What has happened to boxing?

[ramoth]

Dec 18, 2009 13:02:13 GMT -6 phdigger said:

I've been having a hard time even getting a conversation started with people about Pavlik. I guess some people really only pay any attention at all when there is a big heavyweight fight. But personally, I like the middleweight divisions better.

A big heavyweight fight or the latest celebrity fight.
I'm with you, I don't much care for the heavyweights but I recognize their importance to the sport.
IMO, in America the sport is doing fine but an American heavyweight champion would do wonders for boxing.

Boxing right now is a niche sport that quietly moves along between big events. When Pacquiao/Cotto gets closer the sport will get more attention.

Getting people to talk about Pavlik might be a little easier if he were facing an opponent worth talking about and didn't blatantly duck his best challenger.
Twice he bailed on Williams citing staph infections and now he is fighting Espino two weeks after the date he was supposed to fight Williams.

[phdigger]

Couldn't agree more about Pavlik. It's pretty obvious he wanted nothing to do with Williams.

[phdigger]

So now the mega fight may not happen. What are the thoughts on the drug testing? Legit or tactic?

[ramoth]

A ploy to keep the fight in the news.

Floyd has a history making ridiculous demands trying to change the rules for one fight, if this really does turn out to be a deal breaker it's on Floyd imo.

First, boxing already has drug tests and they are fighting in Vegas under the jurisdiction of the Nevada Athletic Commission which is possibly the best in the country.
They bust cheaters all the time, just caught Julio Cesar Chavez jr using a masking agent in a fight that was on the undercard of Pac/Cotto. Considering his lineage and drawing power I'm sure JCCjr has plenty of financial resources that can be used to avoid such an embarrassment and they still caught him. Pacquiao was getting tested on the same day by the same athletic commission and he didn't get in trouble.
Second, Pacquiao already agreed to extra testing for this fight(which he never should have done imo).

Now Floyd wants Olympic style drug testing which allows agents to show up at his home at any time of the day or night.

Floyd will be upset if Pac really does drop the fight and he has to fight an actual welterweight.

I doubt that is going to happen though, the promoters just want to keep this fight in the media.

[bluetiger76]

I really miss boxing. Wide World of Sports, CBS, an occasional HBO, and of course the club fighting on ESPN in the early 80's. And the dreaded "closed curcuit" fights

[ros151]

Yesterday's closed curcuit fights are todays PPVs

[ros151]

Just found out this week, their may be a show in Toledo in april. Nothing set in stone, will post more details as soon as I get the info.