The Problem with Boxing in a nutshell

[gilgamesh]

Here's the current Top 10 P4P on Boxrec

1. Naoya Inoue (Has fought once this year in May, nothing else scheduled as of this moment)
2. Oleksandr Usyk (Fought once in May. Will not be fighting again this year. Nothing scheduled)
3. David Benavidez (Fought once this year in May. Nothing scheduled as of this moment)
4. Jesse Rodriguez (Fought once this year in June. Nothing else scheduled)
5. Shakur Stevenson (Fought once this year in January. Nothing else scheduled, not even any Rumors of what's next)
6. Dmitry Bivol (Fought once this year against a mediocre opponent. Nothing else scheduled)
7. Jaron Ennis (Fought once this year in June. Likely will not fight again before Year's end)
8. Junto Nakatani (Fought Inoue in May. You'll never guess whether or not he's got his next fight scheduled)
9. Devin Haney (Hasn't fought this Year at all. Nothing on the Horizon)
10. Jai Opetaia (The only person on the list who has fought twice this year. Both of his opponents were Fringe Contenders)

[Evander]

Bam has a route, leads to Japan in 27 against the Number 1 boxer on your list

[gilgamesh]

Even if that is true. Why is it in 2027? Why isn't it this month or next month?

Why is everyone just pissing away their prime years with inactivity? Why aren't promoters trying to keep these guys more active and make more off of their talent?

It doesn't make sense.

[Evander]

Even if that is true. Why is it in 2027? Why isn't it this month or next month?

Why is everyone just pissing away their prime years with inactivity? Why aren't promoters trying to keep these guys more active and make more off of their talent?

It doesn't make sense.

Look hippy
It makes sense to the rest of us because theres a bigger picture to look at

[Ruthless-RKO]

Bivol will be defending against Callum Smith.

December.

[gilgamesh]

Bivol will be defending against Callum Smith.

December.

That's a decent match

Just decent though. Not great.

[joshj909]

I don't mind Inoue and Bam for example. Both have been clearing out opponents and there's a schedule set for them to face off. It could be rushed but they've earned a break based on what they've done with a clear line to a big fight set up in front of them. Usyk was basically in a similar position for a while but is now on a retirement tour so probably doesn't need to be included.

Benavidez has a unification lined up after a big fight earlier this year. Last on his contract so could lead to a big fight with Opetaia after that.

Boots will likely fight Kelly before the end of the year. His career deserves more activity and better opponents though.

I think overall, Boots, Shakur, Haney, Bivol and Opetaia should be criticised for their output when you factor in quality of opponents and how often they've been fighting.

[Eolaithe]

The following boxing events were promoted by Don King and all took place during 1994 – all four fight cards featured Julio César Chávez:

29th January, 1994: Super Grand Slam of Boxing

• Julio César Chávez vs Frankie Randall I
• Félix Trinidad vs Héctor Camacho
• Simon Brown vs Troy Waters
• Thomas Hearns vs Dan Ward
• Donovan “Razor” Ruddock vs Anthony Wade
• Meldrick Taylor vs Craig Houk
• Giovanni Parisi vs Mike Bryan
• Tim Austin vs German Ruiz

7th May, 1994: Revenge: The Rematches

• Julio César Chávez vs Frankie Randall II
• Gerald McClellan vs Julian Jackson II
• Terry Norris vs Simon Brown II
• Azumah Nelson vs Jesse James Leija II
• Ricardo López vs Kermin Guardia
• Meldrick Taylor also fought on the undercard

17th September, 1994: Unfinished Business

• Julio César Chávez vs Meldrick Taylor II
• Félix Trinidad vs Yori Boy Campas
• Jesse James Leija vs Gabriel Ruelas
• Juan Martín Coggi vs Frankie Randall
• Gianfranco Rosi vs Vincent Pettway
• Ricardo López vs Surachai Saengmorakot

10th December, 1994: Night of Champions

• Julio César Chávez vs Tony Lopez
• Félix Trinidad vs Oba Carr
• Jorge Castro vs John David Jackson
• Frankie Randall vs Rodney Moore
• Ricardo López vs Yamil Caraballo

In 1994 alone, King reportedly promoted 47 world-championship fights. He staged five world-title fights on the same card on four occasions, and six world-title fights on one card twice.

Has there been any boxing events staged within the last decade that are comparable to those four boxing events?

[ldlamb]

I understand why it’s changed…some of it because it had to and some of it because it’s better for the health of the boxers……but yeah….for the fan experience….boxing is just exponentially worse than my youth in the 80s.

