Comments Thread For: Why Doesn't Boxing Attract More Young Fans?

[jackblack008]

Because its a closed boys club which has too many belts and still the best never fights the best.

[Bunch Pag]

Because its a closed boys club which has too many belts and still the best never fights the best.

I would put that factor in why fans walk away/lose interest in the sport.

[Bronx23]

Some good points in this article and some extra in the comments..

My thoughts: It is what it is. I love the sport so much but I gave up on trying to convince others of how great it is. Not to mention all the times it has let me down or embarrassed itself with sh-,t fights & bs scorecards. Can't tell u how many times I've had friends over for a "big fight" only for it to be a dud, robbery, or total mismatch & hear them say " see boxing's rigged" "how can you still watch this?" "This is why I cant get into boxing"

Boxing's place in sports is gonna stay the same or get worse. Every now and again it'll have a short surge for a big event but that's about it. I just don't see it becoming as popular as it used to be.

As for me, I'll be here watching for as long as it's still going

[BadMedicin3]

Mayan belts, diamond champions, franchise champs and all the other bullsht probably turns them off

[Citizen Koba]

I think the perception of boxing aimed towards the youngsters is the notion of discipline.

It's like, oh, there's an angry child, let's take him along to the local boxing club to get that energy and anger out and help put some discipline into him. Many a boxers when you hear the stories of early childhood and how they got into it are pretty similar.

Of course people get involved at early ages due to family members etc.

Is it possible for schools to afford/bring in the right coaches who can give the right advice and teach the art of boxing rather than give them a pair of gloves and let them knock the shizer out of each other?

Most sports you can do within walking distance out of your front door, on the streets, at the park etc and they are free.. Boxing clubs are few and far between round my parts.

I also think there's a stigmata towards boxing.

All good points. I ain't sure where you're from, but I think one reason why boxing is flourishing - at least relatively - in the UK is perhaps because of easier access to clubs and facilities. Also of course official support for the amateur sport makes a huge difference and we're still seeing the benefits of the push given for the London Olympics here.

Oh... and it's stigma, by the way. Stigmata are something very different. But I imagine that is a very real issue in some countries, especially the US where boxing is maybe seen as the sport of blacks and Hispanics and the majority white suburban population is hugely underrepresented. Ain't gonna pretend I got particular insight in that regard though so I could be wrong.

[PeterPancakes]

Young fans?

Boxing DOES attract young fans...young. black thugs, to be exact...

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Wrestling is pretty big now in high schools. Boxing gotta do a better job pushing it in high schools but boxing has a greed problem and likes to eat its own mentally.

Very true.

Didn't know that about wrestling, though.

That's very cool!

[Nash out]

Boxing is an individual sport, and should be compared in terms of popularity to other individual sports, Tennis, Golf, F1 (I know F1 has teams standing standings, but it's mostly about the driver as far as public perception goes, etc.

In football, Basketball, other UK/US sports, people supports a team and stick with that team often for life, by following that team for life, you have to follow the league on the whole, and you just stick with it. Boxing is different, if someone likes one guy, then they retire, then they might just lose interest in boxing because their guy has gone, like many did with Iron Mike Tyson, and many others through the years.

Boxing is a hardcore fans sport. I love boxing, I love the science of it, I love that some guys are willing to go way and above and beyond what they would normally do in normal life just to win a fight in the ring. I love the individual pride attached to them, even if it all comes across as ego, I just admire it.

I love the different styles of fighters, I just love boxing, period. Another thing boxing gets unfairly judged on is that if a big fight isn't a classic to watch, then people act like it doesn't matter, but we still get to see who wins the fight, it does matter.

But it's different when say a team wins a champions league final or a world cup final in a poor game to watch, they still get massive credit, but in boxing it's, guy was running though, guy was hugging though, etc, etc.

Anyway, I love boxing, it's my favorite sport and I'm with it for life. It's giving me moments of wow that no other sport ever could. Like when Fury rose from the floor in R12 in Wilder 1, when Groves flattened Froch in R1. Rungvisai beating Roman, Ruiz vs Joshua, just a few examples off the top of my head off recent times.

A great fight sticks with you for life. I love football in the UK. But a great game might stick with me for 1 weekend, but boxing is more than that, it gets into your soul.

[Thuglife Nelo]

people don’t want to hear this, but Canelo and Ryan Garcia are the two world figures that excel boxing.

Canelo is the overall people’s champ from fans around the world, various ages. Any boxing gym in the world fulfilling youngsters and the trainers know Canelo is a badman.

Ryan Garcia is young and has carried a huge teen following. All Ryan gotta do is keep winning and after 15 years let’s see if GBP brings another Hispanic stud. Cali, Texas, most young Hispanic fans follow the guy. Pride too.

The formula is there for other dem0graphics to copy. GBP are the best thing for boxing. Good thing Fischer is doing Ring and affiliated to GBP by bias. Important things

[Ant1979]

You've got 'Primary Socialisation' (parental encouragement) on one side of the scale and 'identifying as a toaster' at the other.

In between there's hundreds of reasons that are a reflection of modern day society.

Boxing doesn't seem to want to help itself though. Where other sports have well placed plans for future growth/investment; commercial interests in boxing have always prioritised 'cashing out' more than 'paying in.'

Every World governing body should have strategic plans with significant funding put aside for boosting growth at all levels. But where are they and how do you get them all to agree/invest on a level playing field? In other words, who governs and regulates them?

This is just one of the many problems boxing faces. There's lots of businesses that masquerade as sports but boxing is in a league of it's own with it's politics and dodgy scorecards.

For a sport that often gets it wrong with 9/10 bouts being woefully predictable it's a good job that when it does get it right, nothing comes close for excitement and drama!