Who likes Boxing?

[Dookus]

I admit it. I love it. It's about the only sport I ever cared for.

I'm re-reading Joyce Carol Oates' "On Boxing" right now. Anybody else read it?

[Kenneth ken]

1. I do

until someone starts bleeding, then the other person starts targeting the open wound, and it just seems too barbaric for me.

( but that's definitely a spectator sport, as opposed to participant one for me.)

[dolo amber]

2. Boxers.

Don King.

:P

Bad dolo...:spank: :D

[minkyboodle]

3. I live for it Dookus

Although it has been a bit of a slow stretch for the last year or so. Who are some of your favorite fighters? My top two are:
Bernard Hopkins - tough underdog and one of the most complete fighters you will see these days
Erik Morales - blood and guts all the way, heart of a champ and the boxing skills to fall back on... even though El Terrible goes to war every chance he gets sometimes to his detriment
What I really love about boxing is the history and stories that accompany it. I need to read "On Boxing" the last boxing book I read was "THe Devil and Sonny Liston" by Nick Tosches. Sonny had one of the most interesting lives in all of the sport but I thought Tosche really took a dive in his telling of the story, kind of missed the forest for the trees IMO. I need to read "On Boxing" as I have heard good things about it. Are you getting hyped for De La Hoya vs Hopkins?? I'm hoping the suckers somehow make DLH a favorite so I can lay a bet on the Executioner. :toast:
Scott

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

8. Dominick Guinn and Manny Paquiao

They look like pretty good young fighters to watch right now to see how far they will go.

[minkyboodle]

10. you're right

Guinn is by far the best heavy prospect out there right now. Pacman.. well after the Barrera fight I'd say he has already arrived. I'd love to see him fight Juan Manuel Marquez in the next year. Pacman is like Mayorga of the Featherweights, but with skills in addition to the power. Very bright future IMO... Pacman vs El Terrible would be a all time classic, don't know if the stars will align for that one though..
Scott

[charliebrown]

4. I loved it when I was a kid in the 60-70s

It is pretty much boring now. And I work for Ringside. We do all the needed things for boxing and martial arts. I just think it has gotten boring. I watch golf instead...lol

[Bake]

5. Ali on ESPN Classic

Man, when they run those old Ali fights . . . DAMN! There has just never been anybody like Ali. He could knock a man off his feet and hit him five more times before he reached the mat! Hit harder backing up than most people moving forward! Have you ever seen faster hands on ANY boxer, in any weight class? I truly believe there'll never be another like him.

The heavyweight class has never been the same since the days of the Thrilla in Manilla, the Rumble in the Jungle, Ali/Frazier, Ali/Foreman, Ali/Norton.

I was sorry to see George Foreman leave the HBO Boxing panel. The man KNOWS boxing. And Larry Merchant doesn't know JACK (gawd, I hate that pompous asshole!).

Oh, by the way, I love boxing. As a spectator sport, not as a participant!

Bake

[Dookus]

6. oooh!

I'd love to see some of the old fights! Being a sports idiot, is ESPN Classic its own network, or just a show on ESPN?

[Rocinante]

11. ESPN Classic

is it's own network. And a pretty good one. They showed the Thrilla in Manilla a little while back.

[MrSlayer]

7. I love boxing.

Haven't read the book though.

[Spider Jerusalem]

9. I like boxing...

it's one of my two favourite sports to watch. The other is singles tennis, and I like them for the same reasons...two opponents locked in single combat, engaged it a battle of strength, agility, reflex and response, strategic and tactical matching of wits...for some reason I've always found individual sports more compelling than team sports...wonder if my introversion has anything to do with that.

Haven't read Oates' book, but I thought George Plimpton wrote rather well on the subject. I'll have to look for "On Boxing"...always have an eye out for new reading material.

[Dookus]

12. interesting...

singles tennis is about the only other sport I can watch, too.

I saw Plimpton's book in the store today, but didn't buy it. But if you recommend it, I'll pick it up.

The Oates book may be hard to find. I think it's been out of print for awhile. First published in '87...

[Bundbuster]

13. HBO has been showing some great oldies

30-minute segments, last week it was Leonard-Hearns... nothing but the best. The first one I watched was Alexis Arguello (sp?) vs. Aaron Pryor, one of the top fights of all time, seldom seen. Most of the memorable Ali fights are there too.

[Dookus]

14. sweet.. I'll look for them

I just found my ESPN classic channel and set my tivo to record the old matches. They have Frazier/Ali next up.

Thanks all! I was wondering where one could watch these fights.

[VOX]

15. Love it. Especially the classic matches, in all weight classes...

Ali-Frasier, Robinson-LaMotta, Leonard-Hearns, Dempsey-Tunney, Louis-Schmelling, etc.

I have several autographed Ali photos, and autographed photos of Jake LaMotta, Roland LaStarza (!), Willie Pep, Archie Moore.

The Joyce Carol Oates book is terrific, as slim as it is. Highly recommended: "The Fireside Book of Boxing" -- this is very old and long-out-of-print, but check the various online vintage booksellers, and you should be able to turn one up. It's a compendium of writing on boxing by some of the best.

Cheers -- :toast:

[Dookus]

16. thanks rezmutt...

I'll look for it.

And I love the tips I got for watching the old classic fights.

[AngryAmish]

17. Boxing is better than sports

I appreciate the violence. Anyone who says they appreciate the kinesiology or whatever BS they spout is missing the essence - violence. You can't hide from it.

I have seen men permanently brain damaged and killed in the ring. Yet I watch. I shell out between $200 and $300 per year for PPV. Every time a person enters a boxing ring they take their lives in their hands. It could happen in baseball, basketball, football etc., but inflicting a brain injury is one of the ways to win in boxing.

So, have I read JCO "On Boxing." No. There has already been too much turgid prose about boxing.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. Still Do

I boxed for 5 years in the 70's. Loved it as a participant, and still like it.

For a while, i couldn't watch the lower weight classes, because other than Leonard and Hearns, and a few others in the lights and welters, i didn't see the skill i wanted. I was pretty good (nationally ranked AAU) and i kept seeing guys i knew i could have beaten. I admit i didn't have the courage to attempt a pro career. Too many brains beaten into mush with harder gloves and no headgear.

Now that i'm a lot older, those "thatcouldabeenme" feelings are long gone. I can enjoy almost any weight class now.
The Professor