That era made me a fan for life….I have no idea how a 6 to 16 year old becomes a fan today.

[MPW]

I understand why it’s changed…some of it because it had to and some of it because it’s better for the health of the boxers……but yeah….for the fan experience….boxing is just exponentially worse than my youth in the 80s.

That era made me a fan for life….I have no idea how a 6 to 16 year old becomes a fan today.

I agree with your assessment.

At best, they now become casual, some time fans during the big boxing spectacles. At worse, they become fans of some social media "celebrity," who equates online popularity with boxing talent and skill.

[golden_labrador]

I understand why it’s changed…some of it because it had to and some of it because it’s better for the health of the boxers……but yeah….for the fan experience….boxing is just exponentially worse than my youth in the 80s.

That era made me a fan for life….I have no idea how a 6 to 16 year old becomes a fan today.

boxing was on normal free terrestrial television in the UK when I was a kid so we'd be talking about Tyson-Bruno at primary school, then watching the Eubank-Benn original real rivalry. you'd have to have PPV or dedicated sports channels now

[ldlamb]

Yeah….it really was a golden time to get into boxing in a way it’s just impossible now.

I mean the absolute biggest fights might have been closed circuit and a 10 year old might not see them live,,,but a fight like Leonard/Hearns was all over the news for weeks leading up, so you would get invested in it….and the slightly lesser fights were all over free Tv.

A young me could go play basketball at the Boys Club on a Saturday afternoon….come home and plop on the couch and watch an absolute war between Bobby Chacon and Bazooka Limon at 4 in the afternoon while eating PB&J sandwiches……

What a glorious time to be alive

[SportsRatings]

Yeah….it really was a golden time to get into boxing in a way it’s just impossible now.

I mean the absolute biggest fights might have been closed circuit and a 10 year old might not see them live,,,but a fight like Leonard/Hearns was all over the news for weeks leading up, so you would get invested in it….and the slightly lesser fights were all over free Tv.

A young me could go play basketball at the Boys Club on a Saturday afternoon….come home and plop on the couch and watch an absolute war between Bobby Chacon and Bazooka Limon at 4 in the afternoon while eating PB&J sandwiches……

What a glorious time to be alive

Any time in the 20th century was a golden time to become a boxing fan, any decade.

No time in the 21st century has been a good time to become a boxing fan, really.

[gilgamesh]

Yeah….it really was a golden time to get into boxing in a way it’s just impossible now.

I mean the absolute biggest fights might have been closed circuit and a 10 year old might not see them live,,,but a fight like Leonard/Hearns was all over the news for weeks leading up, so you would get invested in it….and the slightly lesser fights were all over free Tv.

A young me could go play basketball at the Boys Club on a Saturday afternoon….come home and plop on the couch and watch an absolute war between Bobby Chacon and Bazooka Limon at 4 in the afternoon while eating PB&J sandwiches……

What a glorious time to be alive

Any time in the 20th century was a golden time to become a boxing fan, any decade.

No time in the 21st century has been a good time to become a boxing fan, really.

2003 and 2005 were pretty great years for Boxing i thought, but it definitely seems the big fights just keep getting more and more scarce with the passage of time.

2000 and 2001 had a lot of big fights too, most of which i didn't see til after the fact but lots of good stuff those years too.

The Death of HBO and Showtime Boxing broadcasts seems to have been a pretty major blow to the sport.

[londonwar]

The fans get exactly what they deserve

[Evander]

Yeah….it really was a golden time to get into boxing in a way it’s just impossible now.

I mean the absolute biggest fights might have been closed circuit and a 10 year old might not see them live,,,but a fight like Leonard/Hearns was all over the news for weeks leading up, so you would get invested in it….and the slightly lesser fights were all over free Tv.

A young me could go play basketball at the Boys Club on a Saturday afternoon….come home and plop on the couch and watch an absolute war between Bobby Chacon and Bazooka Limon at 4 in the afternoon while eating PB&J sandwiches……

What a glorious time to be alive

Any time in the 20th century was a golden time to become a boxing fan, any decade.

No time in the 21st century has been a good time to become a boxing fan, really.

2003 and 2005 were pretty great years for Boxing i thought, but it definitely seems the big fights just keep getting more and more scarce with the passage of time.

2000 and 2001 had a lot of big fights too, most of which i didn't see til after the fact but lots of good stuff those years too.

The Death of HBO and Showtime Boxing broadcasts seems to have been a pretty major blow to the sport.

It was but others came along.

