An old saying: as the heavyweights go so goes boxing

[actjac]

My observation:
For most of a century boxing was a very popular sport with the heavyweight championship as one of the most respected titles in the world. The names John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson were worldwide household names.
In the late part of the last century Don King hijacked the heavyweights and with the help of the alphabet organizations created his monopoly liing up "champions du jour". The public grew tired of the shenanigans and began to leave the sport. Network television and sports reporting subsequently dropped out of their coverage. Other promoters such as Bob Arum moved the promotions toward the lighter weights (later followed by Oscar de La Hoya) and thus the Hispanic fans leaving heavyweights to European promoters.

My question:
What heavyweight could revive interest in boxing and cause the general sports fan to become interested at higher levels once again and move from the niche sport status it now is?

 

[SuwoopBangin]

Lol

 

[GhostBlade]

One heavyweight can't revive an entire sport. Look at Wlad, he is good but mostly only hardcore boxing fans and people overseas care for him. The U.S. needs at least five solid heavyweight contenders like it had back in the 90s and one white hope like Tommy Morrison. There has to be a revival in the U.S. heavyweight scene for the division to get some recognition. All of these European champions and contenders from outside of the U.S. simply aren't going to cut it.

 

[Steve08]

All I know is that the most popular boxer in the world weighs in at a buck 47.

Charisma sells PPVs. Not size.

 

[JustinvR]

lol how does boxing have a niche sports status?

You don't get to be the highest paid athlete in the world by competing in a niche sport.

 

[Strange King]

no heavyweights equals no boxing

 

[cheesus]

Jarrell Miller. Boxing needs a young, cocky, arrogant, african american heavyweight again.

 

[actjac]

lol how does boxing have a niche sports status?

You don't get to be the highest paid athlete in the world by competing in a niche sport.

Then look at the next 100 athletes on that list (only one other boxer and even he outdraws Mayweather in television viwership) PLUS look at network television ratings Plus where is the coverage is in the newspapers and on cable sports.

http://www.forbes.com/athletes/list/#tab:overall

 

[eternaldarkness]

One heavyweight can't revive an entire sport. Look at Wlad, he is good but mostly only hardcore boxing fans and ones overseas care for him. The U.S. needs at least five solid heavyweight contenders like it had back in the 90s and one white hope like Tommy Morrison. There has to be a revival in the U.S. heavyweight scene for the division to get some recognition. All of these European champions and contenders from outside of the U.S. simply isn't going to cut it.

never heard of tyson?

 

[MC Paul Barman]

My observation:
For most of a century boxing was a very popular sport with the heavyweight championship as one of the most respected titles in the world. The names John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson were worldwide household names.
In the late part of the last century Don King hijacked the heavyweights and with the help of the alphabet organizations created his monopoly liing up "champions du jour". The public grew tired of the shenanigans and began to leave the sport. Network television and sports reporting subsequently dropped out of their coverage. Other promoters such as Bob Arum moved the promotions toward the lighter weights (later followed by Oscar de La Hoya) and thus the Hispanic fans leaving heavyweights to European promoters.

My question:
What heavyweight could revive interest in boxing and cause the general sports fan to become interested at higher levels once again and move from the niche sport status it now is?

I used to think you were a serious poster here.
What happened?

 

[eternaldarkness]

All I know is that the most popular boxer in the world weighs in at a buck 47.

Charisma sells PPVs. Not size.

i take it your not a long term fight fan.

 

[Funkasaurus]

Jarrell Miller. Boxing needs a young, cocky, arrogant, african american heavyweight again.

He doesn't necessarily need to be cocky, look at Tyson

Cockyness is just a form of charisma, if you can't talk shit at least make the talking you do in the ring count

Being a black guy in great shape is a must

it would help if he was attractive (Doesn't have to be Ali, just not not Andre Ward)

 

[Sunfish]

Speaking of sexy fighters...

 

[ZroC]

I used to think you were a serious poster here.
What happened?

every thread he makes is like this.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Kimbo Slice

 

[Jukai]

Is this longing for American heavweights thing akin to all the Pride nostalgia in the heavies?

 

[Seven30]

never heard of tyson?

I've certainly heard of Tyson. But I never heard of Tyson reviving the sport because it didn't need to be revived during his era.

 

[SuwoopBangin]

Anybody who thinks boxing needs revival is delusional
I thought we were past this shitty meme

 

[Seven30]

My observation:
For most of a century boxing was a very popular sport with the heavyweight championship as one of the most respected titles in the world. The names John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson were worldwide household names.
In the late part of the last century Don King hijacked the heavyweights and with the help of the alphabet organizations created his monopoly liing up "champions du jour". The public grew tired of the shenanigans and began to leave the sport. Network television and sports reporting subsequently dropped out of their coverage. Other promoters such as Bob Arum moved the promotions toward the lighter weights (later followed by Oscar de La Hoya) and thus the Hispanic fans leaving heavyweights to European promoters.

My question:
What heavyweight could revive interest in boxing and cause the general sports fan to become interested at higher levels once again and move from the niche sport status it now is?

I'm not on board with much of what's said in this post, but I'll answer the question. I don't think the sport needs a HW superstar. It would help, but the most famous boxer hasn't always been the most popular...even during the eras of many of the champions you mentioned. What I believe the sport needs most (& not necessarily to "revive interest." I think the sport is fine.) is more fighters that fight for greatness & legacy. It's a business & fighters want to make money & that's understandable. But too many fighters want the max amount of money without fighting the best challengers & champions of their respective eras.

We need more fighters that will fight each other to prove their the best, rather than leave it up to their fans, supporters, analysts, etc. to argue their case for them. We need fighters that see another fighter in or near their division that's having a ton of success & say "I want to fight that guy! I'M the best...not him & I wanna prove it to the world!" Not enough of that in the sport. That's what's lacking most. We need fighters with the same approach that Hagler, Hearns, Leonard & Duran had. They fought each other 13 times....WILLINGLY!!!! Today, we couldn't get the top 2 fighters to fight each other ONCE for what probably amounts to more money than the aforementioned legends made in those 13 fights combined. Both fighters & their respective camps/promoters/etc. have found every loophole to avoid risking their money train being derailed or knocked down a peg or two in the event that they lose "the big fight." Not many fighters care about proving that they're the best....they're ok with the speculation. It's safer & more lucrative to let people speculate. Bottom line: Most fighters approach to the sport sucks!

 

[GhostBlade]

I've certainly heard of Tyson. But I never heard of Tyson reviving the sport because it didn't need to be revived during his era.

Exactly. Heavyweight boxing was still alive and well and all Tyson did was blow the hinges off of it and made it larger than life.