Sunday, May 24, 2009

Why is Boxing Slowly Dying? And Can it Be Saved?

In the first half of the 20th Century there were 3 "Major" sports: baseball, horse racing, and boxing. Horse racing and boxing are slowing dying, and boxing, more than horse racing, has done it to itself. Last century, the most prestigious individual sports title -- as well as the most famous athlete -- was usually the heavyweight boxing champion. Quick -- name the current heavyweight champion. OK, as most of you know, there has not been only one heavyweight champion on a consistent basis for 30 years, but that is the point. Do the names Ruslan Chagaev (from Uzbekistan, WBA), Samuel Peter (Nigerian, WBC), and Wladimir Klitschko (Ukrainian, IBF & WBO) ring a bell (no pun intended)?

There used to be 8 World Champions -- ya know, 8 weight classes -- 8 World Champions. Makes sense. Everyone knew the heavyweight champion, sports fans could also name the middleweight champion, and serious boxing fans could name all 8 World Champions. Now there are 17 weight classes and 4 organizations for a possible 68 World Champions. There is close to that number of World Champions at any given time and most of the "Champions" in the same weight class have never fought each other. Sounds like a brilliant way to run a sport. Now, admittedly, you do not have to be smart to be a boxer, but do the people running the sport have to be that dumb?

There are numerous stars in each of the other sports who are well known, especially in American Football, MLB, basketball, and soccer/football (either worldwide or in the country where that athlete plays). The difference is that these athletes compete on a regular basis AND do it in front of large crowds AND huge non-paying television audiences. The fans have lots of opportunities to become familiar with them -- through the sporting events and the constant media coverage of these events. Boxers do not compete often enough to develop 68 stars. There are a lot of reasons that boxing is dying, however, having numerous "fake champions" that no one ever has heard of -- is the number one reason. It is clear as day (even Mike Tyson -- perhaps with Leon Spinks's help -- could figure it out) and for the last 30 years no one has done anything about it.

For sake of completeness, here are some other theories (not all mine) as to why boxing it dying:

1. Gambling and corruption (admittedly, this always existed, of course; however, Don King made it more prevalent, gave it more publicity, and made it even more annoying).

2. Too much time between fights.

3. The fights that the public really want to see either never happen or we get them several years too late.

4. All the big fights have to be paid for on pay per view (did you pay $60 to watch the Super Bowl?).

5. Current boxing champions lack charismatic personalities.

6. The promoter rips off the boxer after the boxer has done most of the hard work and received the life- threatening physical punishment ("pimp-ho relationship").

7. The best athletes no longer go into boxing because of the physical toll it takes on them (with Ali's physical condition a constant sad reminder). As a result, today's boxers are not as exciting to watch.

8. Today's society's objection to boxing's violence and occasional deaths (although given the popularity of MMA/UFC this is probably not a very good argument).

That gives us 10 reasons (too many weight classes and sanctioning bodies being the other 2) -- that is a lot of reasons -- with several of them being significant problems. So, how can boxing clean up this mess and save itself from its slow death? Well, it will not be easy and it might never happen. However, not surprisingly, I have a few suggestions.

First, get one worldwide sanctioning body to run the sport. I do not have a solution on how to force this to happen, however, I do know that boxing will never be popular again until this is done. Second, whittle the number of weight classes down to 10 (12 at the most). The new champion is forced to fight the number 1 ranked contender FIRST and within 6 months of winning the title. If he wins, then he has to fight the fight the number 2 contender next and within 6 months of the last fight. Meanwhile the disposed-of World Champion has to fight the number 3 contender (if he does not retire) within 6 months, with the winner becoming the new number 2 contender (since there will be a loser from the first fight I mentioned). (OK, so this is not perfect, but something has to be done so that the best fighters quit ducking each other and boxing fans get to see the best fighters fight each other.) In addition, the champion will never be allowed to fight someone NOT ranked in the top 5 unless he has beaten all the top 5 contenders, then that fighter has to ranked in top 10. You get the idea.

