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.



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