What has led to the decline of boxing?

[kurupt87]

Well, I prefer boxing to MMA myself. I think MMA is more popular is because it is "cool" at the moment; it uses the "cool" Eastern fighting styles while boxing is a "boring" and old (to our society) Western one.

 

[SnipErlite]

Personally I find it very boring...and they hug too much!

Or something

 

[Evil the White]

Well boxing is punching people with gloves on while ultimate fighting is pretty much beat the crap out of the other guy.
With that in mind, more violence means more people entertained.

You do realize that gloves were introduced specifically so boxers couldn't kill each other in the ring, and even that doesn't stop death?

But like I said, I don't want this to turn into an MMA vs Boxing thread.

Actually, the introduction of gloves leas to an increase in the death rate. Without the gloves, fighters would not aim for the other's head, because it would also damage their hand. With the nice, cushy gloves, however, you can punch away at each other's faces for as long as they can take it, leading to more head damage. Barefist fighting hasn't had a death in something like 50 years.

 

[Burningsok]

UFC is more violent and therefore more exciting to people there is not much to it really. Also the lack of variety is what some people dislike as well. In Boxing all you can do is punch. Yes there are varieties of punches Jab, Hook/Hay-maker, etc in things like UFC they have kicks, locks, grabs and grappling so there is more of a variety.

Boxing specializes in one style of fighting. In MMA it's several, so the fighter isn't able to specialize in one thing, so he isn't as lethal as a boxer. Sure yeah the MMA has a lot more in his arsenal, but none of their tactics are more polished then a boxers ability to punch. If the boxer wasn't wearing those gloves and was wearing the MMA kind, his punches could drop any man in the MMA pretty damn quickly. I will say that an MMA fighter is very capable of taking down a boxer.

Depends on how fast both fighters are. If the boxer is allowed to get inside, he has the superior reflex and power, and I don't think even a low blow would be able to stop him at that point. The MMA fighter would go down quite quickly. And if Carl Froch came after an MMA fighter, the latter would need a baseball bat to have a remote chance at getting him down.

Simple remedy to a boxer only. Kick, Kick, Kick, Kick, Kick and repeat. Seriously if you only use punches you will loose. Doesn't matter if the guy is fast. One good powered kick to the stomach will the boxer really stop and think about their strategy. I am not saying that Boxers are useless. Have either of you actually gotten a full force kick of a Taekwondo style person or an Axe kick on the head? I have and it is not fun and in UFC it is all in so they will be going to do damage. If the Boxer gets in range they will have a good chance to win if their opponent is not skilled in grapple or throws or close quarter knees, elbows. While yes a Boxer is good they would have their work cut out for them even in Close Quarters.

Don't forgot that a boxer is very good at defending the attack by blocking. I'm sure he can block a kick any day. However, you are definitely right when it comes to just kicking since the MMA fighter can just kick away at the boxers legs until he is unable to stand correctly. It's really hard to tell who would win in a match though; it really depends on who is fighting, and what styles they use. Remember, styles make fights, a la Thrilla in Manila.

 

[Dango]

The introduction of chess boxing?

 

[TheTim]

The decline of boxing came with the rise of the UFC
and i like it that way

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

snip

For reference you have to quote me for me to know you are replying to me I only found this by chance and I assume it is in reply to my comment. Once again point sparring and even continuous light contact sparring is much different to full contact sparring like in UFC. A proper full force kick will do considerable damage if you have ever been behind a kick pad/shield you would know what a full force kick feels like or knee or elbow and none are pleasant even with the massive shield. Maybe you have but maybe they were off centre. Anyone in my karate if hey kicked me full force like the kick pad and I was not prepared for it like with the kicked I would have broken ribs and be knocked to the ground. You can't condition floating ribs or bones.

