Best year in boxing since it began fading away?!?!

[achillesthegreat]

For me, post Ali, the game begun to die. It all became so business orientated i.e. how much can you earn, what division out of the 17 can you jump to, what will TV allow etc

The 80s was perhaps the final era, where despite being business orientated, fans mostly got what they wanted. Promoters and fighters couldn't totally take fans for a ride just yet. Generally Holmes dominated the division, as did Tyson, Leonard, Hagler, Duran and co all made sure the small fighters were making major moves that really defined careers. The cracks were there though and they were getting wider.

Boxing slowly began to fall into a coma. You remembered big fights but so many titles, divisions, lack of big fights and it all began to fell apart. Boxing was no longer the force it once was.

I look at combat like this. If I'm in the street and theres a bball game, some footie and a fight - where is the crowd going to be? The allure is there. You got two forms of competition - mental and physical. Combat is still the ultimate physical test. You have a mirror (human being with two arms and legs) trying to stop you succeed, not nature or a machine.

Nevertheless, I come to my point - this year has been sensational. More 50-50 fights then maybe any year since the 70s and prior.

Some shit in the pipeline...

Calzaghe-Kessler
PAC-MAB II
Hatton-Floyd
Taylor-Pavlik
Mormeck-Haye
Cotto-Mosley
Hell even the heavyweights are sorting their shit out

In just that little list you see six 50-50 fights but each with their own story. The true champ risking it all versus the dangerous mandatory, the old school rematch when the first fight should have left no doubts, the coming of one true king be it P4P or in a division and the young gun versus the vet in a crossroads fight!

2007 is shaping up to be something I'll tell my kids about! Enjoy it.

[Vantage_West]

i dont know i think there have been good boxing events all the time but the life blood has been the word champion...meaning winner,the best,top dog,the owner of the division....and then split them up?!

i personally dont mind belt orgs not as bad as they seem but now that boxing promoters are noticing that unifications are the big seller then we will really get moving.

on the wieght divisions i like them at the lower wieghts it segregates them. but light welter ,super middle ,super feather , cruiserwieghts are maybe the most exciting divisions. think about it a middlewieght that goes to light heavy he will not be the right build and size. there is a big differnece and super middlewieght leaves a place where boxers can fight at another wieght not to far form the original.so not to damage the skills and abilties but also alowing them to fight men who are willing to go down in wieght.

but apart from that... amen brother :amen

[Slothrop]

I've thought the same thing. This has been a great year for boxing.

[achillesthegreat]

Time to further prove the point. Browsed some sites are Mosley-Cotto, Tarver-Dawson and Maskaev-Peter are new fights to tickle your taste buds!!! It is July and boxing is getting 50-50 fights booked up until the end of the year.

[Jose FM]

Great year indeed!

[0-1]

You're absolutely right about this year; it just seems to be getting better and better!

[Slicknick56]

For me, post Ali, the game begun to die. It all became so business orientated i.e. how much can you earn, what division out of the 17 can you jump to, what will TV allow etc

The 80s was perhaps the final era, where despite being business orientated, fans mostly got what they wanted. Promoters and fighters couldn't totally take fans for a ride just yet. Generally Holmes dominated the division, as did Tyson, Leonard, Hagler, Duran and co all made sure the small fighters were making major moves that really defined careers. The cracks were there though and they were getting wider.

Boxing slowly began to fall into a coma. You remembered big fights but so many titles, divisions, lack of big fights and it all began to fell apart. Boxing was no longer the force it once was.

I look at combat like this. If I'm in the street and theres a bball game, some footie and a fight - where is the crowd going to be? The allure is there. You got two forms of competition - mental and physical. Combat is still the ultimate physical test. You have a mirror (human being with two arms and legs) trying to stop you succeed, not nature or a machine.

Nevertheless, I come to my point - this year has been sensational. More 50-50 fights then maybe any year since the 70s and prior.

Some shit in the pipeline...

Calzaghe-Kessler
PAC-MAB II
Hatton-Floyd
Taylor-Pavlik
Mormeck-Haye
Cotto-Mosley
Hell even the heavyweights are sorting their shit out

In just that little list you see six 50-50 fights but each with their own story. The true champ risking it all versus the dangerous mandatory, the old school rematch when the first fight should have left no doubts, the coming of one true king be it P4P or in a division and the young gun versus the vet in a crossroads fight!

2007 is shaping up to be something I'll tell my kids about! Enjoy it.

Max Kellerman once said the same thing. interesting.

agree with the post though.

[psychopath]

Best year in boxing since it began fading away?!?!

With the big names fighting each other this year . . . I believe this is true.:good

[Martini643]

2003 by far

[Toopretty]

I mean...boxing made new fans this year.. I mean you got casuals interested.. Good year for boxing period...all the match ups we wanted to see. Do you guys remember how long we were talking about Floyd/Hatton. I mean I cannot count the articles after the tsyu win..lol....this is the times we will remember in the future. Especially if there are upsets and close fights and the UNEXPECTED

[MSTR]

Great post. Has been an awesome year for boxing. Kess vs JC and Cotto vs Mosley are going to be unbeleivable fights. I can't wait. GO COTTO!!!!

[theunderdog]

yeah dude. 2007 is a killer year

[MSTR]

2003 by far
Why so?

[Martini643]

Why so?


