By Lou Block
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I’m one of those guys who has no problem with UFC or MMA(Mixed Martial Arts), it doesn’t bother me at all, I actually enjoy watching it from time to time and appreciate the hard work involved in any form of combative sport.
Anyone who goes into a ring or cage, puts their life on the line and fights one on one gets my respect, especially since I don’t have the courage to do what they do for a living.
My gripe is not with the fighters or the sport of MMA but with the fanatics of UFC.
What bothers me is the constant comments by UFC fanboys who keep saying boxing is dying, boxing sucks, it’s pillow fighting, or boxers are not tough.
If boxing is dead or dying why is it that boxing has had two back to back pay per views that broke a million pay per view buys?
The last two HBO boxing ppv’s were highly successful, Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez broke 1 million buys in September of this year, Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto did 1.25 million pay per view buys.
To top it off the proposed super fight of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao looks to happen in March of 2010, not bad for a dying sport.
Heck, even UFC president Dana White said he plans on attending that fight and is a huge boxing fan, who considers Manny Pacquiao one of his favorite fighters of all time.
I honestly believe many of these UFC fanboys live in their own internet world, you will see them say stuff like boxing has no stars, or once Pacquiao and Mayweather retire boxing dies because they have no other stars left. I have to laugh at the pure ignorance of such statements.
The difference with boxing and MMA is that boxers have to work their way to the top, many boxers do not have an easy route to fame.
It takes longer to build a boxing star. Boxers usually have to have an extensive amateur background many times with 200+ fights before turning pro.
In other sports players must go through the college level or minor leagues before going into the pro’s. This has to be done to weed out the athletes who do not meet expectations, only the best of the best get chosen and make it to the big leagues, survival of the fittest.
You won’t see Brock Lesnar getting a shot at the title in boxing after 3 fights.
With MMA you have the UFC reality show called TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) and you have guys on there who have serious skill mixed in with guys who have barely any fights but are on their because they will bring drama on the show and attract ratings when they go on drunken tirades, these type of characters are there to catch the attention of those with short attention spans, which happens to be what UFC’s target market happens to be.
That target market happen to be young, trendy, fairweather fans, they like to follow whatever is hip and in, and whatever the crowd follows then move onto the next big thing that comes along.
Boxing will never die because of it’s rich history the good and the bad. Worldwide, boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world.
UFC fanboys ignorance toward the sweet science and little knowledge of the sport is just appalling and they claim to be fans of combat sports. Boxing just goes through lulls in America, especially with the lack of Heavyweight American boxers.
With the Tiger Woods scandal will Golf die out too?
Without Lance Armstrong will the Tour De France die out?
No, they won’t and neither will boxing.
(Please refrain from leaving any Vulgar, Racist comments or they will be removed, Thank You)
