By Ronnie Jordan: In a recent interview with the sports journalist Elie Sechbeck, boxing legend and five weight world champion Sugar Ray Leonard was asked how frustrating it was being over looked by opponents who refused to fight him?. Leonard answered saying there wasn’t that problem in his day, the best fought the best and champions fought champions. His answer highlighted a real problem facing modern boxing.
What are the reasons for the increasing numbers of fighters refusing to fight each other? Is pride and honor disappearing from the sport? Are fighters losing touch with what’s important? What’s for sure is it’s becoming more and more frustrating for fans and box office views are falling. Elie Sechback noted Victor Ortiz’s recent anger after calling out Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley and Marcos Maidana with no success. Victor claims no one is willing to fight him and is dismayed by the talks between a potential Khan-Bradley bout. Unfortunately for fans that fight isn’t happening now either and its left us all in the dark as to who’s facing who. This is another example of a division of top fighters all in their prime unwilling to take a risk or unable to negotiate terms. The list of failed fights is endless and its becoming a worrying trend in modern boxing.
During Leonard’s era there was far more responsibility for the fighters to produce the goods. The power seemed to be in the hands of the spectator in that if public opinion demanded a fight happen it would happen. There was no question whether Tommy Hearns, Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler were going to fight. Their reputation and careers depended on it.
Muhammad Ali’s impact in the sport was incredible for many reasons but one of his more official lasting legacies was the Muhammad Ali boxing reform act. It ensured boxers were protected legally, paid their fair share and helped rid the sport of its corruption. Ali’s charisma and star quality made him the first fighter to earn a million for a fight. In the documentary “champions forever” Ken Norton one of his later opponents explained the amazing financial impact Ali had on the sport. He explained how before Ali, fighters were paid modest wages, during Ali’s time the wages went up and after Ali it just exploded. Its snowballed so much and today were left with fighters who are not only given more rights but there also paid through the roof. Its increased interest and made boxing a powerful and lucrative sport but has such vast amounts of money caused problems in boxing?
Because of the huge money making potential, talented, promising fighters immediately become protected, they get matched with beatable handpicked opponents with the intention of keeping the bright light burning for as long as possible. Floyd Mayweather has arguably never fought a world class fighter in their prime and natural weight class. Would he have had as much success against Mosley, De La Hoya or Juan Manuel Marquez five years earlier at different weights? It’s hard to say but there’s no question each of those fights suited Mayweather. I ask why do the best fighters have to have the conditions in their favor. In what way is that fair?
Now Amir Khan has become the man accused of cherry picking opponents. I can understand his team wanting him to be at his prime before he takes on the best. But there’s no question he’s avoiding anyone with any weight behind there punch and fans are starting to turn their back on him. The two most obvious examples of the frustrations in modern boxing are the long anticipated clashes of Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather and David Haye v Wladimir Klitschko. The demand to see both these fights is as large as any in history but still neither seems close to happening. Pacquiao’s refusal to take a blood test is concerning but what’s more worrying than his possible drug abuse is the seeming power that both Floyd and Manny possess when deciding who and when they fight. It’s clear who’s in charge here. Why don’t the boxing organizations threaten to strip them from their title? It’s by far the biggest fight of the decade and if it doesn’t happen it’s an absolute disgrace.
You can understand fighters wanting to protect their records but retiring with a few losses is not a bad thing. If you fight the best possible like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Ray Leonard its far greater than having an undefeated record filled with average or past their prime fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Joe Calzaghe have. You may enjoy the plaudits of some sycophantic media telling you your an all time great or a living legend but it’s the boxing fans who know the truth. History has a way of forgetting the pretenders and remembering only the true champs.
Like all sports there’s many problems facing boxing, such as the increase in pay per view prices during a recession, the negative defensive fighting styles of modern boxers and the still dishonest business affairs of top promoters. Surly though the main problem that faces the sport is the lack of decent championship fights. I don’t want to seem down on the sport because I love it, and there are plenty of examples of fighters stepping up to the mark and taking on big fights. Notably in the UK, we have our two best middle weights Darren Barker and Matthew Macklin fighting each other in a very evenly matched fight to decide who’s the best in the country. Macklin in a recent press conference for that very fight also expressed his desire for fighters step up to the plate and stop shying away from fights. Also, last Saturday’s fight between Dimitry Pirog and Denial Jacobs is another surprising fight between a top fighter and an up and coming star. Unfortunately there just not enough fights to really get excited about. Boxing has a very bright future regarding talent. There’s great prospect after prospect coming through across all weight classes from varying different nationalities, but if the people in charge want to see the sport flourish then we need to see these guys fighting each other and on a regular basis.
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