How has the media evolved in boxing.

[Spoonking]

Im doing an essay for school and would like some sherdoggers thoughts on how the introduction of T.V, Cable, internet has changed the role of the boxing writer. I assume boxing writing used to focus mainly on straight reportage of an event in place of viewing a fight over a TV. What are your thoughts?

 

[Sinister]

It's actually devolved.

No more mainstream coverage by the big Newspapers, no more Network television coverage, and even in a 24-7 News Culture, good Boxing writing or reporting isn't easy to come by.

 

[Spoonking]

Yeah, I agree with you. Any theories on why boxing journalism has regressed like this?, with that being said the establishment of internet journalism has seen some pretty good analytical pieces come about, dont you think?

 

[TKDhasBin]

Im doing an essay for school and would like some sherdoggers thoughts on how the introduction of T.V, Cable, internet has changed the role of the boxing writer. I assume boxing writing used to focus mainly on straight reportage of an event in place of viewing a fight over a TV. What are your thoughts?

Boxing reportage is long dead........All you read in the papers (or on internet summeries )anymore is the results of the bouts and maybe a quick rundown of what occurred. Years ago reporters would go to training camps to get inside information. They would hang out with the fighters, trainers, cut men etc. and explain the processes the fighters were going through preparing for their fights. A.J. Leiblings pieces on boxing are some of the best boxing stories you will ever read. Jimmy Cannon wasn't bad either. Alot of fight beat reporters knew the language of the sport and what made it tick. They reported on all sorts of issues from how a fighter trains to what goes through his mind after a victory....or a crushing defeat . Today's hacks barely know a hook from a hooker.......

T.V., and the Internet didn't change the role of the boxing writer.........Good boxing writing has been dead since the 70's.....maybe the early 80's.....The internet and T.V. will merely ensure that it never revives itself.

 

[Sinister]

I don't know TKD. If Tam's vision of an actual reliable Boxing E-zine would have been able to be realized with say people like yourself, Sharkey, Kid McCoy, myself, waves could be made.

Unfortunately it's tough to be consistent with such a thing. It'd have to be well-funded off the ground, and for long enough to catch on and become duly relevant.

 

[Spoonking]

Kabuki, TKD

What do you think is behind the decline in boxing writing?

 

[TKDhasBin]

I don't know TKD. If Tam's vision of an actual reliable Boxing E-zine would have been able to be realized with say people like yourself, Sharkey, Kid McCoy, myself, waves could be made.

Unfortunately it's tough to be consistent with such a thing. It'd have to be well-funded off the ground, and for long enough to catch on and become duly relevant.

An E-Zine ?........I think someone has tried that with Pro Wrestling and it actually does/did fairly well........I'd need more info before I could give you an opinion. Consistent writing wouldn't be a problem. Some of the best boxing analysis I've ever seen is here in the boxing forum.

 

[Sinister]

What do you think is behind the decline in boxing writing?

Well, wait a second. To be fair I think both TKD and I should agree we're mainly talking about America. For all we know worldwide Boxing writing might be excellent in some places.

I'm not sure if any direct thing can be attributed to it but if I had to point out a flaw in American Media it's the whole culture of News, which is infotainment, and the less intelligent and comprehensive the better. The whole News culture has changed, not necessarily the Public.

A demonstration of this is how well the HBO 24/7 shows did, and how quickly Floyd Mayweather Jr. turned into a Media darling to the degree where if they DID start a Boxing reality show about his Family, it'd do well, too. Boxing contains more than enough drama and human interest stories, Hell look at the thread I did here about Joseph Kiwanuka, but it's all about how it's packaged.

HBO I think actually does a pretty decent job usually with it's Productions, and the way their PPV's versus Premium Channel shows are set-up (even though Showtime arguably has more consistent cards). Versus is doing a pretty good job with Top Rank Promotions. And the Spanish Channels like Telefutura and Telemundo (I believe) also do well. Just none of them are mainstream or Network.

An E-Zine ?........I think someone has tried that with Pro Wrestling and it actually does/did fairly well........I'd need more info before I could give you an opinion. Consistent writing wouldn't be a problem. Some of the best boxing analysis I've ever seen is here in the boxing forum.

Yes, Pro Wrestling has a ton of them, and has kept up well with the Media change-over. I don't recall exactly how Tam wanted to initially organize things, though. It's been a while since the idea was tossed around.

 

[Dragonstyle915]

I actually started a thread not long ago about this. It mostly had to do with websites though.

There are several issues going on with Boxing right now that really sadden me.