All boxer-manager contracts have to be approved by the sanctioning body, and the contract must adhere to the guidelines and rules (with limits on the percentage of money a manager can receive) which were previously set by the sanctioning body.

All Championship Bouts will have a 10 round maximum -- this will increase the amount of action per round. All bouts will have at least 5 judges and the Championship Bouts will have 9 judges. Replace the ten point must system with a 3 (or 5) point must system and encourage the referees to give more 2 point differentials when they score the bout (some 3-1 scores as opposed to all 3-2 scores). Appeals of decisions of bouts will be allowed within reason and 9 new judges will re-score the fight. (OK, so this is not perfect either, but something has to be done to get rid of, or at least limit, all the corruption in boxing.)

Only Championships Bouts will be on pay-per-view, all other bouts will be on cable and network television (with the exception of the opening acts on the pay-per-view events, all of which must be bouts that determine who will next fight for the Championship in a particular weight class). This might not be ideal either, but at least boxing fans will get their money's worth (especially since there will be only 10 World Champions instead of 60).

I am sure there are more reasons as to why boxing is dying and more possible solutions to boxing's problems. And these suggestions might not solve all of boxing's problems and prevent it from dying a slow death, but at least they will take boxing off life support that it is currently on.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Hauser

Ballogou - "The African Assassin" - Getting it Done in Church

Hidden down several flights of steps in Downtown New York City you will find Church Street Boxing Gym and with its true old school feel Church Street is unlike the traditional gyms that you find in New York City. From the moment you enter Church Street you sense ones dedication and love of boxing with its thousands of boxing photos and posters stuck to the walls many yellowed from age. From the pounding of the heavy bags, the lightning quick claps from the speed bags and the grunts from the boxers sparring in the ring you know you have reached boxing heaven. Every day sweating in the over 100 degree heat down in the basement of Church Street you will find what may be the one person who at the age of 40 years old still believes he has a championship run left in him. Jaffa Ballogou who has been out of boxing for over two years now, he last fought on June 16, 2006 beating Lawrence Chapman by unanimous decision. In that bout Ballogou floored Chapman 5 times. Ballogou has achieved a 45 - 6 record winning 39 by knockout in his 20 year professional career.

Upon entering the gym you will notice Ballogou right away he is one of the hardest working boxers down there focusing on getting ready for his comeback which is planned for September 23rd. He will face Manu Ntoh in a scheduled 8 round bout at the Hammerstein Ballroom on 34th Street in NYC. The bout will be part of Knock out Poverty which is a landmark event to help fight poverty in Africa that is planned for that evening. With fierce determination and concentration the lean six foot Ballogou blocks out his past struggles and applies all his energy to his workout with trainer Rafael Correa by his side. Correa, a former boxer himself says Ballogou is in terrific shape and is training very hard.

Back in 1997 Ballogou fought Frankie Liles for the WBA Super Middleweight title, Ballogou who lost that bout by unanimous decision to this day still believes he won. Ballogou describes the bout with Liles as the toughest of his career. Fast forward eleven years and you will still find Ballogou training like his next fight will be for the championship. He is feared by many in the light heavyweight division for his knockout abilities and his southpaw style. This along with promotional problems has caused Ballogou difficulty in finding fights keeping him out of the ring for two years. Ballogou is inspired by the success of the aging light heavyweights Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson and Roy Jones Jr. all who are 39 years old to help fuel his comeback. Ballogou is predicting a 3rd round knockout of Ntoh on September 23rd. With Ballogou's 75 percent knockout rate one can not argue the point.

