Why Should I Still Care About Boxing?

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(ThyBlackMan.com) Scanning my usual channels last night I happened upon an ESPN crawl (you know the latest news and stats that crawl across the bottom of your television screen whenever you watch ESPN or ESPN 2) when I noticed an upcoming Friday Night Fight between Glenn Johnson (you know him,the guy who beat Roy Jones, Jr. during Jones’ prime. Ok, the first guy to beat Roy during his prime.) and some dude who’s name I refuse to even try to pronounce let alone spell.

That got me to thinking about how important boxing once was to me growing up and the nation as a whole. It was less about these two fighters than it was about the sport itself. I can’t remember the last time I was excited about a fight (Actually I can: Bernard Hopkins v Oscar De La Hoya circa 2004-my two all-time favorite fighters in my all-time favorite fight).

Growing up “The Fight” was all we could talk about leading up to Saturday night. Who was going to win?, “How much you wanna bet,?” Where we were going to watch the fight? I grew up watching the sweet science during Mike Tyson’s heyday, while also watching Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, Roy Jones, Jr., Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins to name a few of my favorites do much work. A big fight night was as big as any huge sporting event during the ’80’s and ’90’s, like having a Super Bowl every 3-4 months.

The sport doesn’t move me like that today and it would be easy for me to blame politics, money, greedy promoters, even more greedy boxers and their 1,000 man entourages for this, and I probably will at a later date. But today I’m just trying my best to keep the fight game in my sports wheelhouse as other sports like soccer, track & field and tennis have crept into my fancy while boxing took a back seat.

A fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. could go a long way in solving some of my boxing anxiety. The fact that there’s now a lose on on PacMan’s record (via a lose to Timothy Bradley by “decision”) won’t take away from what most consider to be the two best fighters on planet Earth going at it for what would surely be the first and last time.

Time is running out on the sport as a main event at least in terms of water cooler priority, barbershop top five conversation topic, basketball court in between game trash talk and street corner” what’s up with that decision?” talk. there will always be packed houses at the MGM Grand and Ceasar’s Palace, gambling will never stop so the game will always have an audience. It just won’t continue to have me.

Staff Writer; Donnell Suggs

One may also connect with this talented writer via twitter; Suggswriter and also facebook; D. Suggs.

Donnell Suggs says:

July 15, 2012 at 2:31 pm

People please don’t take the “in his prime” comment to mean that I had a particular time line of Jones, Jr.’s career that I was discussing. The point of the column (it’s not an article) is to focus on Boxing losing it’s place in my heart. Take it easy folks.

knows more than the writer says:

July 14, 2012 at 5:53 am

yeah…didn’t beat Roy in his prime. And even if that was the case, it was Antonio Tarver who did it first. Why were you allowed to write an article????

Ernie says:

July 14, 2012 at 2:26 am

Correction – Roy Jones Jr. was past his prime when he fought Glen Johnson. This was already after he dropped down from Heavyweight back to Light Heavyweight to face Antonio Tarver. Secondly, boxing isn’t running out of any time, boxing is violent art that will never die. Boxing doesn’t need to be saved, just watched. The major reason the UFC is such a powerhouse is because of its promotion and advertisement, the sport itself is level B material to entertain the low attention span of sporting individuals. Take a look of contrast from the attendance of audience in a boxing match and an UFC event, you’ll surely see a difference. Boxing is a hybrid sport, but in terms of perspective and outlook. Boxing will rise around again like how it always does.