Excitement and drama has always been part of the sport and a promoters goal. But when people mostly talk about "Think it will be a good fight?" rather than "I think so-so is going to win". then you have a problem.

People dont know boxers as they used to. You're more likely to enjoy something if you're going for one fighter/team/ect.

I think the Media plays a big roll in sports. If ESPN decided Baseball was a boring or rather dead sport tomorrow- it would really effect Baseball. And while it would garner its cult and loyal fan base it wouldnt be the same to casual viewers.

My family are Boxing fans and they never really bring up the subject about a Boring fight. Its like one of thsoe things that happen just as they do in all sports.

Football has boring games sometimes but the fans understand it, the media hypes it up, and a "Boring" game is never "Boring" its always a "Defensive" game and they dont talk about that- rather they talk about how many yards so and so had and what they can do to improve or w/e.

Now Boxing is more-so judged on excitement because it charges $50 for you to watch it- true. But sometimes the people in the MGM Grand arent the only ones gambling. Alot of fans gamble their money in hopes of seeing Floyd Mayweather get knocked out and they all know if he does it would be worth $100.

I remember I was yelling at DLH to "Hit that M***F****" And I stopped my self in the middle of the fight and wondered to my self... "Damn Floyd really made me hate his guts and I am sitting here wanting him to get KTFO. Its frustrating to watch but im hoping every second is the next second he gets KTFO.". When the fight was over of course alot of fans didnt feel they got their money's worth but thats how you feel when you lose money.

Thats why I believe Boxing will ALWAYS be around. The same people who said they would never buy another DLH PPV after the Trinidad fight- did. Alot of people who said the same about Mayweatherbought his fight against Hatton in hopes of gabling $54 to see him get KTFO.

Anyways, I kind of lost track huh?

I think my point is that Media mostly talks about Boxing in an outside source way. Rather than inside. More negative stories that trash the sport come out when there is a big fight. The stories are more about "Boxing onyl has one big star and is soon to die" Just not with that exact title. Rather than about the fight it self.

DLH vs. Mayweather in the media was billed as Boxing's last hurrah. Like the party at the funeral or something. There was more of that than analys on the fight it self.

 

[brother muzone]

the media has made the decision, on its own, regardless of any facts, that the sport of boxing is dead. and they are absolutely determined to not back down from their conclusion.

there is no other way journalists like Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser in the year 2008 can come to the conclusion that boxing is dead, after the fantastic 07 the sport had, without having its head in the sand.

But the media is largely its own clique, whether you are talking about sports or politics, they have a tendency to believe that only what is relevant in their little world is what is actually happening. And once the Tyson era of boxing went flying off the tracks, they left the sport and assumed everyone else did as well.

the other thing they woefully miss is the hispanic fighters in boxing, while the US gets more hispanic by the minute. One would think that this is somehow relevant to a writer talking about sports in America, but apparently not to 99 percent of the mainstream writers, who miss the fact that the divisions in which the great fights happen in boxing is largely different than it used to be. and this mirrors the fact that demographics in the US are greatly different than they used to be.

so the Vasquez Marquez trilogy, and Corrales Castillo I get completely ignored. all time great fights, completely disregarded. meanwhile they will cover (albeit briefly) boring Hopkins fights from the past 3 years. And I love Hopkins, but if his fights are the barometer for excitement in the sport, you are looking in the wrong place. and thats exactly what the media does, when they actually decide to cover boxing

 

[brother muzone]

Boxing reportage is long dead...

in print it is. But the print media itself is dwindling at a rapid pace.

boxing reporting like a lot of things is done on the internet now. plenty of good sites, with very good writers still talk about the sport.

 

[Tam-Tam]

Yes, Pro Wrestling has a ton of them, and has kept up well with the Media change-over. I don't recall exactly how Tam wanted to initially organize things, though. It's been a while since the idea was tossed around.

The show o hands and commitment to moving forward with it was never strong enough. To it work, we would need at least 6 or 7 regular contributors specifically just focusing on writing/reporting. We also would need some kind of e-engineer to make it all work.

I'm as commited as ever to that cause, but it's not something I'm prepared to pour my own money into, if there isn't the support around me. Ya dig?

 

[Sinister]

The show o hands and commitment to moving forward with it was never strong enough. To it work, we would need at least 6 or 7 regular contributors specifically just focusing on writing/reporting. We also would need some kind of e-engineer to make it all work.

I'm as commited as ever to that cause, but it's not something I'm prepared to pour my own money into, if there isn't the support around me. Ya dig?

