F--- boxing

Oh that's true. Paul has just taken it to the point where the "hate" motivation to watch is higher than the actual skill.

 

Boxing is all based on promotional ability to draw interest and sell tickets, be it in person or through pay-per-veiw. Floyd Mayweather realized there was an amazing market of people who wanted to see him get his ass kicked and were willing to pay for it. They would get disappointed and be promised that the NEXT TIME it would happen.

As P.T. Barnum was credited for saying: "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

That being said. Serrano and Taylor sold out the Hulu Theater at MSG for their first fight and can certainly run it back a third time and probably do similar numbers.

Also Jake Paul calling out Canelo. I know Saul doesn't want to fight Benavidez or really anyone that can challenge him, but would a current world champion take this fight?

 

The NFL has a game on Netflix on Christmas Day. I expect hilarity.

 

All I was hoping for was that Tyson would catch him flush in the first round. Father Time remains undefeated.

 

I remember Tyson's quote after fighting Bonecrusher Smith on HBO. After the fight he was asked if Smith's punches ever hurt him.

"Nah, he's got nothin', he never hurt me."

"It looked like he caught you pretty good there in the last round."

"Oooh, he hit me SO hard. Hit like a fuckin' mule kicks!"

I laughed so hard.

 

Mike Tyson shares some wisdom during a light-hearted interview with a 14-year-old.

 

The Japanese wrestler was Antonio Inoki, who was one of the all time legends in Japan, ended up owning one of the two biggest companies there, and was also a member of Japan’s version of Congress.

What made that a fiasco was that it was supposed to be a work (a show) in which everyone was supposed to just have a good time, but it became a shoot (legit fight). Vince McMahon said that Ali took a look at Inoki, and decided he could actually beat him, so he didn’t want to just fool around in the ring.

McMahon said that he had a fun finish all set up for the work that would lead to a rematch. McMahon’s idea was that Inoki would stumble and accidentally headbutt Ali. Gene LeBell, who was the referee, would pause the bout yo check on Ali’s head, then use a razor blade to cut Ali’s forehead without Ali knowing, then let the bout continue until it would be stopped for Ali’s cut. Vince told his father about it, and his father responded by asking him if he was insane and if he wanted the Nation of Islam to kill him.

So it turned into a legitimate fight, but rules were set up so that Inoki couldn’t do certain wrestling holds. So Inoki crawled around on the mat to avoid Ali’s punches, and kept kicking Ali’s legs, hoping to knock him down so he could grab a wrestling hold on him. Freddie Blassie, who was in Ali’s corner and whose job was originally to be a hype man for the work, said that he became a legitimate adviser when Ali kept telling Angelo Dundee that he wanted to get down on the mat with Inoki. Blassie kept telling Ali not do that because Inoki would break his arm or leg.

As it turned out, Ali needed to be hospitalized for the blood clots on his legs after Inoki kept kicking him.

 

If Mayweather did not have one-in-a-generation talent. his persona would not have mattered.
I really think there’s something wrong with a glorified club fighter being one of the highest paid athletes in the sport.
Is he really giving the fans something the best fighters are unwilling or unable to give them?
You can’t say the best aren’t fighting the best. Beterbiev and Bivol fought. Fury and Usyk will fight a second time before the year is over.

 

You're not judged on the talent, it's on the ability to sell tickets.

Floyd Mayweather, for as amaxing he was, still needed Auturo Gatti to sell out a building in Atlantic City to get on PPV so he could beat him to near death. He needed a past-his-prime Oscar de la Hoya to put him on the map in Las Vegas and truly make him the biggest star in the game at the time.

I don't know if there's a more talented, skilled boxer on Earth right now than Shakur Stevenson, he's also horrible failsafe and doesn't show aggression to knock people out. And that's why ESPN/Top Rank has a tough time promoting him as a big draw.

 

But what is Jake Paul giving fans that the best aren’t?