Current Events > Is there any way boxing will be super popular again?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I mean popular to the level of Mike Tyson era

Get rid of weight classes.

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I guess but that more sports entertainment...maybe that's the only way

Make heavyweight boxing exciting again

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I doubt that. A lot of people do not take him seriously as a real boxer.

Not with UFC out there satisfying people's bloodlust.

any sort of existence on broadcast TV.

I don't think it's a coincidence that boxing died right about the same time as cable.

If you wanted to make boxing popular again, cut the number of rounds from twelve to six.

That eliminates the Floyd Mayweather strategy of fighting defensively for twelve rounds and winning on points. You can't stay on the defensive for six rounds because that isn't enough time for your opponent to get tired. You *have* to fight offensively if you want to win.

That's what makes the UFC entertaining. They can go all out because they don't have to worry about running out of steam. Of course, it might be a little barbaric to have people punching each other full force for six rounds. I guarantee you the number of concussions and brain injuries would increase. It just depends on whether or not you want to sell tickets to a gladiator battle.

The Logan bros

Celebrity boxing again.

FortuneCookie posted...

If you wanted to make boxing popular again, cut the number of rounds from twelve to six.

That eliminates the Floyd Mayweather strategy of fighting defensively for twelve rounds and winning on points. You can't stay on the defensive for six rounds because that isn't enough time for your opponent to get tired. You *have* to fight offensively if you want to win.

That's what makes the UFC entertaining. They can go all out because they don't have to worry about running out of steam. Of course, it might be a little barbaric to have people punching each other full force for six rounds. I guarantee you the number of concussions and brain injuries would increase. It just depends on whether or not you want to sell tickets to a gladiator battle.

That's a sport like boxing's best appeal tbh

Also, boxing needs to get away from having so many leagues. The world heavyweight title needs to be the world heavyweight title, not one of 4. 17 weight classes is also excessive.

It's tough enough to sell a single boxer as a personality to follow as they rise in the ranks, but winning the belt doesn't mean much when it's just one of dozens. Like... being champion (from a spectator's perspective) is meaningless when there are so many active champion spots that wikipedia has to have an entire page to track it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_world_boxing_champions

Did Jake paul leave boxing for mma?

Silver_Patron posted...

I mean popular to the level of Mike Tyson era

Mike Tyson and the other top boxers of his time had the popularity they did because it was being dominated by Americans. The Heavyweight/Super heavyweight divisions these days are mostly international so you don't have as much interest from Americans. And casuals basically just don't care about low weight divisions.

I wonder how many boxers suffer brain injuries.

dj1200 posted...

I wonder how many boxers suffer brain injuries.

Apparently it's bad but not anywhere near as bad as football.

Boxing has more outright deaths/permanent injuries than football though

Need to get more money to the skilled non-champs. Like a #10 heavyweight should be making a few million per year, not $100k after training fees and manager fees and all that shit. Get 500 boxers making $1m+ a year, 100 making $25M+ a year and a few icons making Mayweather money and the sport will attract the talent it used to.

I thought Gervonta Davis was gonna fill that role but hes still an unknown with the casuals

Electric gauntlets

Boxing promoters kill boxing.

Say what you want about UFC, but the big names always fight each other.

dj1200 posted...

I wonder how many boxers suffer brain injuries.

All of them

They should keep doing celebrity matches like the Youtuber ones.

Irony posted...

Electric gauntlets

Or better yet, bring back the stinger.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=GCTaN3JZSp4&feature=shares

Bring back EA Fight Night, but just don't let EA make the games

mustachedmystic posted...

Or better yet, bring back the stinger.

An old CSI episode had boxing gloves full of mercury as a plot once.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Mike Tyson and the other top boxers of his time had the popularity they did because it was being dominated by Americans. The Heavyweight/Super heavyweight divisions these days are mostly international so you don't have as much interest from Americans. And casuals basically just don't care about low weight divisions.

Nobody but the hardcore fans have ever cared about lighter weights. People want to see heavyweights slug it out and not long endurance matches where they tap each other the whole time.

voldothegr8 posted...

Nobody but the hardcore fans have ever cared about lighter weights. People want to see heavyweights slug it out and not long endurance matches where they tap each other the whole time.

We need boxers with personalities. Pacquiao and Mayweather were pretty light weights and they were dominating boxing scene

voldothegr8 posted...

Nobody but the hardcore fans have ever cared about lighter weights. People want to see heavyweights slug it out and not long endurance matches where they tap each other the whole time.

That's simply not true. Hagler/Hearns/Leonard/Duran were massive in the 70's/80's, and they weren't heavyweights.
And for any boxing fans here that haven't seen it, watch Hagler/Hearns on YT. It is easily one of the greatest matches of all time.

crayola555 posted...

We need boxers with personalities. Pacquiao and Mayweather were pretty light weights and they were dominating boxing scene

Mayweather was an exception to the rule, rightfully so because he's a legend, and not nearly as many people would even know Pacquiao's name if it wasn't for Mayweather dodging him for years before finally having the superfight.

Shamino posted...

That's simply not true. Hagler/Hearns/Leonard/Duran were massive in the 70's/80's, and they weren't heavyweights.

You ask almost anybody boxers they know from that era and next to none are going to throw out those names. The answers will be Ali, Tyson, and maybe Frasier.

I sure hope not

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I highly doubt that. His defense is terrible.

Nothing, with the exception of football, is that popular anymore. There are too many entertainment in the modern world