I dig, and as you see it's something I've not forgotten as well. I keep it very in-mind, as this Sport is dear to me.

Man JMyers should have a lot to say about this. He's in a perfect position to comment.

 

[Dragonstyle915]

the media has made the decision, on its own, regardless of any facts, that the sport of boxing is dead. and they are absolutely determined to not back down from their conclusion.

there is no other way journalists like Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser in the year 2008 can come to the conclusion that boxing is dead, after the fantastic 07 the sport had, without having its head in the sand.

But the media is largely its own clique, whether you are talking about sports or politics, they have a tendency to believe that only what is relevant in their little world is what is actually happening. And once the Tyson era of boxing went flying off the tracks, they left the sport and assumed everyone else did as well.

the other thing they woefully miss is the hispanic fighters in boxing, while the US gets more hispanic by the minute. One would think that this is somehow relevant to a writer talking about sports in America, but apparently not to 99 percent of the mainstream writers, who miss the fact that the divisions in which the great fights happen in boxing is largely different than it used to be. and this mirrors the fact that demographics in the US are greatly different than they used to be.

so the Vasquez Marquez trilogy, and Corrales Castillo I get completely ignored. all time great fights, completely disregarded. meanwhile they will cover (albeit briefly) boring Hopkins fights from the past 3 years. And I love Hopkins, but if his fights are the barometer for excitement in the sport, you are looking in the wrong place. and thats exactly what the media does, when they actually decide to cover boxing

You know. My uncle gets the spanish version of Sports Illustrated and it had some Boxing stuff in it.

LOL, In this one article Miguel Cotto is asked if he thinks he has to play a role in reviving boxing. He simply replies. "Look, Boxing is simply my job. And I do my job well. Im nothing more.". Thats the translation from spanish anyway.

 

[brother muzone]

You know. My uncle gets the spanish version of Sports Illustrated and it had some Boxing stuff in it.

LOL, In this one article Miguel Cotto is asked if he thinks he has to play a role in reviving boxing. He simply replies. "Look, Boxing is simply my job. And I do my job well. Im nothing more.". Thats the translation from spanish anyway.

yes, and Sportscenter has the 1 minute clips of ESPN Deportes where they give as much time to boxing as they can. its a speed round of spanish sports highlights, but they quickly show news from a fight like Vasquez Marquez and even the weigh ins on friday nights broadcast.

but if you are an honest journalist, about sports in the country, a fight like that merits coverage in the actual sportscenter show. Castillo Corrales was for THE lightweight belt, and was an all time classic. In the larger sports world, it warranted an article in SI. It should be covered. But it wasnt.

Of course we can all see the hypocrisy of the media claiming boxing is dead, while ignoring greatness when it happens. But the media can't see that. In a larger sense that is the media's problem.

 

[TKDhasBin]

Kabuki, TKD

What do you think is behind the decline in boxing writing?

Hmmmmm......Lot's of reasons. Probably too many to list in one sitting. Here's one :

Sports reportage has changed everywhere not just with boxing.....But boxing is a singular endeavor with two men contesting. Boxing lives and dies with it's charismatic personalities.....When the personalities are there....Ali, Leonard, Hagler, Duran, Tyson (especially Train Wreck Mike) there is plenty of interest and plenty of material to write about.

It's hard to get worked up about some of the personalities out there now. Nickolai Valuev vs. Anatoly Griminskiwitzian just doesn't get the old motor running.....Watching a puffed up Toney outmanuever Holyfield ( who is down to three brain cells) doesn't do it either.....PBF is out there yes, but.......yawn........he seems like a reincarnated version of *fill in the blank*.....The talented, mouthy guy who makes 30 million per fight and with whom noone can identify with....We've seen his kind before.....a hundred times before. There is no depth there......Talent yes......personality no........Give me a Boom Boom Mancini anytime. A champ who came up from the steel towns and knew adversity and pain. A lunch pail kind of guy who made reporters drool.

You gotta have something to write about before you can write it.....and the average Joe Blow sitting at his coffee table has got to be interested........

 

[Dragonstyle915]

the media has made the decision, on its own, regardless of any facts, that the sport of boxing is dead. and they are absolutely determined to not back down from their conclusion.

there is no other way journalists like Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser in the year 2008 can come to the conclusion that boxing is dead, after the fantastic 07 the sport had, without having its head in the sand.

But the media is largely its own clique, whether you are talking about sports or politics, they have a tendency to believe that only what is relevant in their little world is what is actually happening. And once the Tyson era of boxing went flying off the tracks, they left the sport and assumed everyone else did as well.

