Is British boxing in limbo

[cakes]

This last 2 year has been a big dint for British boxing imo so many challengers has fought for world and European honours but we seem to be struggling to raise our game above domestic level a don't want to seem negative but where is our future ????? Ps for me Carl Froch is the reason British boxing is still on the map

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Yes, it is in big trouble.

[Mimmy]

IMO for what its worth most sports are in the same position and it simply boils down to characters. you can take any sport these days and compare it with the same 20 years ago.

Snooker, look at the names 20 years ago, all characters
darts, again lots of characters and well know figures
motor racing, some very good drivers and a few UK ones

Its simply down to the fact that we have shite across the board now

[dr_devious]

I think British boxing is thriving in as much as there is more European and fringe world class talent now than theres ever been, although many of the fighters getting world title shots are losing despite putting up good shows e.g. Chisora, Barker, Murray. On the downside, the only genuine world star we've got is Carl Froch

[Eddy]

I agree with Mimmy. Big lack of characters now. I have an interest in Kevin Mitchell because he's a local lad. Apart from that, there's no one that's got my attention (huge void). Compare the '90s when we had Tyson; Lewis; Bowe; Naz; Eubank & Benn; Roy Jones Jr; James Toney; Oscar DLH; Felix T the list goes on and on. Man those were the days. Who've we got in the UK ...James Degale and the window-chin kid from Bolton.

[whiskey]

It's becoming more fragmented with different channels and different promoters.

It will likely be good with regards Brits in overseas fights, but domestically it will become very negative.

Just look at HBO and showtime, prevented many a fight happening. Like Mayweather vs Tszyu , which then paved the way for hatton I suppose. Remember Lewis vs Tyson with both showing it, and Buffer & Lennon involved in the ceremonies.. That's the last one I recall.

[jtourettes]

IMO for what its worth most sports are in the same position and it simply boils down to characters. you can take any sport these days and compare it with the same 20 years ago.

Snooker, look at the names 20 years ago, all characters
darts, again lots of characters and well know figures
motor racing, some very good drivers and a few UK ones

Its simply down to the fact that we have shite across the board now

I think it's all the PR awareness that sports stars have to deal with nowadays. Most of them are so concerned with not putting a foot wrong that they end up as bland automatons.

[tear up]

Proper on its arse with sky pullin out ere in the. Org easy kept Live off phill Jeffrey's runnin big shows with everyone on from the northeast I do feel for Ll these stars who r under contract with a promoter who has no tv As who is going to run and show and pay them the same money as the tv guys r

[Mimmy]

I'm not sure if we will ever see another Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank etc but thats what we need right now. A good black boxer from Essex who comes in the ring like Mike Tyson and just knocks over those 'Mexican road sweepers' and builds up a euphoria. I couldn't sit and watch Froch for 12 rounds or any of the current boxers who are just going through the motions of their sport.

Another Bruno or Benn or even a Hamed would lighten up the sport and proberly put bums on seats and good fights back on the box. Wether we will ever see another slugger im not sure we are just sitting gazing into space watching the Eastern Europeans patting out punches and taking your dough. There has got to be a kid out there in his scruffy shorts trying to suvive on the streets and going to his local boys club and watching the big guys thinking that he is going to be world champion in 20 years time. It would be great to see another Mike Tyson who makes your hairs on the back of your neck stand up and put the effing frighterners on the other corner. Nah its not going to happen

[HomicideHenry]

IMHO, British boxing is on a higher playing field than here in America, there simply isnt no big fights here unless you're Mayweather or Pacquiao. At least in Britain, you have had two-three world title challengers, a few world champions, and have some really popular prospects that people buzz over; and thats just this last year. What the heck are you talking about?

[Mimmy]

IMHO, British boxing is on a higher playing field than here in America, there simply isnt no big fights here unless you're Mayweather or Pacquiao. At least in Britain, you have had two-three world title challengers, a few world champions, and have some really popular prospects that people buzz over; and thats just this last year. What the heck are you talking about?

You maybe right about being world champions but there not exciting fighters or characters. If you saw the crop we had in the mid 90's at middleweight you would understand. There is no buzz unless you have a fracas in Germany airport and cause such chaos.

