Let´s talk about Boxing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN56soZKg64

Ahhh my hometown boy, Gentleman Gerry Cooney. My grandmother was friends with his family and Gerry came out a bunch of times to help with a yearly event called the Care and Share for autistic/ms/cp/downs kids every year.

For me, Leonard v Holmes

http://www.youtube.com/user/sweetfights

 

Lol!! No pubs/clubs got that fight on PPV here in Mount Isa and I wouldnt have caught it because I was working anyways.

But I read the result/story on Espn.com.

 

I like Abraham too. Hard not to when you watch the Fight Camp 360 series. Do you think he would have knocked Dirrell out if not for the foul?

 

Great Question. I'n my heart I would say yes. In my mind I would say: Doubt it! It was Dirrells night. How about you?

 

I've just realised my granddad's boxing record is listed online (link).

Interestingly, I think I also found a negative photograph of him in his boxing pose on eBay with a signature - unfortunately, the auction ended... just asked my dad to confirm whether that was definitely his signature before chasing it up, as the image was very small.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

I don't think so. He did score that knock down in the 10th and they didn't call it but then I had Dirrell winning the 11th. Strange night.

 

Can Jones Jr. beat Hopkins again tomorrow?????? I hope so!

 

I hope so.

Sadly, I have to work so I wont be able to watch it. They are playing it EVERYWHERE here on PPV.

I will have to try get on the net at work to get the results.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Jones get knocked out again, he's way washed up, and Hopkins is a modern marvel, but I'm a fan of neither at this point. Shouldn't even be taking place.

 

I watched a few vids on ESPN last night and Jones Jr was at his best talking it up.

He also mentioned that in his fight against Danny Green, Green used illegal hand wraps or something.

Only just heard about it. Jones Jr said he has his team persuing the matter as he is concentrating on the Hopkins fight.

 

What's an illegal hand wrap, PAP?

 

It's too bad this guy is so blinded by his ego he can't see how far gone he is. A prime Roy won on speed, that's long gone, and he doesn't have a chin...Probably never had one, that's scary for him.

 

They both should retire. Pathetic fight. That was boring.

 

I dont mate. Ask Roy Jones Jr.

Apperently a hand wrap with adhesive on it. Thats what Roy said in that interview.

Well, yeah.

He was good enough NOT to get hit back in the day. So we never knew if he had a chin.

As you said, probably never did.

Really?? Glad I didnt take the day off work to watch it then.

 

I can't believe they actually got people to pay $50.00 for it. That's what's wrong with boxing right there. Reading about it, it was as bad as expected.

 

EVERY pub and club paid for it here in Mount Isa. All 6 of them ponied up for it.

Pubs and clubs here pay AU $1500 to show PPV.

At home, we pay AU $50.

Pubs and clubs DO NOT make you pay a cover charge to go in and watch the fight.

I dont know how many PPV they sold around the world, but ESPN reckons there was around 6792 in the crowd and most of the tickets were handouts/give aways. So maybe 4000 tickets actually sold?? I dont know.

They also said each fighter was going to pocket $3.5M each. A 60/40 split if it was a knockout to the winner. They reckon they had trouble 'raising' the first $3.5M. Sounds like the promoters took a loss on this one.

 

Whose looking forward to the Botha vs Holyfield fight????? NOT!!!!!!!!!!! and it's PPV??? What is this sport coming to? First Jones Jr. vs Hopkins and now this????? and they wonder why boxing is going in the wrong direction. I LOVE the sport but it's getting harder and harder to follow it. Sorry...

 

Holyfield was great in the day... he's a bit old now though. Why is he still fighting? Does he just enjoy it, feel he still has something to prove, or does he need the money?

All the best,
Andrew.

 

SO true.

Perhaps like you I was introduced to this sport by my dad in the late 60s and followed it closely in the 70s & 80s. But, I think the glory days are over, and with alternative fighting such as mixed martial arts etc, the death knell for boxing is sounding. I only follow the sport because of the knowledge I gained in the 70s & 80s and the great fighters from that era. But there is no question the sport has lost its direction, and I note that personally I have no real desire to share it with my own sons (who are interested in other things anyway).

Sad but true.

 

I agree boxing will never be what it was in the 70's - 80's for allot of reasons. Here's some.

1. No great trainers. The last one was Eddie Futch. Angelo Dundee was next.

2. Why bust your ass year round to stay in shape, and have to make weight when you can play a seasonal sport like football which is much easier, and pays better. You almost have to be a great boxer to make a commensurate salary as other average athletes.

3. Matchmaking. Too many fighters fight for the money and not pride. In other words they make a business decision first.

4. PPV. And to add, you really have to work at being a fan. It's not there on free TV like it was in the 70's 80's when on a Saturday afternoon you could witness a blood bath for free.

5. They don't fight often enough because they don't have to. The money's good enough for most of them to be comfortable.

6. Too many champions and belts confuses the public.

7. I would say corruption, favoritism, crooked promoters etc. Except boxing has always had that, so I don't think that's a major problem, however the public is less tolerant of bad judging because that's something we can all see and really is a problem. It's definitely linked to those three things.

8. For whatever reason, boxers have regressed as athletes, no way can you compare today's boxer with guys who fought 20-30 rounds in 100 degree heat at the turn of the century. Yeah today they're bigger, faster, have more training technology, and nutritional information, but they're not better fighters, and medical concerns stop allot of fights before they should be stopped.

I've called boxing dead too, but then 50K show up in Dallas just to see Paquiao fight, and most of them didn't even know the opponent. The Staples Center in LA sold more tickets for Mosley Margarito than any sporting event ever, and look at the money that's being discussed for Mayweather Paquiao. Unfortunately for the sport these mega matches don't come around enough.

There are some very good fights out there, but like I said, you have to work at it to know about them. One is Martinez and Pavlik on the 17th that's not getting much attention, but it should be a corker! There's not a bad fight in the Super 6 tournament on Showtime either.

 

100% correct

 

I read somewhere before that he is/was running out of money.

Same deal as Tyson. They reckon Holyfield has grossed around the US $150M+ and he hasnt got any coin left??

This Botha fight is a big dollar fight for him apparently. One last paycheck I remember reading in the same article online.

But as usual........you can believe everything you read on the internet. So I cant confirm any of that 100% sorry.

 

Possibly, I own his Ferrari

 

Lol!! Did you buy his old 355?

 

Excellent answer. Here's my suggestion as to what could quickly raise boxing's street cred: Have a top ranked boxer (even better if a current champion) fight and defeat a top ranked (or current champion) MMA fighter. Far too much Internet disrespect has been shown boxers in discussions as to their likely success against a MMA opponent, and I have to believe that the sooner this disrespect can be dispelled with boxers winning matches against elite MMA fighters, the sooner that boxing will get back its street cred and increased interest from fight fans (and other sports fans) in general. Does this mean that boxers would have to wear a pair of boxing gloves while the MMA fighter got to wear the MMA striking glove (and all its advantages)? No, they wear the same gloves (bare knuckle obviously would not be allowed - but obviously would be the best option for the boxer), and the boxer isn't merely restricted to striking, but instead would be allowed to fight according to MMA rules. Would any champion or championship level boxer go for this? Well, if the purse was similar to that received in a boxing match, then yes. One final comment: if the current crop of retired boxers (James Toney etc.) who current are entering MMA can be successful in MMA, then there will be no need for the top ranked boxers to enter into this boxing/MMA competition as boxing's street cred should be restored by the success of these retired boxers.