Random Boxing Thoughts/News 2024

[waffle]

Netflix dropped some numbers, and oh my. 

[Death From Above]

I suppose it's impossible to track, but it would be interesting to know how many people signed up to Netflix just to see this.

A shame this is the kind of boxing people are interested in, but whatcha gonna do. Maybe this did enough business for Netflix that they'll show more interest in more legitimate matches featuring the top fighters facing each other, because that could honestly be a good thing for boxing for sure.

[lostinube]

At the very least, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka were not there because they are fans of the sweet science.

[DreamBroken]

Taylor/Serrano was f'n spectacular, loved it all the way through.   I wanted Tyson to pull off the miracle but a fun overall event. Tyson/Logan next!

[Elsalvajeloco]

3 hours ago, Death From Above said:

I suppose it's impossible to track, but it would be interesting to know how many people signed up to Netflix just to see this.

A shame this is the kind of boxing people are interested in, but whatcha gonna do. Maybe this did enough business for Netflix that they'll show more interest in more legitimate matches featuring the top fighters facing each other, because that could honestly be a good thing for boxing for sure.

I mean Riyadh Season is supposedly suppose to be that, and we've seen promoters who normally don't work with each other at all put on major cross promotional fights. However, in order to make them feel big like you had last night, you have to have a cleverly concerted effort only focusing on that event. In today's world where you're dealing with different cultures and completely differing interests, that's extremely tough and only going to get harder to pull off. Due to the Tyson factor, you had that. I was paying more attention to social media than anything else last night. People legit treated this event like it was Spinks-Tyson or Berbick-Tyson. People posted images of sportsbooks in Vegas, and they were JAM PACKED. Dozens and dozens of people were on X fka Twitter talking about memories of watching Tyson fights with their dad and going to closed circuit events. There are whole of bunch of people who weren't alive when Tyson was fighting even against Lennox Lewis. Some were too young even during the final stretch of Tyson's career. In a way, the actual fight wasn't the event as much as the leadup to the fight WAS the event and brough a whole bunch of people together across the board. No way in hell that it was going to meet anyone's expectations short of Jake Paul going down in 91 seconds like Michael Spinks. There was like 0.000000001% of that happening. There could only be disappointment. For me, last night wasn't even remotely as disappointing as the Lewis or the Kevin McBride fights. Lewis-Tyson was my personal Holmes-Ali fight. The McBride fight was disappointing because the trash talk from Tyson was so great, and I wanted him to go out on a win. Last night? I wasn't expecting very much other than Jake Paul fighting a geriatric Mike Tyson. It was what it was.

[Death From Above]

I'd honestly rate the Ali-Holmes fight as being worse/more uncomfortable to watch, mainly because Paul can't punch anything close to the way Larry Holmes could (even if by Larry's own admission he tried to ease up as much as he could). But it's probably a solid #2, no pun intended.

[Elsalvajeloco]

Going back to Burt Lancaster and Ali-Frazier I for a sec, listen to the reverence in which they (Lancaster, Don Dunphy, and IIRC Sugar Ray Robinson on the call) speak of Ali even AFTER the fight when it's kinda clear he lost to Joe. It was like no matter the outcome Muhammad Ali returning to prominence is more important to LIFE than anything else in the world.

I get Holmes' reasoning for taking that fight, but he SHOULDN'T have. You cannot compete with that, and it NOT destroy your legacy. Larry Holmes took on some of the best of the best and is still an ATG heavyweight 40 years after the fact, and he still won't get that respect cause he made a crucial career management mistake. 

[Death From Above]

You know, the more I see of Usyk both in and out of the ring the more he scares me. Like, all fighters trash talk and act tough it just comes with the job. But man, there is something in Usyk's eyes that is just different. He just stares into other fighters like he's thinking about how he'd actually be fine with cutting out their liver or something, it's unnerving as hell. There's just something in there that says "I'm really good at hurting people", and he backs it up with all the skills you could ever want. Some prime Roberto Duran shit.

[Elsalvajeloco]

Speaking of Usyk, they have released a TRAILER for the rematch. As much as I can see why people would not want to support Riyadh Season for a litany of very valid reasons, I can admit these are very well done.

https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/12/2/24310307/watch-oleksandr-usyk-tyson-fury-haunt-each-other-in-horror-movie-style-trailer-for-upcoming-rematch?utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=mmafighting

[Death From Above]

I don't deny "Saudi Arabia bad" makes a very good point, but Jesus Christ wait until you find out about the rest of the world too

[Elsalvajeloco]

 

[Elsalvajeloco]

Let's check in and see how Jaime Munguia's first fight under Top Rank is going...

[waffle]

Good fight with Usyk/Fury. Thought Usyk edged it. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

I thought there was a lot of "let me just do enough to win the rounds" from Fury. He had his moments, but too few and far between. 

[twiztor]

so who's next for Usyk? they're not really going to trot Dubois out for another shot, are they? Usyk just KO'd him in 2023. 

[Elsalvajeloco]

51 minutes ago, twiztor said:

so who's next for Usyk? they're not really going to trot Dubois out for another shot, are they? Usyk just KO'd him in 2023. 

Well, I mean there was controversy in the fight. Plus, Dubois absolutely destroyed AJ so I mean he deserves it either way. The HW division, unfortunately like in many years, is extremely top heavy. So a guy like Dubois coming off a huge victory and more importantly, winning one of the 4 titles, is in line for another big fight. Right now, Dubois is set to defend his IBF title against Joseph Parker in two months title. He (Dubois) should win that. There are also like another four or five guys in the mix for the IBF title (Zhang, Martin Bakole coming off his upset of Jared Anderson, Efe Ajagba, Agit Kabayel coming off two upset wins). I believe Zhang and Kabayel are fighting for an "interim" WBC title while the IBF ordered Bakole and Ajagba to fight. Usyk and Dubois can fight again in May or June especially if Dubois beats Parker.

[Liam]

I picked up a stream from Round 5 onwards and struggled to give Fury a round that I can remember. Usyk felt in control and I don't get the people who are suggesting Fury somehow got robbed. He was getting walked down by the smaller guy pretty constantly.