For those who participate mostly on the UFC Discussion, are you a fan of Boxing?

[Takes Two To Tango]

The sport of Boxing has been in such weird existence at this point. Not sure what to think of it. It seems like the elite boxer are avoiding each other. And than you get these circus shows. 20 years ago boxing was legit and much more respectable. Wish it could comeback to once it was. Like bring back HBO.

What's your thoughts in the state of boxing now?

And are you a fan?

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

I used to be a big fan of boxing. Not so much these days. I really enjoyed Mike Tyson and Floyd, Pacquiao, ODLH era

I'd probably still tune in if Canelo or any of the top HWs fight (e.g. Fury, Usyk, AJ)

I am ashamed to admit this, but the last boxing fight that i was hyped for was Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury

 

[runkar]

Nah. Not at all. Boxing has become really boring.

 

[TCE]

Have never been keen on it.

Watching Ruiz whoop AJ in their first fight was fun though.

 

[Conan the K-9]

I used watch boxing in the nineties, and I could say that I was a fan of Henry Maske.
Haven’t really watched boxing for ages. Some Olympic games but That’s about it.

 

[PhotographyRaptor]

After the Tyson era it was the Holyfield and Bowe era then the Oscar era. After that may weather took over so f that

 

[SharpasaRazor]

Quite hard for me to answer as boxing was my OG combat sport and as a kid/teenager I was very into it. However over the years a variety of things eroded that first love - inability to make various match ups, the difficulty of following all the different permutations of governing bodies, presentation continuing to be stuck in the dark ages.

When I was introduced to MMA (through Brock Lesnar initially haha) I at first was drawn to it because a lot of these issues were rounded out or didn't exist and then as became more invested I came to really appreciate all the different aspects to the game the sport presented. I then started training in other martial arts on top of that and just over the years have grown to a point where I follow MMA closer than any other sport, and boxing I only keep tabs on the very highest level match ups and watch top fights.

Got absolutely flamed as a casual in a post Paul v Fury thread in the boxing forum for criticising us getting that kind of freakshow shit whilst so many other great match ups dont happen becuase of Boxing doing a Boxing (hows that Uysk/Fury fight coming along). Apparently people who a still hardcore fans think the sport is in good shape but I've got my doubts - someone like me should have stayed fully invested in Boxing but the UFC was able to turn me onto MMA in precisely the way they probably have a generation of people. My answer to the poll here would probably lie somewhere between indifferent and yes but its much closer to the former than the latter at this point.

 

[Gilday]

I love the actual fights, but I hate everything else around it. Just look at the recent Fury/Usyk debacle as a reason why I can't stand anything but the boxing itself.

 

[Banana Tree's Nemesis]

Odd opinion, but the only boxing I enjoy watching in general is Olyimpic boxing.
3 rounds is sufficient to guarantee that guys won't take rounds off for 'tactical' reasons and mutually try to engage.

Some professional fights can be watchable, but I find your description of boxing being a 'circus' very relatable.
Want a whacky walkout in a feather robe or a robot costume? Fine with me, but what are all those 150 people doing inside the cage after the fight.
2 fighters, 3 cornermen each, the announcer and a camera guy would be sufficient. But all those greasy, slimy, peeled ass managers and other clout chasers need to be in there so bad that the whole thing ends up looking like a club party on the Cote d'Azur.
I just find it offputting to a degree where I'd rather not watch at all.

The lack of promotion is a factor as well. They have built up a system where the records are so padded, that the only guys even worth mentioning in general media will be world champs on long undefeated streaks. So you'll end up with one well known champ every other weightclass with 4 (I hope that's right) world champs at each single weight. There are too many organizations and too many weightclasses.
Now you have a whole lot of champs, and the public attention has to be distributed between all of them. So the individual fighters will get less attention on average.
Being a casual fan has become too much of a hassle.

 

[xenomorph713]

Yes boxing first then MMA for me. Morales Barrera Pacquiao Marquez brothers cotto Mosley gatti etc. were and still are my favorites. Can't stand the politics but once they actually get in the ring and it's on nothing come close to me personally.

 

[ExitLUPin]

Absolutely. Boxing was my first love. But I've long accepted the golden age of the sport overall and almost every division have long past. It has peaked a while ago from the level of fighters to fights and wont ever as be as good as it once was. Still there are great fighters and great fights to tune in for almost monthly even if its not close to the highest levels we've seen. I'm still hopeful we haven't seen the best of MMA yet altho seeing the sad state of a lot of divisions specially heavier declining horrifically recently (MW/LHW/HW) has made me question it some

 

[HuskySamoan]

I'm a huge boxing fan, boxing was my first combat sport and one of the few things I ever bonded with my father over and doing. That said, boxing is hard to be a fan of, the meaningful matchups hardly ever get made and when they do it takes years and lots of pussy-footing. It's a very political sport. I don't follow it closely like I do MMA anymore but I'll tune in or catch the replay for any fights that are important to me or talent that stands out which I choose to follow. I just wish the fights that need to happen actually happened. Too much protection and novelty in being undefeated.

 

[HatKick]

Unfortunately the sport is in a piss poor state because of politics. UFC isn't exactly a legitimate meritocracy either but at least we usually get the fights we want. MMA fans are definitely spoiled compared to boxing fans.

To me there's nothing like a big time boxing event like Fury/Wilder, AJ/Usyk, Canelo/Bivol. We just don't get them very often.

 

[Natural Order]

Boxing and hockey fights were my lead in to MMA as a kid. Still love em both!

 

[Leinster Rugby]

Yep. The big fights anyway.

 

[jimmy dakine]

Love boxing, MMA, and NFL football........................lost complete interest in basketball and baseball except for my home team. I try to watch all 162 games but if they are off I would not watch. Even if its the world series I would not watch if my team wasnt playing.

 

[wwkirk]

I used to be a boxing fan. Essentially, MMA supplanted boxing for me as soon as I became aware of it.

 

[Chet Ubetcha]

I used to love boxing as a kid in the 90s -- there was no internet at the time so everything you knew about fighters you found out through magazines and hype on ESPN/HBO events. JCC was my dude, and I remember "bragging" to my other boxing friend about how he broke peoples' arms when he'd punch them. Yeah, I was a teenager. I remember watching Foreman/Morrison live on TV at a friend's house; I couldn't have been more excited at the time. I've long-since fallen out of love with boxing, and barely even follow casually anymore.

 

[Jonny Ninja]

After the Tyson era it was the Holyfield and Bowe era then the Oscar era. After that may weather took over so f that

Lol at there ever being a ‘bowe’ era

 

[Tweak896]

When they actually fight boxing is great. Same thing with UFC though. We couldn't get Ngannou/Jones or Khamzat vs Colby/Usman/Edwards. It's just modern combat sports today with constant negotiations and greed from all sides.