Why has boxing been pushed away by the mainstream american media?
547739
Actually, it lost a lot of appeal because it doesn't have one sanctioning body but has all these different federations. WBA, WBC and IBF are just the three most popular, there are many more. Also crooked promoters and judges with greased palms have taken boxing back several steps. We need strict guidelines for judges and they should go through some sort of training like umpires in the NFL. Hometown judges should be screened out and an elite title perhaps by Ring magazine should be established as the one TRUE title for each division. Teddy Atlas and Oscar De La Hoya as well as other big names in the industry has been working toward this but it takes time. Until then the media will just briefly cover the BIG name fights, skip the rest and report on the negatives more than the positives.
71176
I don't think it was ever really illegal to begin with.\n\nMaybe you're wondering when boxing became a sanctioned sport? Earliest evidence suggests that boxing was prevalent in North Africa during 4000 BC and the Mediterranean in 1500 BC. \n\nRecords of boxing activity disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire. The sport would later resurface in English during the early 18th century in the form of bare-knuckle prizefighting. The first documented account of a bare-knuckle fight in England appeared in 1681 in the "London Protestant Mercury," and the first English bare-knuckle champion was James Figg in 1719. This is also the time when the word "boxing" first came to be used.\n\nThe first boxing rules were introduced by heavyweight champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes occurred. Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Broughton also invented "mufflers" (padded gloves), which were used in training and exhibitions.\n\nIn 1867, the Marquess of Queensberry rules were drafted by John Chambers for amateur championships held at Lillie Bridge in London for Lightweights, Middleweights and Heavyweights. The rules were published under the patronage of the Marquess of Queensberry, whose name has always been associated with them.
61056
Depends on how well they market themselves and how well they performed in the ring,boxing fans detest a boring tactical fight with few blows,in mexico many a times the losing boxer was taken out on fans shoulders for his efforts,Oscar De La Hoya is a good example of a boxer that knows boxing is a business above everything else, most boxers are poor,uneducated and naive young men that let the handlers take care of the money,so many really don't know how much they made for that year ,there have been great boxers that landed up homeless after their boxing days were over because of crooked managers,expensive lifestyles,unscrupulous women and handicapped because they did'nt know when to stop
874642
Brent, \n    I think one thing that may help would be to put a salary cap on the purses, somehow.  I don't have all of the kinks worked out, but if the fighters, were doing it for the championship, and not the money, we might see less fight "dodging" and some better matchups.  Naturally, a great fighter deserves a generous purse, though.    Also, perhaps shrinking the boxing associations from four to two, maybe a world boxing association including all countries, and a United states association.  This would really force the BORING heavyweight division to come up with a true champion, and provide less belt holders and more contenders.  Also, it would make less of a grey area as to who the true champion is.   To follow up on the undisputed champion portion of your question, it seems like when there is a champion, there is ALWAYS a dispute!  It never fails that there is an arguement to bash the legitimacy of the champ.  In my opinion, the Roy Jones Jr. of the 90's was an undisputed champ.  But there was always the question of the quality of his opponents that hung over him like a looming grey cloud.  I think I would go with Bernard Hopkins if he was able to beat Roy Jones Jr.  Actually, that would be a good matchup now!  \n   And yes, boxing today is sad.  It is about the money, why else would PPV be in existance???\n\nSmitty, thanks for the lesson in economics.  What was your answer?
31285
It really depends on the part of the country. But for the most part Football is spreading its lead over baseball in the popularity contest. The games are faster, feature more action, and there are far fewer of them. The superbowl itself is the most watched sporting event in the United States.
609056
Somewhere along the line, however, The Ring’s criticism of the “alphabet gangs” went from a few targeted jibes in editorials to full-blown “axis of evil” rhetoric that permeates the magazine. Instead of reporting on the sport they are so intent on saving, the folks at The Ring are spending more and more of their time talking about...themselves.\nThe Ring champions is better.
