Boxing

CalhoonJugganaut_sl said:

I probably just watch to much UFC but Pac controlled the ring for all 12 rounds and was active the whole time. So I'm just confused why he lost. The defensive boxing on Mayweather's part wasn't very obvious to me.

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Put it this way.

If the Cowboys have 45 minutes of time of possession, and come out with 2 field goals...and the Patriots score three touchdowns in their 15 minutes of time of possession, it will look like the Cowboys dominated.

Pichachu just couldn't land anything plain and simple. The couple times he did Jones stopped anything from being made of it.

Pacman gave up on that interview with Max Kellerman worse than he gave up on the fight.

Shit was embarrassing.

Cybsled_sl said:

This match is basically RIP for boxing. Huge hype, giant let down. Like someone on reddit posted, it was like the TI4 finals for DOTA2 ;p

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The only way this match "saves" the sport is if Pacpaca loses in a squeaker by decision. Then the rematch comes into play.

Pac wins in any way...Mayweathers streak is over. Who cares about next fight.

Mayweather wins big, like last night...who cares about next fight.

There are ZERO interesting boxers. Not sure the name of the the guy from Europe that fought the undercard, but he looked great. But lets be real he's from Europe and the wrong weight class, no one will care.

What boxing needs is an American super heavyweight with charisma. Boxing better make this guy soon, or they will be as irrelevant as lacrosse.

Brahma_sl said:

What boxing needs is an American super heavyweight with charisma. Boxing better make this guy soon, or they will be as irrelevant as lacrosse.

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It isn't already? I mean the feeling I got was the only reason this fight was huge was due to the stupid games they played for 5 years to get it done.

It's pretty obvious really, to appeal to the casual fan, boxing needs knockouts just like baseball needs home runs or football needs touchdowns. Most people don't want to watch a 6-3 football game or a 1-0 baseball game any more than they want to see a boxing match that ends in a decision.

Hardcore fans can find great entertainment in those types of results, but Hardcore fans are going to watch regardless. They aren't the people that are going to grow the sport, they are the baseline that are there through thick and thin regardless.

I think people just expect explosive punches and what not. When one dude is chasing another dude, it becomes boring as fuck.

I'm watching Tyson's KO's right now and god damn.

Brahma_sl said:

The only way this match "saves" the sport is if Pacpaca loses in a squeaker by decision. Then the rematch comes into play.

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I'm not so sure. Mayweather is very, very careful about his career and legacy. Sure, he loves money, but he's got a ton of that. If he barely won, he's still go on boasting how he won and is the greatest ever, and wouldn't dare risk a rematch to someone at this point he barely beat. He's not the kind of fighter out to prove anything that he doesn't think his [imo constructed] record doesn't prove.

I think the only way a rematch would happen is if Pacquiao barely won. Then, Mayweather would try to avenge the loss from a record standpoint against an opponent he knew wasn't that much better than him.

Of course, Mayweather is great at fighting people who won't really challenge him. In part, because he is great. But also because he designs it that way. He knows if he can retire at 50-0 it will mean something. Retiring with 60+ wins and 3-7 losses like a lot of great Hall of Fame fighters? Nah, that's just poor scheduling and bad management.

I don't think there was any real chance of Pacquiao winning, and neither did Mayweather, which is why we got this fight at all now, and didn't at any time in the past.

In short, great boxer, woman-beating piece of shit who ducks fights and is more concerned with money and the talking points of his legacy statistically than being respected as a gritty, ballsy fighter. It's not a right or wrong approach, just... different?

I think Pacquiao's post fight comments that he believes he won were mostly BS posturing for a rematch (and I'm almost certain there will be one, nobody else is going to generate the payday and low risk for Mayweather's last fight), but it does highlight a change I wish was made to both boxing and MMA - I wish they would display the judge's scorecards after every round. I'm sick of watching guys stick to a losing gameplan round after round with no sense of urgency. I think usually, the guy coming out on the losing side of a decision acting like he was robbed is just trying to save face, but for the fighters/corners that are truly operating outside reality, it would be good to show them where they actually stand and maybe force them to make a change.

