USA Fails to Medal in Men's Boxing

**Getslow** · Aug 8, 12, 08:19 AM

... for the first time ever.

Wilbon: US Boxing Continues Fall

Pretty incisive takedown by Michael Wilbon. It's nothing we haven't heard about USA boxing before: the Olympic association is poorly run, there are few prospects because the boxing gyms are closing, the move to pay-per-view and the rise of other sports has removed boxing from the American consciousness.

Still, this is a huge disappointment for the USOC. Can boxing in the United States be saved? Perhaps an even more compelling question: is it worth saving?

**Clyde** · Aug 8, 12, 08:24 AM

Just yesterday I was remembering watching Sugar Ray Leonard and Howard Davis and the Spinks boys in 1976. That was fun. I know ZERO US boxers today.

**LRCW** · Aug 8, 12, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by Clyde

Just yesterday I was remembering watching Sugar Ray Leonard and Howard Davis and the Spinks boys in 1976. That was fun. I know ZERO US boxers today.

Did Clubber Lang retire?

**PurplePride92** · Aug 8, 12, 08:28 AM

Time to do what we did in basketball and let the pros play.

**Getslow** · Aug 8, 12, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by PurplePride92

Time to do what we did in basketball and let the pros play.

The only thing that makes me hesitant there is that it starts to involve all the horrible, shady people in pro boxing that are responsible for ruining the sport in the first place. Not the athletes, but everyone else.

**Getslow** · Aug 8, 12, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Clyde

Just yesterday I was remembering watching Sugar Ray Leonard and Howard Davis and the Spinks boys in 1976. That was fun. I know ZERO US boxers today.

Just a couple days before the Olympics started I was watching a show about Olympic boxing and they had a long discussion about the '84 and '88 Olympics when Evander Holyfield and Roy Jones, Jr., respectively, both lost bouts in controversial fashion.

**CBDV** · Aug 8, 12, 08:39 AM

Boxing can be saved and is worth saving.

It is going to take people being banned and going to jail as well as a NFL/NBA type umbrella to do it.

**Getslow** · Aug 8, 12, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by CBDV

Boxing can be saved and is worth saving.

It is going to take people being banned and going to jail as well as a NFL/NBA type umbrella to do it.

Agreed. I'm not usually into Bill Simmons' ideas, but his recommendation for a National Commissioner of Boxing is spot on.

**KyTmcNcc** · Aug 8, 12, 08:47 AM

Imvho not a Sport anyway . It is more akin to Gladiators

**Getslow** · Aug 8, 12, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by KyTmcNcc

Imvho not a Sport anyway . It is more akin to Gladiators

Which I would argue is also sport.

**mcpapa** · Aug 8, 12, 08:54 AM

Three letters.

MMA

**formerkywrestler** · Aug 8, 12, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by mcpapa

Three letters.

MMA

Besides Mayweather and Pacman I don't care to watch any boxing. MMA is just a LOT more exciting for me plus much better ran.

**UKMustangFan** · Aug 8, 12, 12:16 PM

Who cares? No one in America gives a rat's about boxing.

**HammerTime** · Aug 8, 12, 12:20 PM

I haven't been excited to watch boxing since the last time Tyson was in a big fight. This sport is dead.

**Run To State** · Aug 8, 12, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by KyTmcNcc

Imvho not a Sport anyway . It is more akin to Gladiators

Not a sport?

I've always seen it as one of the truly great sports. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

**mcpapa** · Aug 8, 12, 12:55 PM

Many would rather watch people beat, kick and choke other people into submission these days; hence the emphasis on "mixed martial arts". Big part of the reason we stink at boxing and wrestling at the Olympic level.

RTS is right (no pun intended). Different strokes for different folks for sure.

**formerkywrestler** · Aug 8, 12, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by mcpapa

Many would rather watch people beat, kick and choke other people into submission these days; hence the emphasis on "mixed martial arts". Big part of the reason we stink at boxing and wrestling at the Olympic level.

RTS is right (no pun intended). Different strokes for different folks for sure.

Besides a few exceptions we've pretty much always stunk at wrestling at the Olympic level. The two main reasons I believe is that 1) prior to the MMA boom wrestlers were afforded no real opportunities to continue on after their collegiate career and 2) the emphasis in the U.S. is on folkstyle not the freestyle and greco-roman wrestling that is practiced in international competitions.

**formerkywrestler** · Aug 8, 12, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Getslow

Agreed. I'm not usually into Bill Simmons' ideas, but his recommendation for a National Commissioner of Boxing is spot on.

I agree, if boxing has any hope of regaining it's glory it needs ONE unifying body. The multiple championships (especially lack of unification) and lack of marquee fights really turns people off.