951810
I am a wrestler... was, hard to say was. I 100% believe wrestlers will whoop a boxer generally. As far as actual fighting goes, wrestling is far superior. But, I am not a fan of watching wrestling. In tournaments I'd catch naps because it's that boring to watch for me. Boxing on the other hand, is FAR more exciting to watch. I couldn't stand there for 12 catching shots, you have to respect a warrior. And it's awsome when instead of being hit, guys like Ali, Mayweather, Robinson, Whitaker etc. can make guys miss by a fraction of an inch and be comfortable. AMAZING. I could easily go on for hours why boxing is the best sport to watch, but everyone has their own opinions I am sure my ranting will not change. But that's how I look at it. Want to learn to fight? Wrestle. Want a good show? Watch boxing.
666940
Boxing, anyday.\n\nThe example you gave isn't that great. I've heard that the Great Khali is even less mobile than Giant Gonzalez, so putting him against Mark Henry would probably be anything but enjoyable. Kevin McBride isn't that interesting either, but I'd like to see what kind of fightplan Wlad would use to beat him.\n\nBut no matter who was fighting, I would watch boxing, as would most of my friends. High-flying moves and suplexes may be very rare, but any boxing fan afficionado will be able to notice all the subtleties which you just can't find in pro wrestling. And the storylines are more interesting too. What could be more interesting than real people?
361461
To the press..its all about winning but in sports today..its what the people want to see so realelsiticly evreything is about money..sadly
955255
i want to see the best fighters, and the better fighters are going to do mma.  It's tough watching boxing when you know the best boxers probably would'nt have a chance in a cage, so my money will never go to see 2 guys pound each other for 12 rounds then have a decision go to crooked judges.
1052705
I agree with your premise, since there does seem to be a decline in the quality of Black heavyweights.\n\nWhen boxing was the top sport in the world, the poor could gain great stardom by attaining the world renown crown of heavyweight champion of the world.\n\nHowever, the sport has been tainted by curruption and people do not look at the heavyweight champion with the same honor as before. \n\nNow, soccer is the top sport worldwide and fame can be achieved for country instead of individual. African americans want to be NBA players for the fame in the black community.\nThis did not happen until the 80's.\nWhat the heavyweight division needs is someone to dominate like Tyson did. Maybe the 230 pound Russian is that guy!\n\nSo poor = exploited, but not poor when making millions.\nboxing = not fame maker so people playing different sports where they are glorified for their pain!
1060897
No, it is too big of a sport. If they shut down the UFC, then eventually they would have to shut down boxing and wrestling too.
566760
why is this question in the boxing category?
714366
Between NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, NASCAR, golf, tennis, etc. etc. they don't have much time for a "new" sport. Plus there is the fact that the UFC has some proprietary elements which tend to delegitimize it. The octagon cage is trademarked, the organization lacks transparency, etc. Rightly or wrongly, that puts it in the same league as Slam ball or American Gladiators in eyes of mainstream sports journalists. If there was an independent international sanctioning/ranking body for all MMA promotions that would help, but I doubt that is going to happen.
278076
i think it should. i also think in the next few years mma will become more popular than boxing.
308278
I believe that originally boxing occurred in a circle painted or drawn on the ground.  The boxers had to remain inside, and the spectators had to stay out side.  When ropes where added (for safety) the obvious shape for them to be is a square, but by then the boxing community had called it a "ring" so long that the name stuck.
86528
When people think of boxing, they still think of Mike Tyson and he's done with boxing. There are some equally talented and charismatic boxers, but none at the heavyweight level, who are really the only people most people pay attention to.\n\nThere are four main boxing organizations (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF) and each of them gives out their own titles and has their own champions. Four heavyweight champs right now? The title belts have to be unified by one person so that the general public has someone to associate with the phrase 'heavyweight champion.' There are a couple of good heavyweight bouts coming up, but nothing that will unify the title and prove dominance in the sport.\n\nPay-per-views are another problem. But a lot of the shows that aren't on pay-per-view are on HBO or Showtime, still. Telefutura shows Solo Boxeo every week, so they've gained a solid piece of the Hispanic Market. But ESPN's Friday Night Fights only airs for about half of the year. People who tune into that after a while forget boxing exists and aren't in tune at all as to when big events are coming up.\n\nIf they could get some of the bigger fights on network television like NBC or Fox, I think that would get a lot of people back into the sport. That, and unified heavyweight champ with the excitement of a Mike Tyson.