Boxing: The World's #1 Sport?

We are starting to get a little sick of the unfounded notion that boxing is a slowly "dying sport." 

It seems to be the popular phrase used by anyone who has seen about five fights in their lifetime or wants to sound like they have an idea of what the hell they are talking about when it comes to boxing (which in fact it proves their ignorance).  

Although it was the Ancient Greeks who first implemented fist throwing as a competitive sport, doing battle with the appropriately designed clubs at the end of our arms comes natural to humans, and could without a doubt, be traced back to the earliest men that walked the earth.

Because of the deep-rooted innate tendency for putting up our dukes, the sport of boxing has become a widespread global attraction to competitors and fans alike.  

For instance, of the 68 titles awarded by the four main alphabet organizations, only 13 were held by American boxers at the end of 2007.

The current Champions' origins span the entire atlas, reigning from countries such as Ukraine, France, Germany, Canada, United States, Great Britain, Cuba, Dominican republic, Armenia, Thailand, Ghana, Panama, Indonesia, South Africa, Hungary, Australia, Phillipines, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Japan, Venezuela and Uzbekistan. And that is just the current champs, not including current prospects, top fighters or past champions from various countries around the world.

We were intrigued by the fact that South America had only one champion in the mix (and no other fighters that we could name of the top of our heads), so we did some research and instantly located two all-time greats. 

Ed Jofre, from Brazil, is considered to be the greatest bantamweight of all time and made Ring magazine's 80 greatest fighters of the past 80 years (#19). Luis Firpo (see right), from Argentina, was the first Latin American to challenge for the heavywieght title (against Jack Dempsey) and named to Ring Magazine's 100 greatest fighters.

After a few more internet searches it became apparent that this can be done with nearly any major nation. Pick one, and you will find a former champion or a well-known great fighter.

So we challenge, find us a player who can skate like the wind from South America, Mexico, or Puerto Rico.  Find us a someone who can jack one out of Comerica Park in Uzbekistan or Ukraine. Show us a the next coming of M.J. from Indonesia or Thailand. What about a football player from... ah yes, only in America.  Of all the major spectator sports, it would seem that boxing spans the globe like no other.

But wait (you might say), what about soccer?

Writer Chuck Klosterman had an interesting take on the recent rise in the popularity of soccer: "Soccer fanatics love to tell you that soccer is the most popular game on earth and it's played by 500 million people every day, as if that somehow proves its value. Actually the opposite is true. Why should I care that every single citizen in Chile, Iran, and Gibraltar thoughtlessly adores "football"? Do the people making this argument also assume Coca-Cola is ambrosia. Real sports aren't for everyone." (see full article)

Although Kolsterman's article is entertaining, we think the real answer to the soccer question can be summed up with one word: America. It has yet to capture the American audience, possibly the most important market in the world. Professional boxing accomplished this nearly a century ago.

Since then, dying is the last thing that boxing has been doing in the recent years. Pay-Per-View all-time sales records have been smashed, and then smashed again by major boxing events, still garnering more single event views than any UFC/Elite XC/MMA fight or WWE extravaganza. 

The single greatest selling attraction of all-time Pay-Per-View sales - The Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya.

We would argue that the only other single sporting event that would receive as many buys as major boxing events, is the SuperBowl (in America that is).  We find it very hard to believe that someone would pay $59.99 to watch the NBA FInals if their team wasn't in it, and the same goes for the Stanley Cup or the World Series (and that's the finals and not just one game, but seven).

So, with the country's dismal financial state, how is that we can afford to pay the $54.99 in higher volume than ever before, to watch an event that may end in 35 seconds? The answer is simple. 

Boxing is the greatest sport in the world.

De La Hoya's Finale

The Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, has given up his search to replace the vacant corner left open from the recent retirement of Floyd Mayweather.  After being turned down by Ricky Hatton, Golden Boy Promotions has decided to cancel the bout entirely.

December 6th will be the last time we see The Golden Boy inside the ring.  Miguel Cotto has been named as a possible opponent in what should be high-scaled match on all proportions. 

Hatton Declines Golden Boy Fight

According to BBC Sports, Ricky The Hitman Hatton, was approached by Golden Boy Promotions with an offer to fill Floyd Mayweather's newly vacant spot for the September match-up against Oscar Oscar De La Hoya.  However, The Hitman declined. 

"It would be to soon, Richard has only fought two weeks ago" said Ray Hatton, the father and manager of the IBO light welterweight champ.  

It seems that Hatton's camp is content with taking the shot at collecting another belt from the IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi in the fall.  And we can't blame him for not taking it, which would force him to move up in weight against a game fighter like De La Hoya on such short notice.  

De La Hoya's camp was no doubt looking for the largest payday in sight, taking into consideration Ricky's cult following and the pay-per-view/ticket sales from his previous fights.

The search for an opponent worth watching continues for The Golden Boy.

This American Life: Boxing

The popular non-fiction public radio show-turned-hit Showtime series, This American Life, gives the public an in depth look into the interesting saga that is real life.  Each episode conveys a theme and uses that as the underlying backdrop for the segments. 

A recently-aired episode followed two journeyman club fighters through their struggles to stay afloat financially and maintain a "regular" life, while still pursuing their dream.  The fighters, Marteze Logan (26-32-2, Ko's 6) and Anthony Bowman (9-29-2, Ko's 2), have made their less- than-stellar careers by, basically becoming opponents for other rising stars who are on their way to the top. (These are the kind of guys who are found somewhere within the first ten bouts of a highly touted prospect; between the two of them, they have losses to Paul Williams, Steve Forbes, Hector Camacho jr. and Cornelius K9 Bundrage) 

In this interesting look into the tale of two professional boxers who, like so many others in the sport, will never be recognized outside of their rural cities, we get the chance to see one of them finally succeed (on a small level, but succeed none the less).  The episode comes to a conclusion when these two meet in the ring for the Mid-South welterweight belt in Memphis, Tenn.

Catch the episode on Showtime On Demand or on regular circulation on any of the Showtime stations.

Paul Williams Vs. Carlos Quintana II Recap

Last night Paul The Punisher Williams displayed the skill that had so many people gushing over him after his victory over Antionio Margarito for the WBO welterweight crown.  

Perhaps the last time these two met, Carlos Quintana caught Paul Williams on an off-night, because it was clear who the better fighter was from the sound of the first bell. Williams pounced on Quintana, landing crisp punches at will (a crispness he lacked in the previous fight).  See highlights

Two minutes in to the bout Quintana was quickly acquainted with the canvas and came to the realization that he had lost his WBO belt in less than three minutes (that he held for only one fight).

After the fight, Williams named the three big money names in the welterweight division for his next opponent - Margarito (who he already beat once), Cotto, and The Golden Boy, any of which will be a great fight.

Main Event: Sergio Mora has a great chin and no punching power which tends to lead to a fairly boring match when he is involved (can't KO anyone and rarely gets hurt).  His title fight with Vernon Forrest played out along the same lines as usual, however Mora showed enough elusiveness and skill to take a majority decision and claim the WBO junior middle weight title.