What happened to heavy-weight boxing?

[Seahawks Guy]

I love heavy-weight. Why? Because people get hit HARD...they get bloodied up, they get knocked out. I like to watch fights where people get hurt bad...I'm not so much into the style or the art of it.

It used to be the biggest fighting sport. Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Marciano, Norton, Tyson, Holyfield, etc...but now it's gone...seems like it's dropped into mediocrity ever since the mid to late 90s. These days, it's all all about welter-weights and middle-weights and stuff. So what gives? Anyone have any idea?

 

[chris98251]

Lack of Olympic funding, Promoters were crooked, and MMA.

 

[Sports Hernia]

What he said^

I think MMA has take a huge bite out of boxing's ass over the last 15 years.

 

[m0ng0]

there are many more opportunities for kids these days then getting their head kicked in on a daily basis, boxing is so corrupt, MMA is on the rise and there are just too many other options these days that were not available in the 90's even. Boxing is not a hobby its a ticket OUT for most kids.

 

[Tical21]

With all due respect, I don't see MMA having much of a hand in this at all, if any. None of those guys would have been world class boxers. The demise of the heavyweight division was in progress well before MMA became popular. I would blame the popularity of football much more than MMA. There are literally dozens of theories.

My favorite theory is that the heavyweight division was largely American in the golden age. People don't fistfight as much in America period as they did in yesteryear. Kids don't fight as often, and when they do, the punishment is more severe. People fight more in other countries than they do here, which is why the talent and popularity hasn't dipped as much from South American fighters in particular, but since the people of those countries are smaller in stature, the smaller weightclasses haven't suffered as much as the larger ones.

Another theory is that a big kid in his 20's now didn't grow up with iconic American heavyweight boxers to idolize.

It will be back. It is going to take a bigger than life personality or two, and then kids will aspire to be the next great heavyweight again.

 

[chris98251]

My favorite theory is that the heavyweight division was largely American in the golden age. People don't fistfight as much in America period as they did in yesteryear.

True, maybe we should make drive by target practice or stomping the new sport.

We had Olympic fighters going to the Pros pretty much year in and year out, since the funding for Boxing and almost all sports for the Olympics is now private and not subsidized by the government much of Americans traditional power sports have diminished.

Kids used to hang out in gyms and look for the opportunity to train if they showed any guts and or talent, groomed from a young age.

Add in they have people running around throwing up lawsuits and warnings about concussions, aggressive tendencies, death etc. Martial Arts, Boxing, Football, and anythig else where you are combating another person is being watered down by the bleeding hearts group.

Now add the Promoters, there used to be two major boxing commisions, WBA and WBC if I remember, Promoters and the commisions went at each other and they created the IBO if memory serves, they now also have the WBO. Additionally Bob Arum and Don King were instrumental in creating a lot of questions about fixing and embezzleing money for the guys he promoted. Arum was involved in Bribes and other activity as well. Throw in HBO marketing almost every big time fight and trying to promote it themselves and decide who the contestants would be and you can see a wave of corruption and monopoly thruout the US and in Boxing in general.

Thats another bunch of reasons it's dieing in the states.

 

[uncle fester]

Don King and other crooks buried the credibility of Heavyweight boxing long before MMA came along. And the effect was not limited to the States. The sport practically died out in Europe (where, hugely popular, it was previously almost guaranteed prime-time viewing). The Klitschko brothers sewed up what little competition remained.

The bitching between WBA & WBC (and subsequent fallout, resulting in a hundred meaningless other commissions and belts) didn't help.

A quick read of what passes for the sport now is only surprising in that it still exists.

 

[Subzero717]

I think a lot of it is what I think 30-40 years from now will plague football. Watching guys like Ali and Holyfield amongst others barely being able to put a sentence together. Its not just heavyweights. Its boxing as a sport in America. Couple that with known thievery by the Don Kings of the world and the great American heavyweight is starting at TE or Power Foward rather than boxing.

To add to that like Fester pointed out the 15 different belts and organizations isn't doing boxing any favors. Neither is there being only a couple major promotions and then having their fighters refuse to fight each other so the promoter gets 100% of the cut. Thats why there was a Marquez v Paq 4. Its stupid.

 

[twisted_steel2]

Is Lennox Lewis still the champ?

