Final bell tolls for BoxRec News

[Dan Dares]

http://news.boxrec.com/2014/final-bell- ... oxrec-news

[Boxerbeetle]

Shame. Hope the forum's not next to close!

[THEBUTCH]

I'll really, REALLY miss the write ups and news.

Boxrec News was one of the very few places I obtained information etc about boxing from the interent.

It's provided me with a great source of enjoyment over the years and stood out a mile from all the others.

Thanks and good luck to all involved for their futures.

[stujones]

Shame, hope the guys continue to contribute on the forum.

[pyenest77]

Agree with the above. Sad day hopefully the forum can continue in the same vein.

[ScottDetonator]

Very sad to hear that. Feels like the end of an era for online boxing news as we know it.

I'm sure that the writers will find a fair few other outlets for their talents but still sad as this is the best boxing site on the net and I'm sure that I'm not alone in saying that.

Well done Ian and Danny for keeping the news site going for so long. Celebrate instead of commiserate guys Beers all around. Ian's first to the bar!

[black panther]

Gutted. Some absolute gems in there and will massively miss my regular Snips and Snipes fix!

Congratulations and thank you to all those involved for a great contribution to online boxing news. Hopefully in the future maybe someone could start it again. Heck I'd lend a hand where I could.

All the best!

[lefty]

To be honest I never really read the news site over here and tended to get my boxing news from BS.com but it's still sad to see. Bar Terry, any of the contributors from here write for that site aswell?

[Alba]

shame about that, thought the guys done a cracking job and one of the accessable news sites who were always prepared to give the small hall scene a go were as some of the bigger boys dont care

[The Law]

To be honest I never really read the news site over here and tended to get my boxing news from BS.com but it's still sad to see. Bar Terry, any of the contributors from here write for that site aswell?

I have done a few articles for BS. However, they are few and far between. It's sad to see the end of Boxrec News but all good things come to an end ......... that's why this forum will never end!

[rm1]

great shame and it shows what the internet brings but also what it takes away. TKO.

[lefty]

To be honest I never really read the news site over here and tended to get my boxing news from BS.com but it's still sad to see. Bar Terry, any of the contributors from here write for that site aswell?

I have done a few articles for BS. However, they are few and far between. It's sad to see the end of Boxrec News but all good things come to an end ......... that's why this forum will never end!

LOL

[REEVE]

Real shame! I used the page to keep up to speed with boxing news

[whiskey]

I miss Ian McNeily.

It does happen though, you go from being a fan and loving boxing - to getting involved and seeing the other side of things - and that becomes the focus of most of your boxing-related thoughts to the point where the actual 'fights' become secondary.

I hope he regains his bug.

[WelshDevil]

Ian and Danny did an excellent job and a pleasure working, and learning, from both.

Boxrec News always my first stop, for Uk fight card reports. Coverage was excellent and the most respected website name.

[chinny]

I miss Ian McNeily.

It does happen though, you go from being a fan and loving boxing - to getting involved and seeing the other side of things - and that becomes the focus of most of your boxing-related thoughts to the point where the actual 'fights' become secondary.

I hope he regains his bug.

Second this, massively.

[Wrists]

Sad day in many respecta but I think it's fair to say boxrec news has been a massive success which everyone should be proud of.

I'm proud I have contributed in a small small way to such a great thing.

Always be grateful to smoggie Mcneilly for the opportunity.

Ian - you were right about Kell Brook all along pal!

[TheCobra]

Boxrec is a very powerful site, it has massive respect in the boxing world and also with the search engines so I hope it isn't ever left to rot.

I do hope they can keep up the great work keeping the boxer's records up to date, the forum going and the fight schedules etc, because it's a really valuable resource to me, one that is absolutely unrivalled.

I must admit I dipped in and out of the write-ups, they weren't the main thing I was here for, but I really hope the other core things still stay!

[jamesmcdonnell]

I miss Ian McNeily.

It does happen though, you go from being a fan and loving boxing - to getting involved and seeing the other side of things - and that becomes the focus of most of your boxing-related thoughts to the point where the actual 'fights' become secondary.

I hope he regains his bug.

Second this, massively.

Have to agree, following the business of boxing avidly, and writing about it for several years, definitely left me feeling very very jaded about the sport - and I'm nowhere near the fan I used to be.

I still enjoy a really good fight, but they seem to be few and far between, certainly the big ones - the fact that Mayweather v Pacman never happened also contributed to my feelings of disappointment, it should have been the biggest fight in that weight since Leonard fought Hearns, even bigger, but if it happens now, it will be something of a damp squib.

Unfortunately also, there's ZERO money in writing about boxing, even if you write a successful book, you're never going to get remotely rich doing so - and there's only a handful of well paid gigs writing for the papers - and even then you have to cover other sports as well.

Boxing websites only make money for the people who run them, and even then, not that much, and they rely on the hard work, dedication and good will of a host of unpaid writers, who eventually realise that they need to get their heads down and put their energies into a real career - so there's a limited tenure.