I also gave plethora of other options such as the Muay Thai route with heavy explosive Knees and Elbows which no one is really conditioned to take. A proper Elbow strike to the chest or head can kill someone. There are also grabs and throws Judo style or anything else that boxers are not trained for. Boxers may have conditioned mid sections and heads but that is for punches. I am not saying that they aren't tough but they don't have the speed or familiarity to do anything against a style highly focused around long ranged moves or grappling or throws. With lots of training for it and major changes to their fight style yes they could put up a fight and even win. As is a Boxer with only Boxer experience would have no chance against any Martial Art.

Don't forgot that a boxer is very good at defending the attack by blocking. I'm sure he can block a kick any day. However, you are definitely right when it comes to just kicking since the MMA fighter can just kick away at the boxers legs until he is unable to stand correctly. It's really hard to tell who would win in a match though; it really depends on who is fighting, and what styles they use. Remember, styles make fights, a la Thrilla in Manila.

I know about the style and that Boxers are skilled in blocking and that with specified training on how to deal with kicks they could definitely have a good chance of winning. As I just said above a Boxer with only Boxing experience would have no real chance against any Martial Art Style. Boxers really only block their head and let the mid section just take punishment. This is fair enough in Boxing and well it is what any good person should do in any continuous style fight. I don't think any Boxer has the knowledge to fully anticipate and block a kick or knee or reverse a throw or grab. This is only because Boxers aren't used to mix of kicking and fighting and I feel that they would end up leaving their head open for punishment. It is not that they can't physically do it. It is that they can't mentally do it due to lack of experience. They don't fight in the right mind set for UFC type fighting. Although that's just what I think on the matter and in show fighting like this as you said style is everything unfortunately.

 

[zen5887]

This is one of those things that a show like Sports Science or Greatest Warrior should do.

Or you could just watch James Toney fight Randy Couture in a months time.

 

[Trace2010]

It seems that in the last 15 years, boxing has taken a serious decline. People simply aren't watching it, and if you asked anyone on the street, they'd wonder who the hell Shane Mosley or Miguel Cotto are. The UFC, on the other hand, has taken off in the last 5. What gives? What happened to boxing? Why is not as popular as it was less than 20 years ago? And how can it be fixed?

And the one thing I simply have to say, before this thread will ultimately degenerate into it: I really don't want to hear about MMA vs Boxing as a sport, and which one is better. I'm Russian born and Brooklyn-raised, I have a set mindset when it comes to boxing that can't be changed, and I have my reasons for preferring it over MMA. I'd much rather keep the discussion to the financial or social aspects of the sport that has led to its decline.

1) Who wants to be Mohammed Ali right now?
2) Who is the current Heavyweight Champion (and WHAT title, exactly does he have- there are too many)?
3) Who is the last great Heavyweight fighter YOU remember? For me, it was Evander Holyfield.
4) The fact that anyone with athletic ability in the heavyweight division can probably get a better job somewhere else in the world of professional sports...

 

[Kryzantine]

1) Who wants to be Mohammed Ali right now?
2) Who is the current Heavyweight Champion (and WHAT title, exactly does he have- there are too many)?
3) Who is the last great Heavyweight fighter YOU remember? For me, it was Evander Holyfield.
4) The fact that anyone with athletic ability in the heavyweight division can probably get a better job somewhere else in the world of professional sports...

1. Nobody. Ali was unparalleled, but he had his own game and strategy. Why would any boxer want to emulate another one in lieu of fighting with their own style that they've developed?
2. Actually, I can answer that right away. Wladimir Klitschko is the unified IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine champion, and is acknowledged as the best heavyweight today, although to tell you the truth, until he fights David Haye and maybe his brother Vitali, it's hard to say for sure.
3. Well, Holyfield is still technically fighting, so I'd have to say him on a matter of principle, although Lennox Lewis has to be up there, and let's not forget the man that came before them, Mike Tyson.
4. It isn't all about athleticism. Mentality plays a big part in it. The only pro sport that basically allows fighting is hockey, and believe me, for how hard you have to work to get into the NHL and for how long you have to work, you're not in it for the money.