[Deserter]

I couldn't sit and watch Froch for 12 rounds or any of the current boxers who are just going through the motions of their sport.

Yeh, that terrible Froch who had the fight-of-the-year candidate with Pascal, the amazing come-from-behind last round victory against Taylor on American soil, the war with Kessler in Denmark, who put on the clinic against dangerous puncher Arthur Abraham in Finland and who absolutely mugged Bute with a beat-down recently.

[Deserter]

If you saw the crop we had in the mid 90's at middleweight you would understand.

I lived through that period as well and while Benn will always be one of my favourite British fighters, let's not gloss over the fact that he had his share of so-so performances.. and don't even get me started on some of Eubank's snoozefests. He never showed Froch's willingness to fight anyone,anywhere.

[sharpei_louis]

We're the victim of our own success; for a period we had a few genuine world class operators who went across with great records and won titles (Lewis, Hamed, Calzaghe, Hatton) and since then it has been the sole aim of every promoter to keep their prized assets unbeaten so they are matched poorly for too long.
The crop at middleweight at the moment, Macklin, Murray, Barker... how have they got to this level without fighting each other? It would have been the making of them all, built fan bases cause people want to see real pick'em fights... with the tests they improve and move on to world level.

Also I think part of it is that international TV has made us much more aware of the limitations of our own fighters; I always feel that our 90s crop of super-middleweights was fed to us as being world class without ever truly proving it (other than Benn McClellan) there were clearly a lot of fights that could have been made. Nowadays we would know a lot more about where our fighters truly are following the crossover success of Hatton and Hamed before him.

Matched harder earlier and we still could be on the verge of some success at world level IMO.

[Deserter]

I always feel that our 90s crop of super-middleweights was fed to us as being world class without ever truly proving it (other than Benn McClellan) there were clearly a lot of fights that could have been made.

There's a lot of truth in that. I do think Benn, Eubank and Watson were world-class, but they certainly weren't the best in the world, there's a big difference.

[magnus]

I suspect that on an internet forum somewhere someone is bemoaning the current state of table tennis compared to 20 or 30 years ago. It seems to be human nature to unfavourably compare the present with the past.

When I first became really gripped by boxing, in the early 90s, it seemed to me that a lot of older fans/writers/commentators were in thrall to the boxers of the 70s. Not surprising in some respects, due to the quality of some of the fighters around then, but also I suspect, due to those people forever linking those fighters with their own younger, "glory" days.

I find myself doing that, with the 90s, on occasion. Then I remember that not every fight was Eubank/Benn I. Then, as now,promoters were reluctant to work together, unification bouts were rare (possibly more so than now), there were two many titles, terrible decisions etc.

My boxing heros will always be Benn, Lewis, Hamed etc, because they were around when I first fell in love with the sport. That's why I can forgive Colin Hart banging on about the fighters of the 60s/70s.

But I'm not blind to the qualities of today's fighters, and despite Benn being my favourite fighter of all time, I believe deep down that Froch would beat him, and probably do so inside the distance.

We should remember the past fondly by all means, but not let it spoil our ability to enjoy the present. Boxing today isn't perfect, but some of today's fights can be.

[iftkwoody]