Actually, The African Assassin fears no one in the ring and says bring them on he will face anyone anywhere. Ballogou has had his share of opportunity fighting in the Mecca of boxing Madison Square Garden and under the big lights in Las Vegas. He has faced some tough opponents including the likes of Ike Quartey early in his career and Syd Vanderpool a former champion from Canada. That is all past history for Ballogou who now is just concentrating on getting ready for September 23rd. Ballogou says he does not know much about his opponent Manu Ntoh (17-14,10KOs) who is also 40 years old and is a multiple World Muay Thai Champion. Jaffa Ballogou "The African Assassin" is ready to get into the ring and start his new drive towards the big stage.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Epstein

The Magic Man Makes Promises to Tear Up the Hitman

Paulie "The Magician" or "Magic Man" Malignaggi has a pretty face as well as skills. His punches pack about as much voltage as an alcopop but all that rapid-fire jabbing manipulates his opponents into positions where he can kill them on points.

Paulie has strong legs that maneuver him away from his opponents so that he rarely gets hit, protecting his pretty boy face. That is, until the title fight against Miguel Cotto who is in the possession of fists that are probably registered as lethal weapons in some states. Cotto fractured the Magic Man's orbital and left spectators wondering in shock and horror if Malignaggi would be able to keep his eye.

This incident did nothing to stop the Magic Man's mouth.

"If Manny Pacquiao wants to get that ass whooping, once I'm done with Ricky, I will gladly tear that a** up all over the place," Malignaggi said. "Tell Manny to stop disrespecting the Magic Man, stop saying you want to fight Ricky because Ricky is not getting by the Magic Man. If he wants to fight a junior-welterweight, once I beat Ricky's a** I will gladly tear his ass up all over the place." If nothing else can be said it is clear that Malignaggi has a fixation with "tearing up a**".

I am deviously planning ways to get to Las Vegas for the super-fight at the MGM on November 22nd where Paulie Malignaggi will defend the IBF junior welterweight title against Ricky "Hitman" Hatton.

Hatton fights are never boring. Hatton's crushing KO loss to Floyd Mayweather is not the end. Maybe Ricky needs to spend less time on the stage doing stand-up at benefit dinners and work himself in the ring until he has a major epiphany and starts doing things that no one has done before. Hatton has it in him.

I'm not alone. Emanuel Steward, former trainer of Lennox Lewis and Thomas Hearns, defended Hatton in the Mayweather fight: "I've seen that happen to a boxer before. They get too excited and over-anxious and that moves on down the line to their performance. Ricky Hatton is a very brave fighter who went in there and got careless. Why did he get careless? I think he was too wired up. He wanted to fight for the crowd and a crowd can work against you just as they can work for you. This crowd worked against him. A boxer has to have controlled aggression and I didn't see enough of that from Hatton's corner. I saw naked, crude aggression."

In an interview with boxingtalk.com Malignaggi had more lip:

"I wouldn't be surprised if I knocked Ricky Hatton out. It's something that people are going to read and think I'm ridiculous, but if you look beyond what you see with naked eye, every time he gets hit clean he's hurt. He cannot take a punch. To the head, to the body, I've been saying this for years.

He cannot take a punch and that's why he fights the way he does. He's always looking to hold because he's trying to prevent his opponents from extending their punches so they can get maximum power on them."

Maybe Malignaggi has true heart and maybe his ego is bruised by the unimpressive UK fight against Lovermore N'Dou. In the eighth round of the fight against N'Dou the Magic Man broke his hand in the sixth and then had to make his hair extensions do a disappearing act which failed to impress the British public.

Malignaggi explained: "I have a broken middle metacarpal, basically the bone behind the right knuckle is broken. I have a cast on at the moment, and I have to go through the healing process but November is plenty of time away and I'll be ready for the fight with Hatton."

The Hitman appears to be keeping quiet, laying in wait, stockpiling ammunition for the big MGM fight in Las Vegas. Hatton is not giving anything away. He is keeping the Magician in his sights while Malignaggi tires himself out with a smoke and mirrors display coupled with excessive bursts of hot air. Be there in Las Vegas when the Hitman puts Malignaggi's mouth where it belongs.



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