Honestly I'm trying to think of the last heavy weight champ I remember, that's what I come up with.

Ok I'm off to google this and laugh at myself, it's probably been awhile huh?

 

[IndyHawk]

Lewis retired as the champ..About Ali..He took a lot of shots on purpose as part of his rope a dope thing..It worked but at a price..Boxing screwed themselves by being crooked..Alis 1st belt- Liston took a dive..The Russian fighters while great..doesn't help the sport in america..I hope NFL is watching...(london crap)

 

[-The Glove-]

A lot of politics. A lot of Americans turning towards other sports. A lack of competition and excitement in the ones now competing.

 

[Seahawks Guy]

Lewis retired as the champ..About Ali..He took a lot of shots on purpose as part of his rope a dope thing..It worked but at a price..Boxing screwed themselves by being crooked..Alis 1st belt- Liston took a dive..The Russian fighters while great..doesn't help the sport in america..I hope NFL is watching...(london crap)

Foreman seems to be doing okay...then again he would knock almost all of his opponents by the middle of the match if not sooner.

 

[HawkWow]

Many good points made above but the sport being "crooked" would influence all divisions, not just the HWs. The easy answer to this question is the big 3. Football, basketball and Baseball. Consider the size of those athletes. Most would be HWs. There is zero money in the sport of boxing for 90% of the fighters. Most athletes good enough to box, at a high level, are good enough to play well enough to make money somewhere in the big 3. The corruption in boxing (and required commitment) does make the decision easier to NOT box when such choices are available.

My dad boxed pro but had to quit to support my mom and I. Made him a tough guy to get along with. LOL.

 

[chris98251]

Many good points made above but the sport being "crooked" would influence all divisions, not just the HWs. The easy answer to this question is the big 3. Football, basketball and Baseball. Consider the size of those athletes. Most would be HWs. There is zero money in the sport of boxing for 90% of the fighters. Most athletes good enough to box, at a high level, are good enough to play well enough to make money somewhere in the big 3. The corruption in boxing (and required commitment) does make the decision easier to NOT box when such choices are available.

My dad boxed pro but had to quit to support my mom and I. Made him a tough guy to get along with. LOL.

There is more to boxing then being just an athlete, many different weight classes and all the big three cater to a skill set specific to that sport and position. Boxing has a multitude of styles, some with speed, some with size, some are just tough bastards, some that can endure and defend.

 

[SouthSoundHawk]

What the hell is boxing??

Seriously though...

I'm more interested in a guy that can master multiple styles of fighting and put that skill on full display. Rather than watch a guy that has mastered a single craft. The biggest fighters boxing has are two old guys (Pac and Floyd)...and I would rather watch the Spurs play he Spurs than see that fight.

Boxing is going the way of MLB, it's too boring compared to the competition.

 

[Subzero717]

↑ The MLB thing isnt real. TV viewing maybe. Attendance however is as good and in most places better than its ever been.

 

[-The Glove-]

What the hell is boxing??

Seriously though...

I'm more interested in a guy that can master multiple styles of fighting and put that skill on full display. Rather than watch a guy that has mastered a single craft. The biggest fighters boxing has are two old guys (Pac and Floyd)...and I would rather watch the Spurs play he Spurs than see that fight.

Boxing is going the way of MLB, it's too boring compared to the competition.

Thank you...come again

 

[Kaiser]

Nobody wants to watch two men hugging each other for 2 hours. In other words, the fighters are boring right now

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

↑ The MLB thing isnt real. TV viewing maybe. Attendance however is as good and in most places better than its ever been.

Cuz it's a much better game in person than on TV. True of ice hockey too. Football on the other hand is nearly the perfect TV sport.



As for boxing, here's another theory I heard the other day....it's been hurt by not being on free (broadcast) TV since the 60s/early 70s.

 

[-The Glove-]

↑ The MLB thing isnt real. TV viewing maybe. Attendance however is as good and in most places better than its ever been.

Cuz it's a much better game in person than on TV. True of ice hockey too. Football on the other hand is nearly the perfect TV sport.



As for boxing, here's another theory I heard the other day....it's been hurt by not being on free (broadcast) TV since the 60s/early 70s.

That can't be right. I remember seeing Tyson knock out that one dude in under 10 seconds on basic TV