"Celebrity" professional boxing. Is it good or bad for the sport??

[Redback Rasta]

We have seen all sorts of attempts at creating additional interest in boxing cards by using rugby players, cricketers, women, even midgets. Has the overall effect of this in your view been a positive for boxing or a negative? Please provide some explanation for your answer.

[tsmithy50]

It used to be a positive thing when I went to shows and smoked, I could nip outside and not miss any real boxing. Now I've given up smoking there's no positives.

[DA GOOSE]

If it has made one cross over fan then it has been good. A lot of people bemoan the fact SBW gets a ton of media exposure and fighters like Parker,Horn,Carr etc. are unknown. But if 1 person has taken an interest in boxing because of watching these celebrity boxing cards that otherwise would not have it can't be a bad thing IMO.

[bogan whisperer]

If it has made one cross over fan then it has been good. A lot of people bemoan the fact SBW gets a ton of media exposure and fighters like Parker,Horn,Carr etc. are unknown. But if 1 person has taken an interest in boxing because of watching these celebrity boxing cards that otherwise would not have it can't be a bad thing IMO.

Not quite that simple because it is fair to assume some fans will have fallen off as a result of it too. The real measure is have more fans got on than have got off and I think the answer is probably yes.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

IF SOME-ONE SMASHED JOURNO PAUL KENT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN GOOD IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC

[Redback Rasta]

It used to be a positive thing when I went to shows and smoked, I could nip outside and not miss any real boxing. Now I've given up smoking there's no positives.

[Redback Rasta]

It's a real mixed bag this one. That's why I threw the topic up. There are nearly as many negatives as positives, and here's just as one example >>>

Back in December last year a former AFL footballer of not particularly high standing - Richmond's Kayne Petiffer - had a debut pro fight coming up. Pettifer was to fight a 44 year old Thai with a 1 win from 8 fights record, and received 3/4 of a page, including a large picture, in the daily newspaper. There was no mention whatsoever of Blake Caparello who headed the card Pettifer was appearing on, and was to fight Maximilliano Jorge Gomez for the WBO Asia Pacific title.

Caperello won that fight and the title. Pettifer hasn't fought or been heard of since.