The other thing they woefully miss is the hispanic fighters in boxing, while the US gets more hispanic by the minute. One would think that this is somehow relevant to a writer talking about sports in America, but apparently not to 99 percent of the mainstream writers, who miss the fact that the divisions in which the great fights happen in boxing is largely different than it used to be. and this mirrors the fact that demographics in the US are greatly different than they used to be.

so the Vasquez Marquez trilogy, and Corrales Castillo I get completely ignored. all time great fights, completely disregarded. meanwhile they will cover (albeit briefly) boring Hopkins fights from the past 3 years. And I love Hopkins, but if his fights are the barometer for excitement in the sport, you are looking in the wrong place. and thats exactly what the media does, when they actually decide to cover boxing

You know, I had to reply to your posts again. You made some excellent points. I also want to point out that promoters are kind of settling too though. On that HBO column posted on this forum some excellent points were made by Golden Boy Promotions.

Promoters a few years ago were complaining that they cant get sponsors. Golden Boy went out and got them. Some of these promoters just love to be around when the going is good. But when the going goes tough they just settle for a few bucks without trying to grow the sport.

Gary Shaw is an example of this. He's banking on Boxing while working on EliteXC. I dont think Gary Shaw wants to work hard and create a vision and future for Boxing at all. Shaw seems like a man who goes with the current and lets the Ocean dictate wat he's going to do next. He's not an innovator like the UFC is with MMA and Goldenboy and Top Rank are with Boxing. He does create a ship that can help him go against the current.

Guys like that are not needed in Boxing. We need innovators and leaders promoting the sport.

 

[brother muzone]

Give me a Boom Boom Mancini anytime. A champ who came up from the steel towns and knew adversity and pain. A lunch pail kind of guy who made reporters drool.

umm. Kelly Pavlik? from the same town, white boy with KO power and the lineal belt?

and Pavlik actually has received decent coverage nationally. sportscenter has highlighted his last two fights, SI did an article on him. And that would be great if it was followed by other top fighters putting on entertaining fights.

Cotto Margarito absolutely should receive coverage. But its two spanish speaking fighters, and the sports media is greatly behind the curve on that end. It will be interesting to see how the change in demographics influences the media overall. Spanish speaking news and entertainment already has its own powerful outlets on tv and radio. But when does that break into the normal mainstream of american media? Its going to happen sooner than later, and its one reason why boxing will probably be just fine

 

[brother muzone]

Gary Shaw is an example of this. He's banking on Boxing while working on EliteXC. I dont think Gary Shaw wants to work hard and create a vision and future for Boxing at all. Shaw seems like a man who goes with the current and lets the Ocean dictate wat he's going to do next. He's not an innovator like the UFC is with MMA and Goldenboy and Top Rank are with Boxing. He does create a ship that can help him go against the current. .

agreed completely. It has been decided that MMA is the big new thing, boxing is the old thing on its way out. It doesnt matter if mma ppv and ratings have plateaued, or dropped, and boxing had a massive 07, and having a great 08 so far. doesnt matter. its been decided to go with mma. Kimbo slice. hes been profiled on espn's version of 60 minutes twice, on the cover of their magazine. Its been decided this is what needs to be pushed.

Arum actually claims he "knows for a fact" that boxing will be back on network television. in an article this week from maxboxing by steve kim,

"Because when you have the two premium networks controlling all the action, then everybody feeds at their trough," says Arum. "And sure, you have what you have now, a bad, bad situation."

But going back, is Arum's quest to get boxing back into the mainstream through network television just a Quixotic quest where he's tilting at windmills aimlessly, or something more realistic?

"I know for a fact it is (coming)," he states with confidence.

 

[Dragonstyle915]

umm. Kelly Pavlik? from the same town, white boy with KO power and the lineal belt?

and Pavlik actually has received decent coverage nationally. sportscenter has highlighted his last two fights, SI did an article on him. And that would be great if it was followed by other top fighters putting on entertaining fights.

Cotto Margarito absolutely should receive coverage. But its two spanish speaking fighters, and the sports media is greatly behind the curve on that end. It will be interesting to see how the change in demographics influences the media overall. Spanish speaking news and entertainment already has its own powerful outlets on tv and radio. But when does that break into the normal mainstream of american media? Its going to happen sooner than later, and its one reason why boxing will probably be just fine

I think Pavlik is that one big fight away from becoming a big star honestly. Right now in his region he's huge. he's one of the top 10 most popular boxers out there right now. But thats not exactly much when I think only 2 Boxers (DLH and Mayweather) are Mainstream.