

To save boxing two things must happen:

1. Title unifacation
2. It must leave PPV. I would watch these big name fights but will not pay $60 to do so.

3. Get rid of Don the murderer King

I totally agree about the PPV thing. In the old days you could get huge title fights on the big three networks. I would never pay to see a fight that I can get highlights of (or see the whole thing) 5 minutes after its done. I bet if ABC, CBS, or NBC would simply try one heavyweight title fight it would do well.

Also, I think boxing needs another polarizing figure (ie Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali) to gain national attention. When Tyson was in his prime boxing was really big. Even as he became more and more senile people still got exited when he fought. Ever since he retired the sport has died out.

[billybreen]

Great question, but I too think that boxing is beyond saving. It's too corrupt at its core to right itself without a revolution from within, and there isn't any vital young blood to agitate for that.

With that said, killing Don King would be a good start.

Ugh, I clicked the wrong option by mistake. Please disregard my 'better fighters' vote and add 1 to the 'cannot be saved' tally. :o

[Bluedawg]

Actually there are two. Title unification fights and Better "fighters" in the heavyweight division.

It seems like when Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton retired the heavyweight division had no one to step up and take there place. Evander Holyfield came close but couldn't quite fit the bill. that can be seen by the simple fact that they had to put it on pay per view to make any money.

Boxing lives or dies with the heavyweight division.

[hurleyfor3]

The bell?

[ugadevil]

I would watch boxing if it were more like Celebrity Death Match.

[2535Miles]

Now I'm thinking that I should've had another option "All of the above except it can't be saved."

Title Unification is a must for me. There are way too many belts and there the lack of organization inside is troubling. I think Mike Tyson was one of the last great fighters in the Heavyweight Division and was great for boxing. Now they just two sides of beef in the ring and see who can last longer. Boring.

As far as Don King goes, that's obvious. I agree with previous posters. Note, I think that also implies getting boxing off of pay-per-view.

I definitely feel like younger generations have moved onto extreme fighting. I myself cannot handle it but if you look for talent, that's where you're going to find it.

If I were a boxer, I'd be a heavyweight!:eek:

[2535Miles]

I would watch boxing if it were more like Celebrity Death Match.
You're onto something. We can file that under better fighters. Who would you suggest for the first match?

[ugadevil]

You're onto something. We can file that under better fighters. Who would you suggest for the first match?

Chris Paul vs. Tim Duncan

Both would punch the other and look around innocently like they hadn't done anything.

[2535Miles]

Chris Paul vs. Tim Duncan

Both would punch the other and look around innocently like they hadn't done anything.
Fantastic!

[throatybeard]

I'd watch boxing if it weren't two guys trying to knock each other unconscious.

[colchar]

I'd watch boxing if it weren't two guys trying to knock each other unconscious.

Alrighty then...

[Bluedawg]

I definitely feel like younger generations have moved onto extreme fighting. I myself cannot handle it but if you look for talent, that's where you're going to find it.

That may be because they can see it. it is on cable instead of PPV.

[colchar]

That may be because they can see it. it is on cable instead of PPV.

And by putting it on cable look what they've done to their sales when they do show a card on PPV. My former roommates and I have ordered every card in the last 3-4 years and I highly doubt we are unique in that.

[2535Miles]

That may be because they can see it. it is on cable instead of PPV.
I think that has to be a significant factor, but there is a huge brand wrapped around extreme fighting. They have an identity, they know it and they exploit it. Boxing is just lost.

[blazindw]

To be fair, there is some fights on HBO and Showtime more often than you think (the last De La Hoya fight was on HBO a few weeks back). I do think that a lot of the fights that are on PPV should not be. Randos fighting each other are put on PPV with a $40-50 charge, and it saturates the market. Then, when there is a Mayweather-De La Hoya fight, the price goes up to $60. That's a ton for one fight and an undercard that actually turns out to be more exciting than the main event 9/10 times.

What boxing needs to do is to get rid of all the random weight classes. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_weight_classes), there are 17 weight classes (18 if you include the Super Heavyweight division where "Butterbean" made his living) in 5 different organizations. UFC has eliminated a lot of the confusion by having only 5 weight classes: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight, Welterweight and Lightweight. The problem with boxing (and I love watching boxing--many nights my dad and I would just watch boxing for hours) is that you never know who's good; almost everyone can claim they're a champion in boxing.

Get rid of all the belts - one belt per class. One "Top 10" list of contenders. Limit the number of classes - you don't need to have a system where gaining 4 lbs moves you up a weight class. When you see a boxer on TV, you should only need to say "That's the light heavyweight champ", not "That's the WBO and WBA light heavyweight champ".

[JG Nothing]

I think that has to be a significant factor, but there is a huge brand wrapped around extreme fighting. They have an identity, they know it and they exploit it. Boxing is just lost.

Cage fighting or mixed martial arts has become so popular because Dana White, the president of the UFC, is a heck of a promoter and business man. He has combined the competition of boxing with the entertainment and action of professional wrestling. White has been very successful in marketing personalities and storylines. "The Ultimate Fighter" show, in particular, was a brilliant idea, allowing viewers to get to know established and rising stars. White also rules the UFC with an iron fist to ensure that the brand is always bigger than the fighters.
I think boxing has a bigger problem than just corruption and a lack of focus. The sport is turning into an anachronism. MMA just seems to fit in much better with contemporary youth culture than does boxing. There are fewer rules and more action.

[Bluedawg]

Get rid of all the belts - one belt per class. One "Top 10" list of contenders. Limit the number of classes - you don't need to have a system where gaining 4 lbs moves you up a weight class. When you see a boxer on TV, you should only need to say "That's the light heavyweight champ", not "That's the WBO and WBA light heavyweight champ".


The problem there is that the two are separate governing originations like WWE, TNA, and UWF

[EarlJam]

Patrick Davidson.

Patrick Davidson will save boxing.

332

Word.

-EarlJam

[2535Miles]

Patrick Davidson.

Patrick Davidson will save boxing.

332

Word.

-EarlJam
Mods, lock the thread, this poll is closed. :D