http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/homepage/20090805_Old_Hand_at_boxing_now_in_love_with_UFC.html
We all know that boxing is losing popularity by the day, and that very soon MMA will surpass it. Coming from a guy like this, this is nothing less than a death knell for boxing.
I wonder what douches like Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant would say about this...
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Boxing became dead when the Pernell Whitaker's, Floyd Mayweathers, and the rest of the slap and dance crowd started "winning" fights and were called "champions".
Just look at the punch stat numbers. NUMBERS NEVER LIE.
Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns. Both boxers throw over 1,000 punches EACH during a fight.
Then you have a fight like Mayweather vs. De La Hoya and they barely COMBINE for a 1,000.
Then you had the best fight of the last 3 years (Margarito vs. Cotto) be rigged. the judges were always rigged...and now they can;t control what boxers put in their gloves (never did before...and still is going on).
Boxing has become a pile of crap...and it is very sad for me to say this. But it is the truth.
The heavyweight division has become a source for NATIONAL SHAME. Boxing sucks. -
For me, I completely lost interest in boxing after seeing the repeated screw-job decicions handed out by crooked judges.
The straw that broke the camel's back for me was De La Hoya vs. Mosley 2. I haven't been able to take boxing seriously since then. -
I also never remember him mentioning boxing's "downfall" in any way. I Do remember him saying that Boxing has never "been better" as soon as a interview he did a few months ago on ESPN.TrueDolFan likes this. -
Here ya go: Lampley is a douchebag.
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=2188&zoneid=4
TrueDolFan likes this. -
More Lampley douchebaggery:
http://blogs.chron.com/fighting/2007/05/hbos_lampley_offers_parting_sh.html
That was the infamous Jim Rome Show Sub-in lampley did where he sounded like a total ignorant moron.TrueDolFan likes this. -
What do you expect him to say about MMA? "It's awesome, go watch that instead so I'll be out of a job."Nappy Roots likes this. -
its not different then many MMA people calling boxing boring and one deminsional.
slickj101 likes this. -
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Evidently...you do since you came into this thread to defend Jim Lampley.
Maybe He should also stop beating up women..and maybe the douchebag label wouldn't be so easy to stick on him.
He is a douchebag.
BTW..have you met him or had any dealings with people that know him?TrueDolFan likes this. -
For Lampley or anyone to assert that top boxers are on a different plane than top mixed martial artists is ridiculous. That's like saying the gold medalist in the decathlon is an inferior athlete because he can't hang with Usain Bolt in the 100.
That's a very simplistic analogy, but the point remains. MMA encompasses all. Boxing (i.e. hands) is only one part of it. Granted, it's a large part. But it's still only a piece of the pie that is MMA.
There's no reason the two can't co-exist. But you're blind if you think MMA is of fringe sporting interest relative to boxing. If MMA (particularly the dominant UFC) continues to be well run, and boxing continues to be poorly run and corrupt, MMA will swallow boxing.
One ray of light for boxing is that over the past few years, fighters and promoters have embraced the Ring Magazine title and have disavowed the corrupt alphabet soup belts. You have more and more top fights going on. Yet another reason why fans love the UFC; they make sure the best fighters fight each other.
Benevolent despotism: Truly the best form of government if the ruler is indeed benevolent and enlightened.TrueDolFan likes this. -
Who cares about that? Evidently you do, since you felt the need to post an incorrect piece of information to defend you're point.
All I'm saying is that Lampley and Merchant are honest about boxing's decline and terrible scoring, I've heard them both mention it during many fights. So the notion that they ignore it is incorrect.
Btw, no I don't know him. I wasn't aware that I needed to meet a celebrity or his friends in order to formulate an opinion of them. -
In reading this article, this to me is a short term reaction to the effective marketing by MMA promoters, and subpar marketing by boxing people.
As for myself I do not understand either goals or techniques of MMA. Also since all UFC events are expensive pay-per-view events, and I do not do pay-per-view events, I have never seen a big event. So I like boxing much better.
One theory I have on the erosion of boxing is how amateur boxing has declined. When I was young it was a big deal, and during the Olympics it was the 2nd most important sport on ABC's coverage, Howard Cossell had a lot to do with that. It created young fighter that fans were interested in following. In the last couple of Olympics NBC does not even show boxing at all. It has been reduced to the 15th sport in NBC's view. This really hurts the future fan base. -
phunwin Happy kids are Dolfans. Luxury Box
The heavyweight division has traditionally been where the action is. If the heavyweight division is bad, boxing suffers. This may not be fair, but it's true. And in case you haven't been paying attention for the last 15 years or so, the heavyweight division is dreadful. Lennox Lewis could have saved it. Lewis was one of the most physically gifted heavyweights ever. He could have been the dominant champion to carry boxing through the dark years. He's a bright guy, and could have played up that Michael Bisping heel thing a little. He didn't do it. He didn't give a ****. Lewis boxed because he was good at it, and when he got tired of it, he went off into retirement. -
I lost interest in boxing when Tyson took a chunk out of Holyfield's ear. And I've never been into MMA.
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Great analogy, you hit the nail on the head.
I couldn't agree more about the "alphabet soup" belts.
The fact that there are so many sanctioning bodies - IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO - is exactly the reason why boxing has fallen. Too many rules and regulations about #1 contendership and who the champ needs to fight to be able to retain his belt. It's ridiculous.
The UFC seems to be immune to the politics and corruption that have destroyed boxing. I hope it always stays that way. -
what piece of information did I post that was incorrect?
and remember WHO jumped to WHO's defense. so obviously..you were the one that cared enough to defend him.TrueDolFan likes this. -
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the problem with boxing is there are no heavyweights that the people like. Heavyweight has always made or broke boxing because heavyweight is usually non technical People dont like the technical boxing they want the blood baths, don't believe me look at the popularity of lennox lewis, great technical boxer.. I don't think boxing is dead. You currently have a great heavyweight champ in klitschko, his brother coming back. You have a very crowded welterweight division. Boxing will be ok. Theres alot of young boxers out there as well who are good fighters.
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I also think in fairness to boxing its too damn big to have just one federation/commision. UFC doesn't have that problem yet as white has more money then most. That could change easily, we will have to see. -
I've heard them both talk about it during many, many fights. Lampley often challenges scorecards and is usually the first person to point out when he thinks a fighter got robbed. He also admits that the added "dancing" in the sport can be very boring.
If you didn't know that then I would say you're whole argument and opinion of him is also in question.
And yea, if I see an obviously incorrect statement or claim, then I'll correct it. -
remember that the contention here is that you asserted that he isn't. I demonstrated that he is.
So allow me to correct you. -
And like you said......." if I see an obviously incorrect statement or claim, then I'll correct it." -
Lampley and Merchant are the biggest douches in all of sports play-by-play/color commentary. It's not about what they say about boxing. It's about what they say about other things.
It's about their smug, holier-than-thou, self-righteous attitude toward MMA that makes them douches. -
But I can't stand Lampley. I have my reasons..let me just leave it at that. -
I can't speak for anybody else, but personally, I laugh when I hear douches spouting complete ignorance.
If Lampley were to announce a ping-pong tournament, and go on camera and say, for no good reason, "Ping-pong is a SCIENCE. Tennis takes no skill, and is nothing more than a game for drunken fools to watch." I would have the same reaction. I would think, "This guy is a complete douche who doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. He's only saying it because he gets paid to announce ping-pong." Then I would laugh for a while at his expense.
Ignorant people will always talk bad about MMA, just like they will about boxing. -
Posted this before, but it just seems appropriate.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtKx41UdCj0"]YouTube - Joe Rogan UFC vs Boxing[/ame]