Perhaps the reason you're not seeing many big name heavyweights is because the US has gotten softer and lighter. The heavyweight mentality has died, not the division itself in America. The void has been filled mostly by European fighters now. The Klitschko brothers are Ukrainian, Haye is British, Alexander Povetkin and Nikolai Valuev are Russian, Tomasz Adamek is Polish and Ruslan Chagaev is Uzbek. So 6 of the world's top 8 heavyweights are formerly from the USSR (Haye is British as stated, while Samuel Peter is Nigerian). Think about that for one second. The division which has traditionally seen great American boxers like Holyfield, Tyson, Ali, Foreman, etc. has no great Americans in it. In fact, the best American heavyweight right now is Eddie Chambers, who's not the most marketable boxer and definitely not one of the greats. But heavyweight boxing has shifted from the American theater to the European theatre.

 

[Koeryn]

It seems that in the last 15 years, boxing has taken a serious decline. People simply aren't watching it, and if you asked anyone on the street, they'd wonder who the hell Shane Mosley or Miguel Cotto are. The UFC, on the other hand, has taken off in the last 5. What gives? What happened to boxing? Why is not as popular as it was less than 20 years ago? And how can it be fixed?

And the one thing I simply have to say, before this thread will ultimately degenerate into it: I really don't want to hear about MMA vs Boxing as a sport, and which one is better. I'm Russian born and Brooklyn-raised, I have a set mindset when it comes to boxing that can't be changed, and I have my reasons for preferring it over MMA. I'd much rather keep the discussion to the financial or social aspects of the sport that has led to its decline.

The biggest reason for the decline of boxing (in my eyes), is the fact that martial arts in general have become much better known in the public eye. For example, a surprising number of people know that Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and Kung Fu are completely different styles, instead of three names for the same thing. This has led to an increased acceptance martial arts as sports, which brings them more into the public eye in terms of media and blood-sport arenas, which brings you to MMA tournaments, kick-boxing, heck, you've even got fencing becoming more popular.

Add choices, and people will take them.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

the last great Heavyweight I remember is Lennox Lewis (guy had a chin made of glass, but whatever). The Heavyweight Division kinda sucks right now because the Klitschko Brothers just dominate everyone but lower weight classes are REALLY exciting to watch like Manny Pacquiao for instance (seriously Mayweather, stop being a gutless twit and man up already!). Boxing at its prime is incredible to watch.

 

[capin Rob]

It seems that in the last 15 years, boxing has taken a serious decline. People simply aren't watching it, and if you asked anyone on the street, they'd wonder who the hell Shane Mosley or Miguel Cotto are. The UFC, on the other hand, has taken off in the last 5. What gives? What happened to boxing? Why is not as popular as it was less than 20 years ago? And how can it be fixed?

And the one thing I simply have to say, before this thread will ultimately degenerate into it: I really don't want to hear about MMA vs Boxing as a sport, and which one is better. I'm Russian born and Brooklyn-raised, I have a set mindset when it comes to boxing that can't be changed, and I have my reasons for preferring it over MMA. I'd much rather keep the discussion to the financial or social aspects of the sport that has led to its decline.

Well it's simple. And it's Right under your Nose. UFC is taking the boxing Aduience. It's more Flashy and bloody. More people want to watch that than boxing. But Boxing is still good sport.

 

[II2]

MMA?

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

You do realize that gloves were introduced specifically so boxers couldn't kill each other in the ring, and even that doesn't stop death?

I recall there being a statistic that there were no recorded deaths (or very few) in boxing before gloves were introduced. After they were, well, it rose.

Fighting bare-knuckled must have hurt, though. A lot.

Which is why those guys focused more on body shots instead of going for the head. This is also why fewer people died from that style of fighting.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

You do realize that gloves were introduced specifically so boxers couldn't kill each other in the ring, and even that doesn't stop death?

I recall there being a statistic that there were no recorded deaths (or very few) in boxing before gloves were introduced. After they were, well, it rose.

Fighting bare-knuckled must have hurt, though. A lot.

Well yeah, but it hurts both people. You can beat the shit out of someone with a boxing glove and it won't hurt you at all.

