The sweet science turns sour

Kian Hagerman

The speed, power, technique and heart of competitors; these are just a few of the many reasons I have watched boxing throughout the years.

In recent years, however, I find myself less inclined to watch the latest title bout, wishing that a mixed martial arts (MMA) event were on in its place.

After following both sports for years, I have observed the evolution of MMA in real time, while boxing has stagnated.

The excitement of seeing some technique one has never observed before can be appealing to followers of either sport.

MMA fighters are constantly innovating, and new fighters seem to bring totally different approaches to the sport at every turn.

These days the big fight everyone wants to see is Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao, something that seems less likely every time the notion is brought up.

 Part of the problem lies with boxing promotion; gone are the days of Don King and Mike Tyson, personalities that brought interest to the sport.

The announcement of a rematch of the fight that led to Timothy Bradley’s controversial win over Pacquiao recently was as a murmur; even friends of mine who follow boxing closely were not aware this fight was happening.

It doesn’t help awareness of the sport that boxing matches are for the most part only aired on channels like HBO and pay-per-view; conversely MMA organizations like Ultimate Fighting Championship air on cable television networks like Spike and Fox.

Another major issue I have with boxing has to do with the pairings of fighters for bouts; rarely if ever do we see an evenly matched fight between competitors that excites fans.

More often than not when I tune in to a boxing match, it’s a first or second round blowout that leaves me wishing I had started a book instead.

However, it only serves to reveal the archaic nature of boxing more completely when compared side-by-side.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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