The Conservative Cave
The Bar => Sports => Topic started by: USA4ME on September 13, 2013, 11:12:07 AM
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Just a general observation and question here.
When I was growing up in the late 60's and 70's, boxing was a big deal, especially who the Heavyweight Champion was and who he was fighting next. I distinctly remember the fights between Ali and Frazier, and all the other top fighters like Ken Norton, Floyd Patterson, George Foreman, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Larry Holmes, etc...
But today, you hear nothing. I had to look up to see who the Heavyweight Champion was and it's some guy from the Ukraine I've never heard of. I can't even remember the last time I watched a Heavyweight fight. Probably when Mike Tyson was still boxing was it, but boxing seems to have just fallen off the map.
So what happened?
My only guess is that Ultimate Fighting and MMA and other types of fighting have become the new rage and boxing is just out. Maybe since the Champion, or at least a challenger, isn't from the USA we've lost interest.
What do you think happened?
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I think you're right... boxing is not as popular as MMA/Ultimate Fighter. Maybe 12 rounds is too long for kids to pay attention these days. :whatever:
I like a good boxing match. They're always being advertised on uVerse.
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I think you're right... boxing is not as popular as MMA/Ultimate Fighter. Maybe 12 rounds is too long for kids to pay attention these days. :whatever:
I like a good boxing match. They're always being advertised on uVerse.
The HW Champ is some guy named Wladimir Klitschko. I just watched some YouTube video of him, and it looks like Jim Lampley is still involved in calling some of the fights on HBO. Apparently this guy has a pretty long winning streak going.
Just watching him fight though, I have to wonder how he'd have done against an Ali or a Tyson in their prime. My guess is he would have had his head beaten in. Maybe some of the drop-off has been that the talent level has dropped.
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When I was growing up, I was a bigger fan of the Middleweights. That was the heyday. Sugar Ray Leonard. Marvelous Marvin Haggler. Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns. Roberto "Hands of Stone" Duran. Loved watching those guys, and they had some real barnburners against each other. It seemed to me like there was never any real competition among the heavyweights after Ali, Frazier, and those guys. There was one dominant guy.
I think it got crooked, and the big stars went over the deep end. There were never any big names after Tyson.
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I blame Howard Cosell.
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The HW Champ is some guy named Wladimir Klitschko. I just watched some YouTube video of him, and it looks like Jim Lampley is still involved in calling some of the fights on HBO. Apparently this guy has a pretty long winning streak going.
Just watching him fight though, I have to wonder how he'd have done against an Ali or a Tyson in their prime. My guess is he would have had his head beaten in. Maybe some of the drop-off has been that the talent level has dropped.
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I never had much respect for Tyson as a boxer. The official nickname for boxing is the "sweet science". To me that means cunning, technique and strategy combined with conditioning and a mastery of the basics will win over brawn and power every time. All Tyson had was brawn and power. When someone came along who had even a modicum of the real stuff of the sweet science came along, it was lights out for Tyson. James "Buster" Douglas proved that along with Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield.
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I blame Howard Cosell.
The sumbitch had the nerve to die.
That, I think, is one of the reasons that boxing is no longer as popular as it once was.
Howie and Ali would mix it up and provide enormous entertainment. That went a long way toward the sport.
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Floyd Mayweather is supposedly the best pound for pound fighter today and also the richest athlete. Would not pay a dime to watch him cause there is just no competition.
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I am guessing MMA and Ultimate Fighting. Also, I think you had some prominent boxers and their scandals, like Mike Tyson. I do see boxing on the Spanish channels.