Is UK boxing as popular now than at any time for 20 years??

[Redback Rasta]

So says Gareth A Davies of The Telegraph >>>

Golden age for Britain as fighters take on the world

Backed by a glut of TV money and successful boxers home and abroad, UK boxing is as popular now than at any time for 20 years, reports Gareth A Davies.

British boxing is enjoying a 'golden age'. There are more British world champions than at any point in history, more television channels are showing boxing, more fans are attending fights and more boxers are joining the professional ranks.

Robert Smith, the secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, claims that the fight game in the UK is in the middle of a "renaissance" with the sport more active than at any point during his 20 years with the governing body. And he has a point.

As boxing begins its new 'season', there are now seven British world champions and three interim world title holders. The naysayers will point to the proliferation of world titles, with four world sanctioning bodies and 17 weight divisions, but promoters such as Eddie Hearn and allegedly are quick to dismiss the idea that titles have been devalued.

"There's been four governing bodies in operation since the Nineties," Warren said. "That's 20-odd years now." Not since 2007 has Britain had a comparable number of boxers holding world titles. Then, there were six: the cruiserweights David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli, the light-heavyweight Clinton Woods, super-middleweight Joe Calzaghe, the welterweight Junior Witter and the light-welterweight Gavin Rees.

continued >>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... world.html

[freddydoesdallas]

I think the comparison to a few years back is a bit misleading. Haye, Calzaghe & Hatton were the no1 in their divisions. We've a glut of champions now but none who recognised as no1.

I have more people talking to me about boxing though and a lot of this is down to the 2012 Olympians like Campbell & Ogogo appearing on primetime tv dancing and diving and the hype surrounding Joshua. All good in my book

[handsofstone]

Good read that,boxing is definetly getting more popular in the mainstream,i see it myself,i dont have mates who follow boxing as much as me but more and more these days i have people coming up to me talking about boxers,i think its to do with Eddie putting on big shows and Sky letting them promote the average fights big and and the big fights massive,Joshua's been promoted excellently

Also regarding the article,it cant be saying theres 4 world champs then tell us that Quigg and McDonnell are champs

[tobyh5]

More champions? Oh fck off you prick. More belts. Interim, super, regular. What a load of embarrassing bollox.

As said, who is considered the best in their division? How many would sell more than a thousand odd tickets stateside?

[gazza8]

Bruno, Benn, Eubank,Hamed, Lewis, Calzaghe, Hatton...all household names with massive cross over following and mainstream popularity

Degale, Brook, Flanagan, Selby, Frampton, Mcdonnell...outwith us fans and hometowns there relative unknows

[stujones]

So says Gareth A Davies of The Telegraph >>>

Golden age for Britain as fighters take on the world

Backed by a glut of TV money and successful boxers home and abroad, UK boxing is as popular now than at any time for 20 years, reports Gareth A Davies.

British boxing is enjoying a 'golden age'. There are more British world champions than at any point in history, more television channels are showing boxing, more fans are attending fights and more boxers are joining the professional ranks.

Robert Smith, the secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, claims that the fight game in the UK is in the middle of a "renaissance" with the sport more active than at any point during his 20 years with the governing body. And he has a point.

As boxing begins its new 'season', there are now seven British world champions and three interim world title holders. The naysayers will point to the proliferation of world titles, with four world sanctioning bodies and 17 weight divisions, but promoters such as Eddie Hearn and allegedly are quick to dismiss the idea that titles have been devalued.

"There's been four governing bodies in operation since the Nineties," Warren said. "That's 20-odd years now." Not since 2007 has Britain had a comparable number of boxers holding world titles. Then, there were six: the cruiserweights David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli, the light-heavyweight Clinton Woods, super-middleweight Joe Calzaghe, the welterweight Junior Witter and the light-welterweight Gavin Rees.

continued >>> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... world.html

We had a shit load of champions around 1997 time..... I think that was a record, I think when Barry Jones won his WBO title we had 7 or 8 champions.... then off course Reid lost his title vs Malinga a few hours later.

[expe]

More champions? Oh fck off you prick. More belts. Interim, super, regular. What a load of embarrassing bollox.

As said, who is considered the best in their division? How many would sell more than a thousand odd tickets stateside?

Why is that of any importance?

[Loftgroov]

Bruno, Benn, Eubank,Hamed, Lewis, Calzaghe, Hatton...all household names with massive cross over following and mainstream popularity

Degale, Brook, Flanagan, Selby, Frampton, Mcdonnell...outwith us fans and hometowns there relative unknows

Completely agree. NONE of my family or mates outside the circle that follow boxing would have heard of any in the second line.

The days of e.g. Eubank and Benn on ITV would capture a much wider popular audience.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Utter fallacy.

Boxing is NOWHERE near as popular as it was in the 90's-00's. PPV and other factors killed it as a mainstream sport.

Good to see that Mickey Helliet will have boxing on London Live soon - I know it's not a big channel, but it is free at least.

[orbtastic]

Yet paradoxically Hatton spent the vast majority of his career on SKY.

[tobyh5]

More champions? Oh fck off you prick. More belts. Interim, super, regular. What a load of embarrassing bollox.

As said, who is considered the best in their division? How many would sell more than a thousand odd tickets stateside?

Why is that of any importance?

Why is it important who would sell tickets stateside? I dunno, maybe because the title of the thread is asking if the sport is as popular as at any time for 20 years and whether fighters could take fans abroad, as many have - Naz, Hatton, Lewis, Calzaghe for starts - is a good comparision.

[mickey1975]

Froch would have done in the end and AJ will if he gets a big Vegas shot in a few years. It's a lads holiday more than anything. Lewis sold none when he fought in Hull, Hatton about 200 in Doncaster. Let's see how they go.

[rm1]

It is certainly more popular than it was five years ago the reasons being the number of good fighters and some tv exposure. BUT without mainstream TV or free internet coverage it will never be as popular as it was.

[mickey1975]

It is certainly more popular than it was five years ago the reasons being the number of good fighters and some tv exposure. BUT without mainstream TV or free internet coverage it will never be as popular as it was.

This is a myth. People knew more, because it was on and there was very little else to watch. It didn't translate into ticket sales. I'll watch Snooker or Darts, but wouldn't go or buy a magazine. Benn-Eubank 2 live audience has been blown away 3 times since then and they're the example usually used. Bruno-McCall had not many more there than Haye-Chisora!

[rm1]

going to shows and the popularity of boxing are not the same thing. The problem is without widespread exposure the sport slowly withers whether in terms of show attendances or people coming into the sport.