I had some great times covering shows, and enjoyed working with the likes of Ian McNeilly, who I rate very highly indeed, and is a writer of great integrity, but ulitimately, I came to realise that writing about boxing was a one way street, and took up huge amounts of my time. That is what finally limits the success of all of the boxing website out there - nobody can afford to pay their writers.

[WelshDevil]

Does it need to be the end?

Surely, there are people who would like to take over?

[jessi]

Does it need to be the end?

Surely, there are people who would like to take over?

That's what I was thinking !
Someone or some people must dream of doing this.
Anyway if it is the end, well done on everything you did, really enjoyed the news articles on here

[Junker]

I miss Ian McNeily.

It does happen though, you go from being a fan and loving boxing - to getting involved and seeing the other side of things - and that becomes the focus of most of your boxing-related thoughts to the point where the actual 'fights' become secondary.

I hope he regains his bug.

Second this, massively.

Have to agree, following the business of boxing avidly, and writing about it for several years, definitely left me feeling very very jaded about the sport - and I'm nowhere near the fan I used to be.

I still enjoy a really good fight, but they seem to be few and far between, certainly the big ones - the fact that Mayweather v Pacman never happened also contributed to my feelings of disappointment, it should have been the biggest fight in that weight since Leonard fought Hearns, even bigger, but if it happens now, it will be something of a damp squib.

Unfortunately also, there's ZERO money in writing about boxing, even if you write a successful book, you're never going to get remotely rich doing so - and there's only a handful of well paid gigs writing for the papers - and even then you have to cover other sports as well.

Boxing websites only make money for the people who run them, and even then, not that much, and they rely on the hard work, dedication and good will of a host of unpaid writers, who eventually realise that they need to get their heads down and put their energies into a real career - so there's a limited tenure.

I had some great times covering shows, and enjoyed working with the likes of Ian McNeilly, who I rate very highly indeed, and is a writer of great integrity, but ulitimately, I came to realise that writing about boxing was a one way street, and took up huge amounts of my time. That is what finally limits the success of all of the boxing website out there - nobody can afford to pay their writers.

This is true. Essentially there are about 4 or 5 full time writing jobs at Boxing News, then national daily positions which are currently filled with Hart, Bunce, Davies and Mitchell. That's about it nationwide, if you want a decent career out of it.
Its possible to get a few shekels writing for websites like Mail online or BBC sport but its not particularly well-paid and the guys that do that all write about other stuff too or have some other form of income.
I suppose on the other side of the coin, the internet has opened up other possibilities, like the IFL TV boys and other youtube bits. Its just how things are now...

[olij999]

Very sad to see it go. I always enjoyed reading the articles (particularly Eric Armit's stuff - nothing like hearing about some fighter from a boxing backwater who could become the next big thing, or some crazy shenanigans in an obscure title fight somewhere). I'd at least like to say thank you to all of the people who contributed articles for the site - to do so without payment is an enormously selfless act, and hopefully you all know that there are many people out there like me who really appreciated it.

[pnejon]

BoxRec News Brilliant site, will be sorely missed by many.

The Debutwant Watch series i was running on BoxRec News has found a new home on secondsout.com. If anyone was a follower then you will be able to continue reading the interviews.

heres the plug.....

http://www.secondsout.com/interviews/in ... light=hilz

[Dixonian]

Have to agree, following the business of boxing avidly, and writing about it for several years, definitely left me feeling very very jaded about the sport - and I'm nowhere near the fan I used to be.

I still enjoy a really good fight, but they seem to be few and far between, certainly the big ones - the fact that Mayweather v Pacman never happened also contributed to my feelings of disappointment, it should have been the biggest fight in that weight since Leonard fought Hearns, even bigger, but if it happens now, it will be something of a damp squib.

Unfortunately also, there's ZERO money in writing about boxing, even if you write a successful book, you're never going to get remotely rich doing so - and there's only a handful of well paid gigs writing for the papers - and even then you have to cover other sports as well.

Boxing websites only make money for the people who run them, and even then, not that much, and they rely on the hard work, dedication and good will of a host of unpaid writers, who eventually realise that they need to get their heads down and put their energies into a real career - so there's a limited tenure.

I had some great times covering shows, and enjoyed working with the likes of Ian McNeilly, who I rate very highly indeed, and is a writer of great integrity, but ulitimately, I came to realise that writing about boxing was a one way street, and took up huge amounts of my time. That is what finally limits the success of all of the boxing website out there - nobody can afford to pay their writers.

Agree with this 100%. It's your passion for the sport that gets you involved as a writer, but when you realise there is no money in it - and you're fitting your writing commitments alongside the demands of a day job and other hobbies - it can become a slog. Even for sporadic contributors such as myself! I always wanted to write more about boxing, I even planned a regular feature for BoxRec. But then the days and the weeks would pass by without me having raised my pugilistic pen in anger (no I don't what that means either). Not out of laziness, or through a lack of passion, but simply the reality of not having an eighth day in the week.

As a reader of BoxRec News, I can honestly say it was the only website dedicated to the sport that I had any time for. The editorial line struck by Mr McNeilly and then carried forward by Monsieur Danny, gave it a gravitas and integrity sorely lacking elsewhere.