Whatever happened to Heavy Weight Boxing?

[Bully13]

it used to be one of the biggest things in sports when I was a kid. Ali was my favorite. I was the only Ali fan as a kid amongst my friends in the 5th grade while everyone else were Foreman or anti Ali fans. (I still like Foreman too to this day btw).

I'm sure my Dad's anti Vietman war and pro Ali comments amongst his crew cut buddies who couldn't stand Ali and his "draft dodging anti American" comments played a part in my admoration of Ali.

Why did the sporting world allow this money making adventure go to waste? I can remember a time when EVERYBODY knew who the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World was. And when his next challenge would be and who that challenger would be . Can anybody tell me who that is now?

those t.v. interviews with Ali punching the gorilla doll (like it was Frazier) saying how ugly Frazier was and how he was "going to beat the gorilla in Manilla" was boxing promotion at it's finest.

The whole world was watching. It's amazing how without the internet or cable t.v., Ali became the biggest sports figure in world history.

Since Mike Tyson, heavy weight boxing has gone to shit. the promoters have missed the boat. I think they could revive it if they had a 17ing clue.

and yes, I still chop onions after watching the end of Rocky II for the 27th time.

[Reason2succeed]

Boxing is DEAD. The promoters killed it. We are STILL waiting for Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pachiaou. UFC came and cleaned up the scraps.

[Bully13]

Boxing is DEAD. The promoters killed it. We are STILL waiting for Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pachiaou. UFC came and cleaned up the scraps.

I would bet the farm that UFC will NEVER replace the excitement Ali produced when he was fighting the likes of Foreman, Frazier and Norton. Even with today's cable and internet, UFC will ALWAYS be nothing but a sweat droplet off of Ali's nut sack.

[Dawg61]

I miss great Heavy Weight title fights. I watched a bunch of Tyson, Holyfield and Lennox Lewis fights. Tyson was fantastic entertainment. I think if boxing wants to fix itself it will do away with the fighters promoting themselves or having hired promoters for them and it should move more to an organized team style. Have 4 teams or organizations that have 4-5 fighters each and they face off verse each other. All the fighters get paired up vs the other organizations fighters in one night. 5 fights and the winning organization gets a higher purse and belt or trophy or something. Just a thought.

[BeardoMSU]

Boxing is DEAD. The promoters killed it. We are STILL waiting for Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pachiaou. UFC came and cleaned up the scraps.

Yeah, gotta agree, unfortunately. For example, Don King completely ruined Tyson's career. The dude was the most dominant force I'd ever seen in boxing. BUT, people were getting irritated for pay so much for main event tickets, just to watch someone get KO'd in the first round, so King talked Mike into changing up his style to extend the matches.

I know it's super popular, but I really can't stand MMA; I see it as modern a day gladiatorial fight. That's just me though.

[Dawg61]

Prison ruined Tyson's career followed closely by Don King

[Bully13]

witness the greatness of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lvkeUjEMlA

[Reason2succeed]

I would bet the farm that UFC will NEVER replace the excitement Ali produced when he was fighting the likes of Foreman, Frazier and Norton. Even with today's cable and internet, UFC will ALWAYS be nothing but a sweat droplet off of Ali's nut sack.

I agree. We all have more than five channels on our televisions and there's much more going on in the world today. Plus, Ali transcended sports. He was a cultural phenom and a media lightning rod. However, MMA has ALREADY replaced boxing on the international stage.

[Bully13]

I agree. We all have more than five channels on our televisions and there's much more going on in the world today. Plus, Ali transcended sports. He was a cultural phenom and a media lightning rod. However, MMA has ALREADY replaced boxing on the international stage.

Good post. sad to me but true.

[dawgs]

When the greatest of all time is a shaking shell of a person due to all the blows he took to the head, it's not exactly the kinda ringing endorsement for future growth you're looking for. I think that as much as anything killed boxing.

Also, the rise of other pro sports, particularly nfl and nba, became just as or more lucrative as boxing unless you were the best boxer in the world. Suddenly though, athletes had options to make millions that didn't involve getting punched in the face over and over.

[Offshore Dawg]

It is all about the MONEY, nothing more nothing less.

[solodawg]

It is all about the MONEY, nothing more nothing less.

Use to be a huge boxing fan since the Duran/Leonard days. Now I couldn't care less for it. I now watch UFC but I think eventually they will end up the same way..At one time you could view good title fights for 19.95. When they jumped their PPV to 50.00 twelve or so years ago, I quit watching and wouldn't even watch it now if it was free..

[Bo Darville]

Since Bully13 brought up Vietnam, I will say that Ali was a coward and a traitor. My wife's grandfather kicked ass in WWII and he would could have whipped Ali's ***** ass any day he wanted to. He was a man's man.

[War Machine Dawg]

Pretty simple, really. The elite heavy weight type athletes are playing other sports now. Football, baseball, and basketball are getting all the top end talent that used to go to boxing. And soccer isn't far behind. Plus, the head trauma from boxing has been well documented. Kids just don't grow up wanting to box anymore. It is what it is.

[hacker]

Mike Tyson bit off an ear and it was all downhill from there.

[starkvegasdawg]

Since Bully13 brought up Vietnam, I will say that Ali was a coward and a traitor. My wife's grandfather kicked ass in WWII and he would could have whipped Ali's ***** ass any day he wanted to. He was a man's man.