I think the problem is not with the quality of boxers nor their willingness to fight. I think it all comes down to tv!!! I myself am a boxer and I have literally 2 minutes ago been talking to my wife about why I even bother with it (I know why it's because I love doing it) but I have hardly any other reason other than love and the fact that before boxing I was an overweight smoker who drank 3 nights a week and boxing has completely turned my life around. I don't earn any money from the sport as I'm not a massive tickets seller and I am not willing to go down the journey man route as no disrespect but I'm in the game to be the best (well try to be). I was speaking to my trainer before my last fight and I have estimated through loss of earnings to train and through costs with the little I have earned from purses I have ended up losing roughly £12, 000 - £15, 000 in the 3 and a half years I have been a pro and I can deal with that cos like I have stated I live doing it. For me boxing is more like a hobby than a job I would love to make it my job but it seems I have no chance. Now here's why I believe the sport is on its ass...... I may or may not be good enough to be a British, European or world champ but I will likely never get the opportunities to find out. Tv want big names to fight on their shows so promoters have to build big names this means padded winning records all the whole people are watching these fighters beat up other fighters dragged up from the weight below and given a decent wage to basically get beat up have a look at most of the top prospects records you'll find that they have never even fought anyone their own weight now this isn't the fighters fault and nor is it fully the promoters or managers fault it is to do with the tv thinkin they know what the public want. I think television bosses should realise that the people want great fights they don't care about a blokes record they just want to see a good hard fought fight thesis why the unlicensed scene seem to do so well because although the quality of fighters is no offence appalling they are usually a good tear up. Now people do want hero's and villains so all tv need to do is gone people a stage and they will play upon it. Boxing is filled with amazing characters and given the chance the viewers would see this and adhere to certain fighters there will always be someone everyone loves or loves to hate that's just the way people are but at the moment all people are getting is rubbish fights against opponents that no one knows anything about. How hard would it be to give every fighter a mini 24/7 series in the build up to a fight just ten minute a day in the week leading to a fight showing a little bit about the fighter and what's he like as a person and how and where he trains I honestly believe people would like to see that. It also gives these characters a chance to shine it'd get people talkin about fighters and the sport. There also must be a way to get away from this no losses nonsense as this then would give fighters like myself a chance to shine as it would make prospects almost non existent and you would only get to the top on merit by beating the best. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to run the sport more like a league where you can only fight people within a few ranks of yourself after working your way up to say the top 25 in the division. That way people could still have fights against journeyman to build a start to their career but once you reach a certain level your on yourown. There must be something that someone is willing to do to improve the sport for the spectators and for the fighters across the board not just a select few that have good backing or sell a good ticket.

Anyway rant over lol hope everyone is well

[iftkwoody]

I think the problem is not with the quality of boxers nor their willingness to fight. I think it all comes down to tv!!! I myself am a boxer and I have literally 2 minutes ago been talking to my wife about why I even bother with it (I know why it's because I love doing it) but I have hardly any other reason other than love and the fact that before boxing I was an overweight smoker who drank 3 nights a week and boxing has completely turned my life around. I don't earn any money from the sport as I'm not a massive tickets seller and I am not willing to go down the journey man route as no disrespect but I'm in the game to be the best (well try to be). I was speaking to my trainer before my last fight and I have estimated through loss of earnings to train and through costs with the little I have earned from purses I have ended up losing roughly £12, 000 - £15, 000 in the 3 and a half years I have been a pro and I can deal with that cos like I have stated I live doing it. For me boxing is more like a hobby than a job I would love to make it my job but it seems I have no chance. Now here's why I believe the sport is on its ass...... I may or may not be good enough to be a British, European or world champ but I will likely never get the opportunities to find out. Tv want big names to fight on their shows so promoters have to build big names this means padded winning records all the whole people are watching these fighters beat up other fighters dragged up from the weight below and given a decent wage to basically get beat up have a look at most of the top prospects records you'll find that they have never even fought anyone their own weight now this isn't the fighters fault and nor is it fully the promoters or managers fault it is to do with the tv thinkin they know what the public want. I think television bosses should realise that the people want great fights they don't care about a blokes record they just want to see a good hard fought fight thesis why the unlicensed scene seem to do so well because although the quality of fighters is no offence appalling they are usually a good tear up. Now people do want hero's and villains so all tv need to do is gone people a stage and they will play upon it. Boxing is filled with amazing characters and given the chance the viewers would see this and adhere to certain fighters there will always be someone everyone loves or loves to hate that's just the way people are but at the moment all people are getting is rubbish fights against opponents that no one knows anything about. How hard would it be to give every fighter a mini 24/7 series in the build up to a fight just ten minute a day in the week leading to a fight showing a little bit about the fighter and what's he like as a person and how and where he trains I honestly believe people would like to see that. It also gives these characters a chance to shine it'd get people talkin about fighters and the sport. There also must be a way to get away from this no losses nonsense as this then would give fighters like myself a chance to shine as it would make prospects almost non existent and you would only get to the top on merit by beating the best. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to run the sport more like a league where you can only fight people within a few ranks of yourself after working your way up to say the top 25 in the division. That way people could still have fights against journeyman to build a start to their career but once you reach a certain level your on yourown. There must be something that someone is willing to do to improve the sport for the spectators and for the fighters across the board not just a select few that have good backing or sell a good ticket.

