The growing dichotomy between amateur and pro boxing

[Dennis]

I guess from my work in the trenches, I just prefer advancing the sport. I don't care if one tournament uses clickers and one uses ESS (there isn't that much of a difference and a good boxer will win with either). The new ESS will be much closer to the clickers so it looks like the GG was correct in its view of the old ESS. And yes Mel, I do and will continue to disagree with you on this topic. I see first hand all the good that the Golden Gloves does for amateur boxing, keeping kids off the streets, changing and forming young lives and helping young adults go to college. There are many, many more benefits too.

[boxmel]

I see first hand all the good that the Golden Gloves does for amateur boxing, keeping kids off the streets, changing and forming young lives and helping young adults go to college. There are many, many more benefits too.

And I see first hand all the good USAB does for amateur boxing, keeping kids off the streets, changing and forming young lives and helping young adults go to college. Please remember that GG "boxers" are USAB boxers who compete in the GG once a year, not all year round as with USAB.

[Dennis]

GG unlike USAB actually funds gyms to operate all year round. Without the gyms to pay registration fees, the boxers to pay registration fees and the club shows and tournaments to pay sanction fees, there would not be a USAB. GG puts money into the sport.
USAB has taken money out of the sport to pay for salaries and other expenses. USAB always has told everyone that the grassroots programs need to raise the money and pay the money to USAB so it can operate and not the other way around. GG has raised lots of money to support gyms and programs across the country. We will see if the new USAB management can finally do the same thing.

[skinnyman]

Would you two stop arguing?

[boxmel]

Give it a break, Dennis. One is either a Golden Glover or is not. I am not and you are. We'll, once again, agree to disagree and that's the end of this discussion.

[Dennis]

Maybe with AIBA getting into the pro business the dichotomy will shrink away.

[boxmel]

the use of headgear has had a depersonalizing effect on the fighter/fan relationship, in that you can hardly ever see the faces, expressions, etc of the fighters as they go about their work in the ring!! having never heard that aspect mentioned before,

Actually, that's an old argument, mostly heard when someone is trying to get rid of headgear. Dr. Butler, the AIBA Medical Commission Chair, and EC member, tried to get legislation passed to do just that and, I believe, that's another IOC said NO! I do believe we are going back to putting the headgear on AFTER the boxers are in the ring starting next year (heard a rumor) in hopes this will help with the recognition factor. As far as I can see, it didn't help much last time - and was stopped due to the amount of extra time it took before the bout started. I really don't understand why people want/need to see blood, facial expressions, etc. - I like watching them box!

[Dennis]

It is an old comment. It has some merit, but it is not the complete answer. Football players where helmets that make it difficult to identify with players and yet the sport is as popular as ever. Around here a big high school game recently had about 15,000 fans attend the game. The usual numbers for the top schools are 6,000+. I am ecstatic when a club show draws 500+. Can you imagine what we could do if we regularly had over 5,000 fans attend each show?

How does high school football do it? I don't know, but having it be a high school sport helps. If boxing were in the high schools, it would be more popular. Football players do have names or numbers on their jerseys. I think it helps when boxers have names on their trunks or tank top. It costs more so many gyms don't do it. Ours doesn't. The kids that pay to have their own uniforms do get recognized more. Some boxers just have their own color scheme for their uniforms that distinguishes them.

[boxmel]

Around here a big high school game recently had about 15,000 fans attend the game. The usual numbers for the top schools are 6,000+. I am ecstatic when a club show draws 500+. Can you imagine what we could do if we regularly had over 5,000 fans attend each show?

Maybe because it's a team sport with lots of kids participating at the same time? Let's say you have 12 players on each team (I'm guessing because I honestly don't know). Times them by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, friends, alumni and current students and you have a huge crowd. Whereas boxing is an individual sport.......

[squarering]

I do think that the head gear depersonalizes the game. As fans we like to see beyond just the action. We like to read peronalities and connect with who these kids are. At the very least I don't know why anouncements in the ring could neot be made with the headgear off and just have the coaches put it on when the boxer comes back from the center ring intro and instruction. It takes 10 seconds and I believe that it give the fans another demension to think abvout. We need more posters like Verb that help keep the connection by stayin informed on both sides and posting as much as he does.

[boxmel]

I don't know why anouncements in the ring could neot be made with the headgear off and just have the coaches put it on when the boxer comes back from the center ring intro and instruction.

That's what used to happen until AIBA decided it took too much time. As I posted earlier, I think it's back in effect starting next year.

I believe that it give the fans another demension to think abvout.

Wellllll - it didn't increase the level of spectators the first time....

[Dennis]

Maybe because it's a team sport with lots of kids participating at the same time? Let's say you have 12 players on each team (I'm guessing because I honestly don't know). Times them by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, friends, alumni and current students and you have a huge crowd. Whereas boxing is an individual sport.......

If we can get more "team" spirit by having boxing teams compete against other teams, it could happen. Give out some team awards. Even it there aren't team awards, each gym is a team and if they get that message across it helps. If you have 11 (number of football players that play on a team at any given time) boxers on a team, you should have a lot of fans. High school football teams have many more players than just 11. Our high school typically has about 50+ players on the varsity squad. About 20 play regularly and the rest hardly ever play. You also have cheerleaders, the flag team (they twirl flags/ribbons/etc. so I'm not sure what they are called) and the marching band add to the number of people that come to the games.

I would like to see our boxing team (about 20+) bring in 500 fans to our next show. I think we might need to add cheerleaders and a band to increase the number of fans.