That was a different breed that fought that war. Used to have a neighbor that was a marine on Iwa Jima. Said if we knew half of what he had to do we wouldn't want him as a neighbor. Only thing he ever said was having to move dead bodies just to have some room to sleep at night. I can't imagine the hell that place was.

[Political Hack]

UFC chews fighters up too quickly IMO. You can't have a 5-10 year reign in the octagon. it's impossible. everyone loses a real fight eventually. Boxers could maintain a win streak with the long breaks between fights and the lack of submission holds, use of legs, going to the ground, etc...

[FISHDAWG]

Yeah, gotta agree, unfortunately. For example, Don King completely ruined Tyson's career. The dude was the most dominant force I'd ever seen in boxing. BUT, people were getting irritated for pay so much for main event tickets, just to watch someone get KO'd in the first round, so King talked Mike into changing up his style to extend the matches.

I know it's super popular, but I really can't stand MMA; I see it as modern a day gladiatorial fight. That's just me though.

I think Don King ruined the entire sport ... when it became obvious that fights were orchestrated for maximum revenue potential ( loss and rematch = more $ than a single match) ...I gave it up . To me, it had become as bad as wrestling

[Political Hack]

I think Don King ruined the entire sport ... when it became obvious that fights were orchestrated for maximum revenue potential ( loss and rematch = more $ than a single match) ...I gave it up . To me, it had become as bad as wrestling

I've wondered if the popularity of wrestling forced boxing's hand a little. It ruined the sport for sure. My son wants to box, but I don't really see any benefit of letting him do it.

[Dawg61]

I don't buy that boxing is the cause of Ali's Parkinsons. Sad to see him physically now but he still seems to have that wonderful personality.

[Bothrops]

UFC replaced boxing in the US. Boxing has gained popularity in eastern Europe and Russia over the last 15 years. Lennox Lewis' former trainer, Emanuel Steward, was the long time trainer of Vladimir Klitschko, who owns all the current belts. No one was able to beat Klitschko under Steward, and I don't think anyone will beat him now. The Ukrainian and Russian fighters are bigger and stronger than any of the world's heavyweights, and while Klitschko isn't popular in the US, I think he could've beaten any heavyweight in history, including Lewis in his prime.

[Bully13]

Since Bully13 brought up Vietnam, I will say that Ali was a coward and a traitor. My wife's grandfather kicked ass in WWII and he would could have whipped Ali's ***** ass any day he wanted to. He was a man's man.

good post Bo. can't really disagree with your post. Personally, I've got issues with the way vietnam war was conducted but I have nothing but respect for those who indured that hell hole conflict. I didn't really like Ali's comments about white people and such and his overall view of the war is something I don't totally buy into. the thing I admired about him was his confidence in the ring, the way he taunted his opponents and his fighting style. the knock out of Foreman and that overall fight was one of the greatest sporting events of all time in my opinion. At the time, I was too young for politics, I was just into sports and those memories will always be part of my sports childhood. coming to school the next day and rubbing it in the faces of my friends will always be etched in my memory.

[jbjones]

Mike Tyson bit off an ear and it was all downhill from there.

I sat a few rows behind Evander on a flight from ATL to Austin in '08. Yep, that hunk is still missing out of his ear. Evander is a cool dude, too. He'll stop and chat with anyone.

I followed Tommy "The Duke" Morrison very closely as a youngster. It's a shame he was caught up in the whirlwind and fell so quickly. I'll never forget that fight with Mercer, his first loss. I was all torn up about it. My, how times have changed.

http://zerowoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/morrison_1800797a12.jpg

[Bothrops]

I sat a few rows behind Evander on a flight from ATL to Austin in '08. Yep, that hunk is still missing out of his ear. Evander is a cool dude, too. He'll stop and chat with anyone.

I followed Tommy "The Duke" Morrison very closely as a youngster. It's a shame he was caught up in the whirlwind and fell so quickly. I'll never forget that fight with Mercer, his first loss. I was all torn up about it. My, how times have changed.

http://zerowoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/morrison_1800797a12.jpg

Tommy "The Duke" Morrison. I also followed him closely, and saw him fight Tui Toia on the coast in '93 I think. I never liked his style but loved his left hook. It was horrible the way his life ended.

[FISHDAWG]

Mike Tyson bit off an ear and it was all downhill from there.

that was the first and last time I ever purchased a fight ... not because of the bite, but because of the incredibly poor product I ended up paying 50 bucks for ... I swear that with so many fighters using the same promoter you just don't know what's real and what's scripted

ETA- I saw Too-Tall Jones fight a Mexican half his size in Jackson, the small Mexican thumped Too-Tall for almost all of the rounds, but Too-Tall was given the decision and I guess because it was so obvious that he wasn't a fighter he ended back up playinf DE for the Cowboys

[Bully13]

If anybody had any 17ing sense, they would promote one of those ruskys or urkaines and let him battle it out with one of our heavyweights here in the U.S.

Promote the shit right and it would be a big time winner. God I miss it.

[Bothrops]

If anybody had any 17ing sense, they would promote one of those ruskys or urkaines and let him battle it out with one of our heavyweights here in the U.S.

Promote the shit right and it would be a big time winner. God I miss it.

I'm all for it, but Klitschko has destroyed all of the top contenders in the US that he has faced. The US isn't producing many boxers anymore partially because of unpopularity due to the MMA stuff. I really wish the MMA trend would die out, and we could return to heavyweight and cruiserweight boxing. I hate the grappling crap of UFC, let the Brazilians have it.