Not many boxing fans around nowadays?

[stateless]

I have watched some pretty decent fights lately and although there is the odd thread around here, boxing seems to be taking something of a downturn in popularity? Do you think it's because there aren't as many great matchups are there are in UFC for instance, and that it has all become as much about avoiding fights than taking on the most exciting challengers?

[Pfeife]

I have watched some pretty decent fights lately and although there is the odd thread around here, boxing seems to be taking something of a downturn in popularity? Do you think it's because there aren't as many great matchups are there are in UFC for instance, and that it has all become as much about avoiding fights than taking on the most exciting challengers?

It's probably losing popularity in the US because the sport is nowadays dominated by Eastern-European athletes:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/BoxChamps.png

[High On PCP]

It's probably losing popularity in the US because the sport is nowadays dominated by Eastern-European athletes:



That's not it really.



I think it had to do with what the OP was saying, as well as the fact it seems like in boxing now days... Boxers box to "not lose" as opposed to boxing to win. It doesn't make for very exciting or even very technical fights.


A boxers ethnicity doesn't really have anything to do with it. Manny Pacquiao is one of the biggest draws in the US simply because he's exciting as all hell to watch. And he's from the Phillipines. Cotto was becoming quite a draw before losing to Margarito.



Lots of ducking other boxers, lots of boxers boxing to "not lose", not a whole lot of depth between divisions...




I think MMA may have something to do with it as well. I, personally, was a boxing fan and moved into MMA from being a boxing fan. In a way MMA has ruined boxing for me as MMA is way more explosive. Boxing is cool when it's real technical, like a Bernard Hopkins fighting, but most fighters aren't really that technical, again they're just out there to not lose(not to mention there aren't many knockout artists these days). After watching MMA pretty religiously for a while, and the fact that there aren't that many good boxing match ups these days has made it hard to watch this-

Jab
Jab
Circle
Clinch
Circle
Clinch
Jab
Jab followed by a missed right straight
Double Jab
Circle
Double Jab
Clinch
Jab followed by a missed uppercut
Circle
Jab
Clinch
Clinch
Clinch
Circle
Clinch
Double Jab
Clinch
Jab
Circle
Clinch
Circle
Jab with a right straight

Round over, rinse and repeat for the next 40 minutes.

[Roxtar]

It's probably losing popularity in the US because the sport is nowadays dominated by Eastern-European athletes:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/BoxChamps.png

That is only true for the Heavyweight division, which has been awful for a long time. Junior welterwight, welterweight, middleweight, and light heavyweight are where all the good fights are the past few years.

PCP, can you give me some examples of current contenders or champions you think are "boxing not to lose?"

[Jaythrilla xX]

I like boxing way better than MMA, it doesnt seem right to tackle someone or hit someone when there on the ground thats just not the way id like to see a fight.

A lot of boxers are defensive fighters like Floyd Mayweather but he also has his fair share of knockouts and if someone adapts to that style he can be beaten.

[High On PCP]

PCP, can you give me some examples of current contenders or champions you think are "boxing not to lose?"

Arg... right off the top of my head, I'm sort of drawing a blank. I don't get Showtime or HBO anymore so I have to go to a friends house to watch boxing these days, so I don't just casually watch every single boxing event that comes on like I used to.