Anyway rant over lol hope everyone is well

[Darcy Delaney]

I'm not sure if we will ever see another Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank etc but thats what we need right now. A good black boxer from Essex who comes in the ring like Mike Tyson and just knocks over those 'Mexican road sweepers' and builds up a euphoria.

what has someone's colour got to do with anything

[Tomasino]

I suspect that on an internet forum somewhere someone is bemoaning the current state of table tennis compared to 20 or 30 years ago. It seems to be human nature to unfavourably compare the present with the past.

When I first became really gripped by boxing, in the early 90s, it seemed to me that a lot of older fans/writers/commentators were in thrall to the boxers of the 70s. Not surprising in some respects, due to the quality of some of the fighters around then, but also I suspect, due to those people forever linking those fighters with their own younger, "glory" days.

I find myself doing that, with the 90s, on occasion. Then I remember that not every fight was Eubank/Benn I. Then, as now,promoters were reluctant to work together, unification bouts were rare (possibly more so than now), there were two many titles, terrible decisions etc.

My boxing heros will always be Benn, Lewis, Hamed etc, because they were around when I first fell in love with the sport. That's why I can forgive Colin Hart banging on about the fighters of the 60s/70s.

But I'm not blind to the qualities of today's fighters, and despite Benn being my favourite fighter of all time, I believe deep down that Froch would beat him, and probably do so inside the distance.

We should remember the past fondly by all means, but not let it spoil our ability to enjoy the present. Boxing today isn't perfect, but some of today's fights can be.

Great post and I agree with all of it. Even begrudgingly giving Froch the victory over Benn. Nigel was my favourite English fighter when I was growing up and never thought Id say this but Froch has surpassed him and Eubank too IMO. When he was fighting Groenwald I would have bet the house on him never making it. He is truly world class and his attitude to fighting is above reproach. He would have fought Calzage at the drop of a hat as well. He wil never beat Ward but ai personally think Ward will go down as a great. Unlike most, I enjoy his fights and think his footwork, hand placement and inside work is an education to watch. I hope he does a number on Dawson.

I hope Froch eventually rematches Kessler, I believe he has it in him to beat him in good style. As long as he follows Mcrackens advice that is.

[Tomasino]

[/b]

I'm not sure if we will ever see another Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank etc but thats what we need right now. A good black boxer from Essex who comes in the ring like Mike Tyson and just knocks over those 'Mexican road sweepers' and builds up a euphoria. I couldn't sit and watch Froch for 12 rounds or any of the current boxers who are just going through the motions of their sport.

Another Bruno or Benn or even a Hamed would lighten up the sport and proberly put bums on seats and good fights back on the box. Wether we will ever see another slugger im not sure we are just sitting gazing into space watching the Eastern Europeans patting out punches and taking your dough. There has got to be a kid out there in his scruffy shorts trying to suvive on the streets and going to his local boys club and watching the big guys thinking that he is going to be world champion in 20 years time. It would be great to see another Mike Tyson who makes your hairs on the back of your neck stand up and put the effing frighterners on the other corner. Nah its not going to happen

When has that ever happend? A black kid from Essex, what's so important about race and the location ?? what a post!

[Andy]

A good black boxer from Essex who comes in the ring like Mike Tyson and just knocks over those 'Mexican road sweepers' and builds up a euphoria.

Bring him on

[Manchester Massive]

I reckon we'll see Haye v Vitali in next 12 months, a Ricky Hatton comeback, a british gold medallist at super heavyweight in the Olympics who can become a megastar and also plenty of high level fights out there for winner of Burns v Mitchell, Froch, Khan and Brook

[GanterpBoxing]

Nathan Cleverly is holding a World title crown too

[Wales]

Personally i see it as the start of a new era.

Benn eubank watson collins bruno lewis was an era
Calzaghe lewis crosed from being late that era into
Hamed hatton calzaghe lewis
Froch haye appeared toward the end
New era is now. Froch haye khan burns brook.... Whos coming through this era? Price, fury, gavin (ability, needs good bishop brennan style kick up arse) groves cleverly