F--- boxing

Ortiz won most rounds of the first fight, but didn't have the chin to hold up. He's a great boxer, but he was going to get tired and a little sloppy and Wilder was ready for it.

I enjoy it. I don't watch heavyweights to see some technical exhibition. I watch heavyweights to watch someone get knocked the fuck out.

And I think it's highly compelling that one of the champions isn't some technical wizard, but rather a guy that has one major tool in the arsenal and the self-belief that he can walk through anything you've got knowing that eventually when he lands that right hand, it's over.

 

So do most folks.

And that's kind of my point.

Wilder is 34 years old and 43 fights into his career - but still doesn't move the needle as a mainstream attraction. He's handsome, he's undefeated, he's American, he's held at least 1 belt since 2015.

And no one much cares.

 

That's not a Wilder problem, that's a boxing problem.

When the brothers Klitchsko were putting the division on ice and fighting in Germany, heavyweight boxing lost its market in America. Fury didn't draw dick for his fights against bums and while Wilder is starting to get some decent houses, the product has lost some marketshare to the UFC. Pretty sure Joshua-Ruiz didn't sell out MSG and that's part of the reason why they took that Saudi money to run it back, because Ruiz will be getting paid a lot more.

 

Agree that heavyweight interest here swooned during the Dr. Steelpants years - but boxing has continued to produce big stars in other weight classes over the same period.

Thus, even with caveats about MMA and the general direction of boxing popularity, I think Wilder is a strange case of lost/botched marketing opportunity. Just no profile at all outside the ring, and no real identity in it. Completely mishandled somehow.

 

Outside of Mayweather and Pacquiao were there really any other big stars in Boxing from that 2005-2015 period?

Mayweather was doing nothing until the De La Hoya fight and really the creation of HBO's 24-7 series launched him into stardom and people paid to see him lose, which he didn't do. Pacquaio and now we can say Canelo were products of being major stars in their home countries.

There were plenty of good fighters and good fights. But they weren't drawing any impressive numbers.

Wilder is a little mishandled I guess. I mean he's not an asshole. He boxes and then goes home and does normal shit like take care of kids. I'm sure if he beat up old guys at Pubs like Conor McGregor he'd have a higher profile.

 

Bill Cayton talked a lot about this with Tyson: they built him up with the public by having him fight on ESPN every month and those great knockouts made for great highlights and in the pre-social media era those were sent to news outlets across the country and the word about him spread like crazy. Wilder probably had as many spectacular knockouts on the way up as Tyson did but nobody saw them.

 

Did Andy Ruiz eat and party his way out of his title? Guess we'll find out tomorrow night but coming in 15 pounds heavier than you were in June doesn't sound like a recipe for success for a bad-bodied small guy who relies on speed more than power. I think Joshua is capable of more than what he showed at MSG, I am not sure Ruiz can fight any better than he did that night. I was at the Douglas-Holyfield fight in Vegas and this looks like that all over again.

Heavy weight: Ruiz balloons to 283 for rematch

 

Joshua took no chances and won easily. As shitty as Ruiz looked, he still made Joshua pay for the few times he got caught out of position.

If Ruiz acted like he gave a fuck about conditioning I'd say he's still got plenty to look for. He's an Al Haymon guy and there's probably some money in him facing Wilder or Joshua a third time, but if he's pushing three bills, no dice.

 

So Fury-Wilder is expected to get a million buys? Not bad for two guys that don't move the needle. Pacquaio can't even get a million buys any more.

 

I’ll be one of those. Wilder hits like a beast and Fury seems like a good contrast. Plus it’s a party excuse with buddy to bbq ribeyes and have a pop or two.

 

Absolutely. Besides we've been pining for a real heavyweight showdown since...Lewis-Holyfield? And we got a guy that knocks people the fuck out against a guy that will be teetering the line and trying not to get caught for 36 minutes. Should be fun.

Fury came in at 273 so I'm curious to see if he can hold up for 12 rounds.

 

Funny that Fury is the bigger dude but more skilled.

I wouldn’t enjoy being around Wilder, too volatile, but he’s the big puncher I’ve always envisioned in a heavyweight. Lewis was a boxer but boring.