This would never happen in a million years, but it's nice to dream.

Convo_sl said:

I had to stop reading this thread, it's filled with so much retard. I used to wonder why this thread didn't get more attention but now I'm glad it doesn't. Holy shit some of you guys don't know what the fuck you are talking about. Boxing isn't even remotely dead. Floyd just picked up a 9 figure check.. Not bad for a dead sport? Premier boxing has put on some really good free cards and there are some really interesting fights brewing starting at heavyweight with Wilder(your American heavyweight champ) and Klitchco. This has been an already awesome year for boxing.

So many great fights already made. Guys like Kovalev, GGG, Thurman and Canelo are going to keep things interesting from welterweight up. Canelo is about to have a great fight with Kirkland next weekend and if he and cotto both win they will fight each other. The lower weights have some rediculious fighters as well. Lomchenko fought on the undercard.. Walters is a fucking beast..go look up chocolatito. So much to look forward to from top to bottom. All the great fighters are starting to fight each other which is great for the sport. Plus whoever said Khan was too risky a fight for Floyd? Lol that sums up the lack of knowledge in this thread. Plus someone thought Larry merchant was doing the broadcast? That was Jim Lamply. Best boxing broadcaster ever

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I have to agree. UFC is good but Dana White can only dream of a UFC match pulling a purse that comes even close to a 'superfight' boxing match plus draws the attention that this one drew (from both casual fan and celebrity). But on the other hand, the sport doesn't have the big draw personalities that it's had in the past and that is half the reason why boxing was fun to watch back in the day, the fight itself is only part of it. I also don't see any rematch happening. If the fight was closer maybe but it really wasn't and with the way Floyd fights a rematch is just going to be a repeat of what you just saw.

Convo_sl said:

I had to stop reading this thread, it's filled with so much retard. I used to wonder why this thread didn't get more attention but now I'm glad it doesn't. Holy shit some of you guys don't know what the fuck you are talking about. Boxing isn't even remotely dead. Floyd just picked up a 9 figure check.. Not bad for a dead sport? Premier boxing has put on some really good free cards and there are some really interesting fights brewing starting at heavyweight with Wilder(your American heavyweight champ) and Klitchco. This has been an already awesome year for boxing.

So many great fights already made. Guys like Kovalev, GGG, Thurman and Canelo are going to keep things interesting from welterweight up. Canelo is about to have a great fight with Kirkland next weekend and if he and cotto both win they will fight each other. The lower weights have some rediculious fighters as well. Lomchenko fought on the undercard.. Walters is a fucking beast..go look up chocolatito. So much to look forward to from top to bottom. All the great fighters are starting to fight each other which is great for the sport. Plus whoever said Khan was too risky a fight for Floyd? Lol that sums up the lack of knowledge in this thread. Plus someone thought Larry merchant was doing the broadcast? That was Jim Lamply. Best boxing broadcaster ever

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Boxing is nothing compared to what it was. Yesterday was an event that everyone watned to be a part of. It isn't a measure of the overall popularity of boxing.

Convo_sl said:

that doesn't mean it's dying... Most of the recent events have showed increased viewing of over 1million views. Boxing suffered after the great heavyweights left but it's certainly on an upward trajectory.

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Dude...It's stagnant. Nowhere near an upward trajectory. No big names. No big fights. If your a purist then boxing is in ok shape at best. Because you would know how good Mayweather is. A person like me who knows what he is looking for in these types of fights was still bored shitless. My buds who are in it for the spectacle were wondering WTF was going on, and it sucks compared to MMA was all I heard.

I've been watching boxing since the Larry Holmes era, and it is no where near where it should be. Between the lack of charismatic fighters, good heavyweights, and the perception of the fix is in for matches...boxing needs a huge shot in the arm to put it back in the public eye. Last night did nothing for that.