If you, say, cowboy punch someone in the face as hard as you can without gloves, you'd break your knuckles.

Bottom line, boxers can punch harder without ruining their hands.

 

[ajemas]

Boxing specializes in one style of fighting. In MMA it's several, so the fighter isn't able to specialize in one thing, so he isn't as lethal as a boxer. Sure yeah the MMA has a lot more in his arsenal, but none of their tactics are more polished then a boxers ability to punch. If the boxer wasn't wearing those gloves and was wearing the MMA kind, his punches could drop any man in the MMA pretty damn quickly. I will say that an MMA fighter is very capable of taking down a boxer.

Depends on how fast both fighters are. If the boxer is allowed to get inside, he has the superior reflex and power, and I don't think even a low blow would be able to stop him at that point. The MMA fighter would go down quite quickly. And if Carl Froch came after an MMA fighter, the latter would need a baseball bat to have a remote chance at getting him down.

But when arguing MMA vs Boxing, it should be the appeal of 2 MMA fighters against each other vs 2 boxers against each other. I think that the MMA fight would be more forgiving. You make a mistake in a UFC fight, you're not down that much. You make a mistake in a boxing fight, you're in some serious shit. Your fight could be over then and there.

I think I have to disagree with you on this point. Many MMA fighters specialize in Judo and Jiu-Jitsu. This means that if the boxer is up close and personal, they are going to get taken to the ground and placed in a submission hold. In my opinion, the boxer would be more effective from a distance. Then again, my preferred fighting style is go-into-the-fetal-position-and-wait-for-the-pain-to-go-away fu, so I might be wrong.

 

[Trace2010]

1) Who wants to be Mohammed Ali right now?
2) Who is the current Heavyweight Champion (and WHAT title, exactly does he have- there are too many)?
3) Who is the last great Heavyweight fighter YOU remember? For me, it was Evander Holyfield.
4) The fact that anyone with athletic ability in the heavyweight division can probably get a better job somewhere else in the world of professional sports...

1. Nobody. Ali was unparalleled, but he had his own game and strategy. Why would any boxer want to emulate another one in lieu of fighting with their own style that they've developed?
2. Actually, I can answer that right away. Wladimir Klitschko is the unified IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine champion, and is acknowledged as the best heavyweight today, although to tell you the truth, until he fights David Haye and maybe his brother Vitali, it's hard to say for sure.
3. Well, Holyfield is still technically fighting, so I'd have to say him on a matter of principle, although Lennox Lewis has to be up there, and let's not forget the man that came before them, Mike Tyson.
4. It isn't all about athleticism. Mentality plays a big part in it. The only pro sport that basically allows fighting is hockey, and believe me, for how hard you have to work to get into the NHL and for how long you have to work, you're not in it for the money.

Perhaps the reason you're not seeing many big name heavyweights is because the US has gotten softer and lighter. The heavyweight mentality has died, not the division itself in America. The void has been filled mostly by European fighters now. The Klitschko brothers are Ukrainian, Haye is British, Alexander Povetkin and Nikolai Valuev are Russian, Tomasz Adamek is Polish and Ruslan Chagaev is Uzbek. So 6 of the world's top 8 heavyweights are formerly from the USSR (Haye is British as stated, while Samuel Peter is Nigerian). Think about that for one second. The division which has traditionally seen great American boxers like Holyfield, Tyson, Ali, Foreman, etc. has no great Americans in it. In fact, the best American heavyweight right now is Eddie Chambers, who's not the most marketable boxer and definitely not one of the greats. But heavyweight boxing has shifted from the American theater to the European theatre.

1) I meant the fact that he has Parkinson's and/or brain damage due to fighting.
2) Notice how many titles you said- I have always thought that streamlining the titles would make it easier to follow.
3 & 4) You are correct. The problem is, Americans can't get behind Klitchko the way they can get behind David Beckham in soccer (and even then, that didn't last very long). Boxing will see a resurgence when the next great American Heavyweight comes to the fore.