BoxRec

Simple statement "Boxing is a business".

Agree or disagree and why?

Or is Boxing a sport and those who take part should always think about the fans spending their hard earned money?

I await the comment "the sport is always about the fans because without them there would be no sport" - my immediate response to that statement is "should boxers be sacrificial lambs to the fans and always succumb to their wishes?"

It depends from whose perspective, from the fans and boxers its a sport but from the promoters and managers its a business

digzee wrote:It depends from whose perspective, from the fans and boxers its a sport but from the promoters and managers its a business

Good simple answer.

So how, if, what you say is correct is a boxer going to pay his bills?

Do you or others agree or disagree with this statement "I am going to make as much money as I can for me and my family and then get the f*ck out of it with my health still intact"??

Sport in general is a business and I say this all the time but if you ever get to the stage where you can make a living from what is essentially a hobby then you have done very well for yourself because the overwhelming majority of sportsmen don't, infact in some sports the competitors have to work overtime in a proper job to fund their hobby as well as put food on the table and a roof over their head.

So yeah when a boxer hits the top and decides he's going to take the opportunity to make as much money as he can while he can then fair play to him as it may be the only chance he ever gets. Fans also have the choice if they want to part with their cash, nobody is forcing you to pay to watch boxing, if you don't like the match up don't pay for it. How many people on this very forum moaned about Amir Khan being on PPV against Prescott and Fagan but still paid for it? If you moaned about it and still bought it you're the mug.

banjo wrote:Sport in general is a business and I say this all the time but if you ever get to the stage where you can make a living from what is essentially a hobby then you have done very well for yourself because the overwhelming majority of sportsmen don't, infact in some sports the competitors have to work overtime in a proper job to fund their hobby as well as put food on the table and a roof over their head.

So yeah when a boxer hits the top and decides he's going to take the opportunity to make as much money as he can while he can then fair play to him as it may be the only chance he ever gets. Fans also have the choice if they want to part with their cash, nobody is forcing you to pay to watch boxing, if you don't like the match up don't pay for it. How many people on this very forum moaned about Amir Khan being on PPV against Prescott and Fagan but still paid for it? If you moaned about it and still bought it you're the mug.

I agree with a lot of what you state in your post.

Boxing is business, the entertainment business. That is why Naz should be in the HOF!

black panther wrote:http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20721

Black Panther - I truly apologise for not remembering this thread was discussed 9 years ago - I cannot believe I have gone deliberatly out of my way to ruin your thread all them years back!!!

I think whilst all sports now are big business I think boxing has its origins in money much more so than many other sports.

Whilst the monetisation of sport has brought untold wealth to football in the US, sports such as: American football Baseball and Basketball, this was not always the case.

Remember that boxing is prizefighting and as such was always done for a purse and was rarely done just for the enjoyment of it like other sports. As such money in boxing or at least at the top end was always big business and I would argue until the 80's was probably one of the highest paying sports.

Joe Louis was earining million of dollars whilst a similar sporting icon such as Babe Ruth was only earning a few hundred thousand.

Boxing is both a sport and business (like all other sports). The problem with boxing is that the business is so fragmented that it has become detrimental to the sport as a whole.

As long as there are "Governing Bodies" and their judges manipulating outcomes of fights, and pushing fighters up the rankings before better deserving others, this will always be a business.

So another question for you all :

If you have a fighter who is talented who says "I'm here for the money, I am going to make as much as soon as possible and then get the f*ck out" do you blame him?

Dead Mouse wrote:

Spud wrote:So another question for you all :

If you have a fighter who is talented who says "I'm here for the money, I am going to make as much as soon as possible and then get the f*ck out" do you blame him?

I can see where this one's heading. Spud's getting his subversiveness on, as the Yanks say.

Whilst my former boss is an example, its not the reason for asking!!

before I got in the game I would disagree 100% but after 7 years in the sport if you don't treat it as business you will get your aarse felt

Spud wrote:So another question for you all :

If you have a fighter who is talented who says "I'm here for the money, I am going to make as much as soon as possible and then get the f*ck out" do you blame him?

I wouldn't blame him at all, I'd admire the honesty to be honest. As a fighter he'd be choosing the money over his legacy as a competitor (providing of course the money path meant avoiding anyone remotely dangerous). As long as when they retired rich and happy they wouldn't also expect to be considered a great then yeah, fair play to them

curtis wood wrote:before I got in the game I would disagree 100% but after 7 years in the sport if you don't treat it as business you will get your aarse felt

At last a fighters point of view.

So my next question is - if you think you are going to get your arse felt as you put it, if you are treating it as a business, do you or your lawyer look at the accounts after the show - reason I ask this is because - if a promoter states "Sorry I can only pay you x instead of y because I am running at a loss already for this show"

not sure about others but I have a contract and get paid what it says in my contract regardless

Spud wrote:So another question for you all :

If you have a fighter who is talented who says "I'm here for the money, I am going to make as much as soon as possible and then get the f*ck out" do you blame him?

i don't blame anyone for taking that approach.

but it is sad to see. it clearly shows he has little passion for the sport and derives little pleasure from competing

I'd love to do what these guys at the top level do, heck i would have quite liked to have boxed at any level professionally

so to see people with no desire to compete and get very little joy out of fighting in front of thousands of fans, winning titles and being at the top of what is a great sport, it saddens me a little.

but i certainly don't blame them, it's a hard world, it's a tough way to earn your bucks and its a sport that leaves a lot of people hurt for very little return, so if thats what these guys want to do to earn a living for their family, so be it

Spud wrote:So another question for you all :

If you have a fighter who is talented who says "I'm here for the money, I am going to make as much as soon as possible and then get the f*ck out" do you blame him?

Depends if they are bullies who sit in their back yard, fighting guys that are smaller, lighter and have no chance of winning - to fool the public and pick up pay cheques.

If the promoter is in cahoots with that approach, they can both forget my support or respect.

That's what I most respect about Froch. He seems to be more interested in who he fights and beating the big names and building a legacy *bar Groves possibly but then he despises him I think* than making a shit load of money. If all boxers were like that, we as fans would enjoy it a lot more I think.

You need to assess Carl's career overall mate.
Carl was well managed and matched before he hit the big time.
All boxers are .......
To say money isn't a factor is stupid.
Answer me this - why did Carl leave Mick ?

Parson Cross wrote:You need to assess Carl's career overall mate.
Carl was well managed and matched before he hit the big time.
All boxers are .......
To say money isn't a factor is stupid.
Answer me this - why did Carl leave Mick ?

I didnt say money didnt play a big part. Im just saying that he seemed more interested in challenging himself by taking on the best.

the simply truth is to fans it's a sport and to the managers ,promoters and some boxers it's business . take say peter buckley he probably earn't more than jim mcdonell during there careers simply because he would fight every other week ,now to some that's good business to others it's getting beat every week . and what about auderly harrison are we saying he's a acute business man because he got a lot of money well i guess he is do i respect that business mind hell no he was a complete fraud by the end .

Parson Cross wrote:Answer me this - why did Carl leave Mick ?

I was going to answer this because I have heard about 4 different versions!! - but then I thought you already know

Parson Cross wrote:You need to assess Carl's career overall mate.
Carl was well managed and matched before he hit the big time.
All boxers are .......
To say money isn't a factor is stupid.
Answer me this - why did Carl leave Mick ?

According to Froch on the BBC, Mick did nothing for him anyway he promoted himself anyway.

Carl had terrestial TV, big viewing audiences under Mick. Carl had two world title wins under mick.... I know not officially, officially but Carl had Andre Ward under Mick.