Anyone Else Sick Of All The Mismatches?

[keithmoonhangover]

Sky could learn a lot from watching ESPN's Friday Night Fights. Mostly VERY competitive matches and a lot of upsets this season.

[palooka]

It's bollocks, but can't see it changing.

We, as fans, should insist on at least 2 or 3 decent match ups on any show.

The thing is, most people who come to boxing don't seem to care about evenly matched fights. They want to cheer on "their man" and then f... off to the bar. I'd love to see professional boxing shows as a set of well matched contests (indeed, a lot of amateur shows are exactly that) but I can't see it happening.

The worst of the worst are the journeymen who don't really try and win.

No, I take it back.

The worst of the worst are the depressingly bad foreign pushovers.

Though I do agree with what I feel are your sentiments, though;

There are only so many closely matched boxers in any locality.

Most people are football fans and are territorial, they are not boxing fanatics and back their local boxer as part of a night out. They do not really know a great deal about any of the other boxers on the card.

The journeyman boxers do an excellent job; they keep the shows going and teach the 'up and comers' the 'ins and outs'. Obviously, for the most part they are up against it; but they are proud and do their best. It is a shame when a really talented boxer is put in against people he would learn nothing from and the journeyman stands to get a hiding.

I've nothing to say about your last point; Boxing News went on the march about this over 20 years ago.

(Sorry jimjim; I read your post earlier today; agree wholeheartedly)

[whicker]

There are only so many closely matched boxers in any locality.

The journeyman boxers do an excellent job; they keep the shows going and teach the 'up and comers' the 'ins and outs'. Obviously, for the most part they are up against it; but they are proud and do their best. It is a shame when a really talented boxer is put in against people he would learn nothing from and the journeyman stands to get a hiding.

To answer both those quoted points.

Firstly, it does seem that boxers are happy to travel to be opponents, even for small hall shows. So, why not booked a boxer with a decent, 50-50 record from 150 miles away rather than a serial loser from the same distance away?

EG I was at a show in Staffordshire, they had a guy from South Wales as an opponent, who had fought and lost all 20 of his pro fights!!

I understand journeymen have a role, but I dunno- prospect V journeyman fights are very boring to watch- sure, they are "learning" fights, but really, is it even a proper professional contest, or just high level sparring?