BoxRec

For boxing in the UK to become a big sport ???

Deep down i do think that boxing is a sport that most of the population like (more so the male population), but people dont really take attention until the big fights come along.

Is it becuase of lack of tv coverage or that big fights dont happen that often which involve a british fighter or fighters, becuase when the big fights do come along i seem to find that people do get interested i.e. Hatton - Tszyu, Williams - Harrision, Calzaghe - Lacy and even Ruiz - Valuev (i think this was cos we had a 7ft dude fightin for the HW championship, sorry to slip this in cos they aint British but i found this one brought quite alot of attention to the general non boxing fan)

Proper advertising.

One world title and a British man holding it.

A more definitive scoring and ranking system to rule out all corruption.

No promoters, everything organised by the one commision like in football you have FIFA at the world level, UEFA at european and FA at national.

A set paid structure organised by said organisation above. Instead of earning big money because of negotiating skills you will earn money depending on who you've beaten and what level you are at, to earn money you will have to fight the best. No more one sided bouts for ridiculous pay outs and guys avoiding other guys.

There are many other things that could be done as well but that's what I can think of off the top of my head.

I think ITV and early BBC viewing figures suggest - not alot.

Proper advertising, meaningful fights - good timeslots and the big US fights on terrestial TV (Live AND delayed) and we'd be back.

The viewing public is STILL there, that is not just me guessing, it is evident with the figures.

Terence wrote:It needs to be more mainstream and that would, partially, involve people like Steve Bunce making documentaries called: "Boxing-A filthy business." or other crap of that sort. Some boxing writers wallow in the cliche of boxing as a "dirty game", "corrupt" and keep going on about "another black eye for boxing" or "the sport is on its death bed" and make positive programmes about the sport and then put them in the mainstream like the BBC did last year. People say boxing is corrupt but how many boxers are caught top and tailing 16 year old girls? Football is a filthy sport but gets away with it because the people who write/broadcast it are in the rose-tinted Ron Manager mould. All we get is a doc about how Hopkins was a criminal with Steve Bunce, who is Ok at times, walking down a street in Philly like he's got a broom stuck his jacksie in a bid to look hard muttering about this dirty old game.

Sadly there is a tendency amongst those who write/talk about boxing to adopt the vernacular of a jive talking pimp in order to look authentic. That bloke from ITV Gabrielle Clarke got it right when said boxers are friendly and far more approachable than footballers and the sport should thrive on that openness.

It's people like Bunce that have ruined the image of the sport here imo... when what little airplay boxing gets is put in the hands of the likes of Bunce what chance is there that Boxing will ever be a mayjor sport in this country again... none!... look at the mess that the BBC made with their recent foray back into boxing... nuff said!

I think we need genuine world title fights on mainstream TV, ideally in a viwer friendly time spot where possible. It will be very interesting what Calzaghe gets for his next defence, even without a big name opponent I can see him doing 10 million if it's on at 10.00pm.

I'd love to see Calzaghe fight at the Millenium Stadium, the pitch can be removed easily as it's on palettes, and they could set up stands inside the main ring and get 40,000 in there.

Of course, I don't know for sure how many would turn up to watch Joe fight at home, but he's got to have made quite a profile in wales after battering Lacy like that.

Putting boxing back on TV channels that most people can access for free is part of the solution. But I doubt that boxing will ever get back to the levels of public interest it enjoyed up the the late 80s. The public have either been turned off boxing, or turned themselves off the sport because...

1: Successive governments have discouraged and even banned it from schools, so there is no real ground-level recruiting of kids to the sport

2: The social structure of the country is such that it's a sport that is no longer seen by people as a "way to a better life". You almost have to have some interest (maybe via a family connection) to get into the sport in a serious way in the first place.

3: The other traditional recruitment vehicle of "Learn to defend yourself by taking up boxing" (or even "Get fit") is now addressed via a plethora of similar sports - kick boxing, karate, etc...and even unfortunately non-sporting activities like carrying a knife or a gun!

4: Above 1-3 relate in part to participating in boxing, even in a small way. As far as just following the sport goes...how many people in the high street have heard of james toney, lamon brewster... ? Just recently I saw a quiz show on TV where one of the contestants thought Ricky Hatton was a footballer! (OK, I know RH wanted to be a footballer...but I don't think this moron knew that!)
Lack of exposure on terrestrial TV is the main reason for lack of public interest.... but lack of an identifiable figure like Tyson or Ali is a major factor also. Combine the two factors, and the sport is going downhill

Just my view!

J

Unfortunately, I think, and this is just a gut reaction rather than being based on any emprical evidence, that Boxing is in a terminal condition in the UK

I think the societal conditions that made it popular as articulated excellently by john2345 have changed so that it is not just no longer attractive as an option, but most of the population find the notion of it repugnant even if such a view is based on little or no knowledge of the sport.

the countries where it is thriving seem to maintain the conditions which make it prosper

With it being negatively viewed by successive governments, there is no nourishment to the roots. And, with TV not offering san outlet, there is no one to see the blooms when they do come up.

Shame, as it is a sport I love, but I can't see a long term future

Slapsie

THINK MOST OF YOU ARE STATING THE OBVIOUS SYMPTOMS BUT NOT THE DISEASE HERE.

the general public has finally twigged in this era of easily available packages for other sports when the best are playing the best.

The single most important thing in boxing's demise is that lack of a centrally run all powerful body.

Like FIFA or the RFU.

One's that take the decision making progress away from the promoters fighters, familes etc etc etc.

One that turns the sport back to a sport and no longer a business, will never happen of course too many folk making money of others backs, and the includes the present Organisations.

Down to the fact that the best in the country rarely face off let alone the best in the world most people have got fed up with boxing, hence it is dying on its arse.


fornicate all to do with TV, simply that people have got wise and choose to watch other things rather than a bloke who should win against a bloke who has a tiny chance of winning as is the case with 90 % of bouts that are televised.
To be fair when there is a real 50 50 fight then the public interest rises.

Simple fact is, people have just had enough and got wise.

Terence wrote:Then again fight reports from the so-called Golden Age by Liebling decry the lack of decent undercards and the fact the sport is on the wane. This in the age of Robinson and the rest.

I think that boxing fans, myself included, are a bunch of moaning minnies, if it went big time we'd complain that there were too many "outsiders" jumping on the bandwagon.

Good point Terry: from AJ Liebling in 1955

"One thing about the Sweet Science upon which all initiates are in agreement is that it used to be better. The exact period at which it was better, however, varies in direct ratio with the age of the fellow telling about it; if he was a fighter, it always turns out to be time when he was fighting, and if a fight writer, the years before he began to get bored with what he was doing."

incidentally, for those who have yet to read his stuff, a fine,fine writer

Agreed. The Sweet Science is in my top three Boxing books

The other two are

The Fight by Norman Mailer
Shadow Box by George Plimpton

Slapsie

I think the horrible truth is that boxing would have to change into something the majority of people on this forum would consider a demise.
Big names, big characters, Enduring characters with long unbeaten records, big KOs. (That's what Warren is all about isn't it?)

"Competitive", "high quality", "evenly matched" doesn't even come into the equation.

Basically, think German Boxing.

We don't want that, so we are the ones "holding boxing back".