I just remember being blown away by Lewis klitschko and gatti ward III

[Zakman]

I agree with the assertion that this has been a great year for boxing, but I am not sure that I agree that it began to "die" after Ali retired. Even the immediate post-Ali era had some great fighters - and fights - in the lower weight classes. One of the most exciting fights, which had a build-up as big for its time as Mayweather-DeLaHoya, was the first Leonard-Hearns fight. And who could forget the Hagler-Hearns war in the middle of the decade.

Shortly after this, you saw the rise of Tyson and the renaissance of the HWs, the comeback of Big George, Dougals's upset, the Holyfield-Bowe wars, the first Holyfield-Tyson fight etc. The 90s, particularly in the HW division, was a good period also. I think we overshoot a bit in contending that boxing has simply been on a straight decline since Ali retired. What is probably more accurate is that there have been peaks and valleys.

[theunderdog]

I just remember being blown away by Lewis klitschko and gatti ward III

gatti-ward 3 was good but below gatti-ward 1 IMO. i think 2003 aint got nothing on 2007. nothing!

[venbox]

I just remember being blown away by Lewis klitschko and gatti ward III

And you're forgetting Freitas-Barrios and Toney-Jirov, all 2003 fights. 2007 hasnt been bad, bu cant be compered to 2003, the last great year for boxing IMHO.

[Martini643]

And you're forgetting Freitas-Barrios and Toney-Jirov, all 2003 fights. 2007 hasnt been bad, bu cant be compered to 2003, the last great year for boxing IMHO.


:good thanks for bringing those to my attention

Toney-Jirov fucking classic

[Ambition_Def]

Post Ali-Fraizer the heavyweight division was still very much alive.

Tyson was a monumental disappointment in his return but Holyfield pulled it together. His epic battles with Riddick Bowe are far too overlooked on this forum. As well as pretty exciting matches with Cooper and Moorer.

I would infact put Holyfield-Bowe 1, 2 & 3 up there next to any of the big rivalries that happened in heavyweight history. All 3 matches lived up to their potential.

If you ask me the sport started to struggle when guys like Lennox Lewis came into the picture. Him, John Ruiz, Chris Byrd and some others, noteably those who mimic the shitty jab and grab styles or the duck and run styles.

It has only been maybe 2 decades where this has surfaced and the game has suffered. Even in the 80s when Tyson was pounding guys the other divisions were very compelling.

[jimmie]

Its been dam good id say. You got 2 guys about to unify 2 Heavyweight belts in Chaveg or whatever his name is ? and Ibragimov then theres Wlad who dominates everybody in front of him so the Heavyweight picture looks better in July 07 then it did in July 06 thats for sure. Was Floyd-Oscar a great fight ? NO but it did break the all time PPV records for ANY fight thats saying alot for a sport that supposebly noboddy cares about. The Mexican Featherweights once agian make us proud when MAB and JMM put on a fight with enough drama,toe to toe action,technique,and chess playing to satisfy any fan. We had a WAR with Bell and Mormeck setting up the 1st big Cruiserweight Trilogy in the future hopefully. We have got to see fights like Margarito-Williams,Pavlik-Miranda,Judah-Cotto,Marquez-Vasquez 1 and we all know 2 is going to be another barn burner,Corrales(RIP Bud)and Clottey and so many more sorry to forget any. Our good freind Ding Wilson gave us a KO which we may never ever forget how the fuck could you ? Scary KO. Some of the sports best fighters divison or p4p had the courage to step into the ring with each other MAB-JMM,Vasquez-Marquez,Mormeck-Bell 2,Wright-Hopkins,DLH-Mayweather,Freitas-Diaz,Hatton-Castillo got into the ring with each other some good some bad but give them credit for giving us the fights we wanted and hell theres still Vasquez-Marquez 2 in a week,MAB-Pacquiao 2,Pavlik-Taylor,Jones-Trinidad ? Vargas-Mayorga sure fights long overdue but better later then never,Calzaghe-Kessler,Mosley-Cotto probablly. This is a fine fine year that I dont see anyway it cant get even better with whats on tap.

[achillesthegreat]

I agree with the assertion that this has been a great year for boxing, but I am not sure that I agree that it began to "die" after Ali retired. Even the immediate post-Ali era had some great fighters - and fights - in the lower weight classes. One of the most exciting fights, which had a build-up as big for its time as Mayweather-DeLaHoya, was the first Leonard-Hearns fight. And who could forget the Hagler-Hearns war in the middle of the decade.

Shortly after this, you saw the rise of Tyson and the renaissance of the HWs, the comeback of Big George, Dougals's upset, the Holyfield-Bowe wars, the first Holyfield-Tyson fight etc. The 90s, particularly in the HW division, was a good period also. I think we overshoot a bit in contending that boxing has simply been on a straight decline since Ali retired. What is probably more accurate is that there have been peaks and valleys.
As I said, the 80s was still great but the points I mentioned were the 'cracks'. These cracks manifested into big gaping holes!

Tyson fought an average era where his real biggest challenge became a cruiserweight!!!

Tyson is what set everyone alight, not the division or any other fighters. He was one man all on his own. Fought often, unified and fought the best.

The 80s was still very good, it's the 90s were all the shit hit the fan.

[lillarry]

and credit HBO for putting most of these fights on HBO not HBO PPV. gives a chance for the casual fan to see some of the emerging stars for free.

[achillesthegreat]

and credit HBO for putting most of these fights on HBO not HBO PPV. gives a chance for the casual fan to see some of the emerging stars for free.
It is boxing as a whole. Showtime, Frank ******, Western European guys etc are all stepping up to the plate.