I think the boxing hype is done for quite awhile. This was the only fight I've ever heard anyone talk about for at least 6-7 years, even if there are a bunch of talented guys in various divisions. Granted I don't hang around boxing aficionados, but this was a big deal for everyone and it has been the only big deal in a long time. Now... there's nothing that average people will care about, because there are no big name superstars in boxing right now besides Manny and Floyd, and that one is definitely done.

There's still a terrific amount of money in these fights (especially $99 for what is essentially one 12 round match at most on ppv) but there's really no draw left for average sports fans. This was pretty much it.

Convo you realize this mega fight onlyhurtboxing right?

it's dead, done.

Convo_sl said:

There are plenty of good fights and fighters. Things have just changed with a lot of the fights taken place on HBO and showtime. If you don't have those networks you miss a lot of the good fights. I don't know how you can say it's stagnant when the fight last night is going to destroy PPV buys. That was a typical mayweather fight. Don't like his style? There are plenty of more exciting stars like GGG. Have you watched him? If not, go google....

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It will smash records because people are wanting anything out of boxing remotely with star power. I've seen maybe 10 Mayweather fights. I know how he fights. He's a snoozer, but knows his shit.

I am not disagreeing with you that boxing for the boxing is fine. The issue is that there is no dominant super heavyweight like in years past to get the people hyped for a fight. The reason that this fight broke records is because in a decade there has been nothing worth putting on PPV. Hell I didn't even buy this fight because I have seen Mayweather fight. He is just a boring fighter. I bet you if there is a rematch they wont gross even half what this fight generates. People have been exposed to both fighters and hate what they saw.

Azeth_sl said:

Convo you realize this mega fight onlyhurtboxing right?

it's dead, done.

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Riiiiight.

Convo_sl said:

Boxing will never die. That's such a dumb comment. You realize Haymond just got 500 million in VC to put on boxing on free television right? Those shows have been really good and have plenty of great fighters.

Klitchco is the dominant heavyweight. He's just not appreciated. It's not his fault he's destroyed all opposition. With that said, Deontay Wilder is an American heavyweight champion and hasn't even been brought up. The guy is big, fast and has power. He just needs more time to build his brand. The fighters are out there, the casual fan just doesn't have the access to really follow them. The network stuff is starting change that. But boxing is not dead. Not even close. Canelo-Kirkland will have a huge rating next weekend.

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You kind of made the point we were making yourself, actually. Klitchco is dominant, but not appreciated (average people don't really care one way or the other if he wins) and Deontay Wilder is the champion but hasn't even been brought up (average people don't really care one way or the other if he wins). The casual fan doesn't have access to really follow them.(average people don't really care one way or the other)

Nobody is saying that boxing is dead, as boxing fans will still watch the shit out of the fights. But to have the draw of last night again in the next 5-10 years? Is going to take something that boxing currently doesn't have: outside draw. No matter how big that paycheck was for Mayweather, it is because he's Mayweather, and not Klitchco or GGG or anyone else that average sports fans simply don't care about. It will take some hardcore ESPN promoting to get even normal sports fans invested in another big fighter/fight, let alone average people.

Just saying, since you are inside the boxing knowledge machine, you kind of don't see it the way the rest of the world does. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao was -it-, and there is nothing that has been promoted effectively in almost a decade that comes close to that type of non-boxing fan interest. If the boxing guys and fight makers really want people who aren't boxing fans to care again (Like in the Hollyfield/Lewis/Leonard/JonesJr days, etc) they need a fighter that people care about. As it is, the only two that people do care about fought a very uninteresting and un-entertaining fight, that was completely lopsided. The ppv and gate money is probably super awesome, but I bet it would have been more awesome had it reinvigorated interest in the sport. I would posit that last night's performance absolutely did not do that.

Edit: just realized that Azeth said boxing was dead. Don't pay any attention to Azeth; look at his posts in the football thread and you'll see what I mean.