Hopkins Turns 47, Worries About Sport’s Future

[Mr. Fantastic]

He's worried about the sport that he hurts it as much as others?

Look at his last fight with Dawson. He played the system and the fans. He's part of the wrong.

[Enzo Mc is SHIT]

What annoys me about Hopkins is the constant focus on race. It doesn't matter.

[MRBOOMER]

The "football excuse" is played out. America has merely declined as a world power, and the rest of the world is catching up. The decline is reflected in sports. America used to rule men's tennis, too, and it doesn't anymore. And presumably not because all the best men's tennis players are playing in the NFL.

It's just the march of history. Nobody dominates forever.

I wouldnt so much say it's cause they caught I think a lot of it has to do with Americans being so fragile and once something's loses it's interest they move or don't care theyve been doing it so long and dominating and the next new thing is there so they wanna dominate that. That and some of the other countries in the world are going threw what Americas ******s and past went threw and they trying to get out they hungry America just ain't hungry no more.

[White_Knight]

Why do you think there are a high number of Asian champions in the lower weight classes, a high number of Europeans in the higher weight classes, but few Asian or White champions in the middle division? Because Asians are generally shorter than Americans, and Europeans are generally taller than them.

Average male heights:

Phillipines: 5' 4.5"
Vietnam: 5' 5"
Japan: 5' 7.5"
America: 5' 10"
Germany: 5' 11.5"
Netherlands: 6' 0.5"
Former Yugoslavia: 6' 1"



Shorter people tend to weight less and will therefore fight in the lighter divisions. Taller people tend to weight more and will therefore fight in the heavier division.

[nomadman]

probably football. But it all depends on if he would be brought to a boxing gym or not in his youth. Chances are, he wouldn't because there is a serious lack of boxing gyms today.

Frazier was one of the least athletic champions in recent memory. He became what he became due to guts, grit and hard work, not on his ability to throw a ball through a hoop or run a 40 yard dash in 4 seconds.

[Walt Liquor]

Well by your way of thinking we are discussing the best "athletes", not boxers.

Americans are dominant in big three which are baseball, basketball and American football.

Americans are typically the best boxers.

An American has dominated the Tour de France.

An American has dominated Olympic swimming.

For years Americans have dominated Olympic track and field.

The greatest golfers are Americans.

Hockey and soccer just have never been that popular in America. They are niche sports here.

But your notion that other countries have "caught up" is rather weak. The Klitschkos are the only dominant Europeans in the sport of boxing. Many believe that there success is due to a few factors:

1 - No competition. The division is dead.

2 - They are giants in a division that has seldom been occupied by such tall men.

3 - Wlad has been defeated by men that were journeymen. He just never quit boxing. Vitali wasn't active for quite some time. Who were the best that they defeated?

4 - the only real chance that most Europeans have are at heavyweight because there is no limit. That means that a 7 foot, 350lb man can box a 5'10, 210lb man and it be legitimate.

This is exactly why you seldom see European champions doing well in other weight classes other than HW. The ones that do have longevity are usually the ones who hide out in their own neck of the woods for the majority of their careers like Calzaghe and Michalczewski. Looks like Bute is doing the SAME exact thing.

Notice that other non-Americans like Pacquiao always seek weaker opponents and will not face the top guys like Mayweather. Instead, Pacquiao has chosen to fight 6 guys that were coming off career losses. Even earlier on when Raheem defeated Morales after Morales defeated Pacquiao, both opted to avoid Raheem.

Martinez has exactly TWO wins worth mentioning in his entire career. He will NOT face anyone like an Andre Ward because he knows better.

Kostya Tszyu intentionally priced himself out of a Mayweather fight when he demanded a 60/40 split.

Lennox Lewis waited until both Tyson and Holyfield were shot to get in the ring with them. Tyson was in prison. Holyfield had heart problems.

Who is the non-American cream of the crop?

Pacquiao .. who can't even decisively beat Marquez and needed a catchweight to do as well as he did?

Or is it Martinez who is still riding the fumes off of his win over Williams?

Could it be Froch or Kessler .. both who were outclassed by America's Ward?

Or possibly some of you think is Michael Katsidis from Australia?

Its like a few of you said ... the big guys would rather go to the NFL or NBA rather than pro boxing. Its just a fact.

When one looks at those sports on a pro and collegiate level and sees mostly Black faces, it tells the story through the numbers, not through childish opinions.

this could be one the worst posts in history.

one point, non americans seek weaker opponents...lol, what a buffoon. you mean guys like carl froch and marcos maidana are always seeking weaker comp while guys like floyd are alsways seeking the best challenges out there huh?

[Mr. Philadel]

What annoys me about Hopkins is the constant focus on race. It doesn't matter.

since when?!?....

[BetterCallSaul]

Just like all the English HW's are playing Rugby, all the German HW's are attending Hesselhoff concerts, and all the Australian HW's are out catching crocodiles.

Or maybe you should stop making excuses!

[Dirk Diggler UK]

I worry about the future of boxing if you continue to fight.

[ИATAS]

Why do you think there are a high number of Asian champions in the lower weight classes, a high number of Europeans in the higher weight classes, but few Asian or White champions in the middle division? Because Asians are generally shorter than Americans, and Europeans are generally taller than them.

Average male heights:

Phillipines: 5' 4.5"
Vietnam: 5' 5"
Japan: 5' 7.5"
America: 5' 10"
Germany: 5' 11.5"
Netherlands: 6' 0.5"
Former Yugoslavia: 6' 1"



Shorter people tend to weight less and will therefore fight in the lighter divisions. Taller people tend to weight more and will therefore fight in the heavier division.

The average height of NBA players is 6' 6-6'7, and 221 pounds. The average height of the NFL is 6'3, although it totally depends on the position and the average weight is 245 pounds.

I don't know why this is so hard for people to grasp. If you have millions of kids going into football and basketball and they never step foot in a boxing gym, those potential boxers are removed from the talent pool.

No one is making any excuses, again I can careless who dominates the heavyweight division, but facts are facts. Over 20 years ago there were well over 150 boxing gyms in New York City. Now there are about 5 or so. Again this is factual:

Just 20 years ago, more than 150 gyms were scattered throughout the five boroughs. Today there are fewer than 10.

Let that sink in for a second. 150 gyms to less than 10 in a 20 year span.

And that's in New York City. There are many cities in america that have 0 boxing gyms now.

Consider that, then consider there are an estimated 41 million kids playing football, basketball, baseball, tennis & track.

Additionally the incentive for going into football or basketball is much better for kids, because you can get full or partial scholarships to Universities. It is extremely rare, almost impossible, to get any kind of boxing scholarship.