Is Boxing falling out?

[bushido_man96]

I have been seeing the hype on the Floyd Mayweather, Jr vs. Oscar de la Hoya fight. I would love to watch this fight, but I won't get to, due to its availability. I saw that one publication was claiming that it was to be the fight that will save boxing. Apparently, boxing isn't as popular as it used to be.

Do you think that boxing has lost some of its quality and popularity? Do you think that this is due to the rise of MMA? Which do you prefer to watch? Do you think that there has been a decline in the popularity of the sport? Do you think that shows like The Contender help boxing out?

I would like to see boxing covered more often away from a PPV venue. One reporter also mentioned the need to unify the heavyweight titles. Apparently, there are currently 4 different heavyweight champions.

What do you think?

[BlahuKahuna]

I personally think that boxing has declined in popularity for two reasons:

1.Excessive championships. It's extremely difficult to figure out who is the current champion with so many tournaments. Boxing needs to go back to one champion for each weight class and one governing body.

2.MMA. With the rise of another combat sport, boxing has faded into the shadows.

Boxing can definitely be reborn, it will just take time.

[gzk]

Boxing has definitely fallen in popularity compared to 10, 20 or 30 years ago. I think this has more to do with a lack of exciting fights, exciting fighters, crooked promoters and bad judges decisions than a rise in the popularity of MMA. Boxing just isn't that marketable right now. I suppose MMA is tending to capture much of what may have been the younger boxing demographic in the past, but MMA fighters are not the household names that boxers are, and most people don't even know what MMA is - the most they know is whatever was said on some "ultimate fighting expose" on the news. Still others think that anyone who can't win with their fists alone is a wimp, or that MMA fighters are all failed boxers or pro wrestlers (why wouldn't they fight there if they were good enough, since that's where the money is?).

Boxing has fallen off the radar a bit but if it bounces back it will bounce back well, since the mainstream knows and understands it. MMA enjoys no such understanding yet, so it's in the balance.

As for unification, I think two different sets of champions is ok - indeed, it makes for interesting topics of discussion in MMA, with the Pride and UFC champions being compared to each other, but four is too many.

[bushido_man96]

Still others think that anyone who can't win with their fists alone is a wimp, or that MMA fighters are all failed boxers or pro wrestlers (why wouldn't they fight there if they were good enough, since that's where the money is?).

In the interview that I saw, one boxer was making the comment that there were a few boxers he knew that "couldn't cut it boxing" and moved on to MMA. He made some very snide comments about them becoming MMA fighters as well. He also downgraded the talent of the MMA in same breath, kind of.

[tempoman]

I'll admit, I'd get trashed in a boxing match. But I love it when people say kicking/MMA/etc is for wussies. Kicks, knees and elbows hurt a hell of a lot more than any punch I've taken.

[baronbvp]

I'm guessing Chuck Liddell wouldn't mind taking on one of the current crop of boxers to see who wins.

I think boxing is fading and being replaced by football and MMA. MMA needs to clean up the tattooed street fighter mentality and become more professional if it hopes to supplant boxing, though. The money and the Olympics won't come until it does.

[NightOwl]

Boxers tend to diss on MMA, but I've found that the reverse is not as common. But really, it is their biggest threat (outside of themselves) to their beloved sport of boxing, so I can understand why they do it. Boxing has declined for the following reasons in my opinion:

1. Corruption- the boxing world is rife with it.

2. Lack of charisma. Where are the Jack Dempsey s, Muhammad Alis, and George Foremans? The best you got now is a recently bowed out (and bordering on psychotic) Mike tyson and a bunch of no namers.

3. The NFL, the NBA, and MLB. You don't have boxing clubs at schools anymore (back in the day my grandfather used to box for his school)...It's now considered a very low brow sport, and all the potential athletes who would go into boxing are opting out for other sports like football or even soccer (which is the REAL football for the record ).

4. MMA. Let's face it, martial art fights tend to be more dynamic than boxing matches, especially MMA NHB bouts which not only use punches but kicks, elbows, take downs, throws, and grappling (many of which used to be in bare knuckle boxing ironically). Since fight sporting events get a fringe audience anyways, the once sole owner of the market (boxing) now has to share with 'Pro' Wrestling and organizations like K-1, the UFC, and PRIDE. With all this going on, it is of little wonder that revenues are down.

Let's face it, TV rating for boxing matches get such low ratings, that the only way to make money is to charge per person to watch it. Even MMA is breaking out on networks like spike (which helped its popularity...hint hint network executives) and ESPN2 sometimes, and FOX Sport Network has been broadcasting old PRIDE fights. Also there is certainly no gaurentee whatsoever that boxing will regain it's popularity- sports such as hockey and horse racing are also shadows of what they once were. All the MMA events need to do is clean up their image a little bit to really replace what boxing was. Instead of shirtless fighters with dyed buzz cuts and tattoos, how about putting in some sort of uniform(and before you object that uniforms would make it easier for techniques, 'on the street' you tend to have a shirt on) and make everything sleeker instead of black with WWE style logos. PRIDE does a much better job on this in my opinion, but they both could use some work. Secondly how about getting K-1 or PRIDE on a major network to try and get people hooked on the product just like SPIKE did with the UFC? Thirdly, they need to have a slight attitude change to make it well, more classy and professional instead of constantly having the 'fight club' feel. Finally, they need to get some goodwill ambassadors out there campaigning for MMA.

[repz]

Well, all the champions lack charisma or a story. We had Mike Tyson with his problems, Roy Jones with his cockiness an charisma, trinidad with his pride... now the current line up is made up of boring fighters.

[Justin Treadaway]

Well neither sport is fully "Street Fighting" but MMA is a whole lot closer than boxing is. I would prefer to watch MMA. I think that people want to see as close to the real thing as possible and right now MMA is closer to the real thing. On another note, I am tired of people putting down styles that arent incorperated in MMA. I take Sil Lum Kungfu. 3/4 the stuff we learn isnt allowed in MMA. They aren't allowed to strike to the throat, eyes, grown, wrist locks, arm bars (open joints locks from standing.. ie trapping a punch, breaking their wrist, elbow, and shoulder while you throw them down. I mean dont get me wrong not dissing MMA, a lot of those guys could do well on the street, but dont diss other styles because their style isnt represented in UFC. Because on the street there are no rules anything goes. That is also why you will never see our schools fighting in a tourniment with a point system. We would be disqualified first 10 seconds of the fight.... Anyways thats just my $.02

[TraditionalDan]

Well neither sport is fully "Street Fighting" but MMA is a whole lot closer than boxing is. I would prefer to watch MMA. I think that people want to see as close to the real thing as possible and right now MMA is closer to the real thing. On another note, I am tired of people putting down styles that arent incorperated in MMA. I take Sil Lum Kungfu. 3/4 the stuff we learn isnt allowed in MMA. They aren't allowed to strike to the throat, eyes, grown, wrist locks, arm bars (open joints locks from standing.. ie trapping a punch, breaking their wrist, elbow, and shoulder while you throw them down. I mean dont get me wrong not dissing MMA, a lot of those guys could do well on the street, but dont diss other styles because their style isnt represented in UFC. Because on the street there are no rules anything goes. That is also why you will never see our schools fighting in a tourniment with a point system. We would be disqualified first 10 seconds of the fight.... Anyways thats just my $.02

I could not agree more with this post, I still think that boxing is good enough for self defence and is a powerful tool in one's arsenal.

But I too would rather watch MMA, even though it does put across the wrong image sometimes.