[Evander]

7. Jaron Ennis (Fought once this year in June. Likely will not fight again before Year's end)

Why wouldn't he box again later this year ?

[Heldenjaeger]

Boxing is barely a sport in the competitive sense anymore. It's an entertainment business where promoters protect assets, sanctioning bodies hand out belts and the most popular fighters can make hundreds of thousands or millions from one fight. Sometimes even from circus fights with zero competitive credibility.
Once that kind of money is available, there's barely any incentive for fighters, promoters or managers to stay active and take credible risks. Why fight three dangerous opponents a year when you can fight once, protect the record, keep the belt and wait for the next big payday?

[gilgamesh]

7. Jaron Ennis (Fought once this year in June. Likely will not fight again before Year's end)

Why wouldn't he box again later this year ?

I don't know, but I won't hold my breath that he will. I hope I'm wrong though. The more these guys fight the better for everyone.

[Eolaithe]

Jaron Ennis usually fights about twice a year, which has been his pattern since 2019.

He’s expected to have his second fight of 2026 in late November or early December — a title‑unification bout with the IBF champion, Josh Kelly.

I strongly suspect that most fans see Kelly as an exceptionally vulnerable champion, considered very beatable by most of the top-ten world-rated fighters competing in the same weight class, making this an easy opportunity for Ennis to pick up another belt.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

The fighters dont fight as often and as a result its the only sport where actual skills are dimishing as time goes by

Better for long term health of the fighters

[gilgamesh]

The fighters dont fight as often and as a result its the only sport where actual skills are dimishing as time goes by

Better for long term health of the fighters

Even if you were only gonna fight a 35 or 40 fight career nowadays instead of a 50 or 60 fight career. Wouldn't it be better for health if you fought those 35 fights before you were 35?

I don't see how fighting 2 or 3 times in a year is detrimental to your health. If anything as you say it's going to sharpen your skills and mean you'll take less damage in your fights in all likelihood. Inactivity is a big, big problem for Athletes.

[gregregegg]

Inoue vs Nakatani was a legit p4p top 10 showdown. I’d love more activity but when 1 vs 2 I’ll always be happy. And being Japanese it’s highly likely they will fight December.

Usyk is basicaly retired and gave up his belts so just view him as retired and anything else is a bonus.

One of jais opponents was the WBC champ, bit harsh to refer to him as a fringe contender…

But overall I agree. Overall it’s terrible.

[Finkel]

Usyk is basicaly retired and gave up his belts so just view him as retired and anything else is a bonus.

He kept The Ring title. Didn't give that one up...

Boxing is barely a sport in the competitive sense anymore. It's an entertainment business where promoters protect assets, sanctioning bodies hand out belts and the most popular fighters can make hundreds of thousands or millions from one fight. Sometimes even from circus fights with zero competitive credibility.
Once that kind of money is available, there's barely any incentive for fighters, promoters or managers to stay active and take credible risks. Why fight three dangerous opponents a year when you can fight once, protect the record, keep the belt and wait for the next big payday?

Completely agree.

For me, the issue comes down to the guys handing out titles having no teeth (or at least are too scared to bite too hard)

For example,The Ring
They allow their champion a full two years to defend the title against a top 10 rated opponet before being stripped. Smh

Let's look at Usyk as a prime culprit of someone gaming the system. He beat Joshua for The Ring title back in 2022.

Usyk then fights Dubois, not Ring ranked. That's okay.
Usyk then fights Fury I, a ring ranked opponent. Great.
Usyk then fights Fury again, okay...but should that really count as a Ring ranked opponent?
Usyk then fights Dubois again, okay you are taking the piss a bit now. But that has reset the clock as Dubois was Ring Ranked.
Usyk then fights Rico, obviously not Ring Ranked
Usyk next plans to fight Wilder (in March?), again not Ring Ranked
Usyk will finally be stripped in July 2027.

So in summary Usyk will have held the Ring belt from end of August 2022 to end July 2027 and will have likely fought only 2 different The Ring ranked opponents in a 5 year window

WTF

[Perkin Warbeck]

The popularity of boxing would improve if boxers fought more often.

By now, Gassiev and Kabayel should have fights scheduled. All but a very few of the boxrec top 50 heavyweights have nothing scheduled.

https://boxrec.com/en/ratings?ratings_f ... _error%5D=

Boots Ennis is one of the most exciting boxers in the US, but he's only fought once this year and has no fight scheduled.

There's an abundance of talented boxers, but because most of them fight so infrequently, the sport is generating less and less interest from the casual fans.