THREATENING SHADOW OVER THE SUNNYS SIDE OF BOXING: THE VOICE OF BOXING SAYS BOXING MUST RETURN TO TERRESTRIAL TV - WITHOUT BOXING BEING TELECAST TV COMPANIES, BOXERS AND PROMOTERS ARE ALL LOSERS
In recent articles on Boxing Action we have expressed concerns at the lack of innovations within boxing that would allow the business/sport to keep abreast of new creative introductions once seen in football (soccer,) now clearly visible in cricket, and Formula 1 motor racing.
In the recent Football World Cup Series that was an obvious waning of quality playing and interest despite desperate propaganda attempts to pretend all was well and there are no problems.
There are problems in football (soccer) and one indicative illustration was the emphasis away from the World Cup football played to the praise for the staging by South Africa of the World Cup.
For the more aware observers this was not missed.
Football (soccer) in Europe is crying out for a European style Premier League. Why on earth, football soccer) Chairman fail to demand this change defies explanation but it will eventually come
The English Premier Football League will always be won, at most, by one of seven clubs able to afford mega wages and transfer fees of the best players.
Based on this statement of fact why should players that have may cost as much as £30-40 millions pounds each and are paid anything between £100,000 to £200,00 each week risk playing these extremely high cost players against team that attract 25,000 spectators when they for a similar risk they could play teams before crowds of 70,000+ paying customers and have a shorter and less demanding season?
Added to this dilemma is it takes less time to fly to parts of Europe than it does to travel by road from the South to the North of England.
England will have grave difficulty in winning the World Cup again unless the number of matches they play annually is reduced.
The answer for football (soccer) in Europe is a European league.
The only genuine attempt to introduce worthwhile new incentives into boxing has been by the WBC (as usual) and that is there introduction of a Diamond Belt and Silver Belt Championship Belt.
Showtime is also seen as a leader by introducing their World Boxing Classic.
Conversely the totally negative appalling attempt by a tiny but powerful section of boxing to rid the business/sport of sanctioned World boxing championships and the ludicrous and confusing attempt by International Boxing Association, formerly named Amateur International Boxing Association, while their logo remain AIBA, to come-up with the completely exaggerated name of World Amateur Boxing Series (WABS) , hardly qualify as being creative.
The IBA ‘world’ WABS is confined to just 12 capital cities. A small ‘world’ and even smaller thinking!
The Voice of Boxing is convinced that promoters and terrestrial TV companies have to get together to make boxing a feature of terrestrial TV, So far, this has eluded settlement by agreement and is highly detrimental to boxing. This must change
Boxers and promoters have to realise that HBO has put a foot outside the exit door by stating they have pulled-out of heavyweight boxing.
With Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather about to perform their last boxing acts, how long will it be before the interest in boxing of HBO is lost in the remaining weight divisions in which they still have an interest.
If this reason alone fails to alert the ringing of alarm bells then nothing will penetrate switched-off boxing minds of promoters and boxers.
Without boxing being telecast terrestrial TV companies, boxers , thie mamagement and boxing promoters are all losers.
In the losing list giant cable companies like HBO and PPV companies may also be added t because without superstar boxers the giant cable companies and PPV distributors have no interest.
It is always better to have a half of loaf than none; so, if this means boxers are only able to be paid lower purses then that it is the market price and they either take it or leave it. Those that refuse it will gain nothing. This that accept will gain something.
As bopxong manager the late ‘Doc’ Kearns said to boxer the late Harry Mathews many years ago if you have me as your manager you will make 50% without me you will make 100% of nothing – make your choice.
Harry wisely chose the 50%.
When he signed with ‘Doc’s management he had lost 2 fights out of seven included one TKO.
Under ‘Doc’s’ guidance he was was undefeated for six year and his first loss was a big money fight against Rocky Marciano, which lasted 2 rounds.
With ‘Doc’ in his corner he won 83 fights, lost five and had 6 drawn contests,. He lost 3 by KO including the loss to Rocky Marciano..
We, at Boxing Action believe there is little to be gained in complaining without revealing a possible remedy to a problem where it be big or small. Our belief is problems facing boxing are anything but small.
Therefore we suggest that a special series of championships are devised and with the co-operation of terrestrial these championships should be inaugurated at a cost that terrestrial TV companies are able to afford.
Before satellite TV became possible fortunes were made by boxers who appeared regularly on terrestrial TV. Therefore, why is it not possible for boxers today to accrue worthwhile purses from terrestrial TV companies?
It is possible and boxers who reveal special talents will then graduate into the wider and larger realm of true World championships and be paid accordingly.
After the extremely disappointing World Cup football (soccer) series, there is evidence that all is not well within World football (soccer) and the quality of past years is waning, some would say missing.
Boxing promoters must take advantage of this situation and allow boxing to return to its former high place as a popular sport. Boxing Action believes this would be best achieved by putting boxing back onto terrestrial TV screens.
Fortunately the four recognised professional sanctioning organisations have become aware that for boxing to have 68 World boxing champions matches is almost equal to the pathetic IBA World Amateur Boxing Series, and serious talks are taking place to overcome this implausible situation.
Boxing needs enlarged thinking to deliver creatve concepts that fulfill demand. ~
