Ken Norton Sr. Has passed

[Plankton]

I had a roommate in college who would go off about the Jimmy Young/Ali fight every time boxing was
mentioned... He was beside himself on how Ali "won" that fight.

If Young didn't use tactics such as sticking his head through the ropes to avoid being hit, he may have gotten the decision.

 

[Plankton]

It's amazing how "big" boxing matches were back in the 70's and prior. I remember being in 6th grade and debates we had on the Ali/Frazier 3. Everyone would be talking about a big upcoming bought or reminiscing about a past fight. The fighters would appear on "Wide World of Sports" because everyone watched WWS... It was an amazing era to live through.

You don't find that level of excitement for boxing any more.

Once boxing went heavily into PPV, it killed the sport off.

No more fights on Wide World, Sportsworld and CBS Sports Spectacular. The Olympic Boxing events, which had spurred stardom for fighters from 1952 (when Floyd Patterson won the gold as a light heavyweight) through 1984, were now relegated to cable and not even shown live anymore. It became much harder to have fighters "grow up" with their audience.

Two other things hurt the sport a lot. One, was the heavyweight division going to hell. The second was when Mancini killed Duk Koo Kim in the ring. It really caused the networks to pull back from showing fights on Saturday/Sunday afternoon.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Once boxing went heavily into PPV, it killed the sport off.

No more fights on Wide World, Sportsworld and CBS Sports Spectacular. The Olympic Boxing events, which had spurred stardom for fighters from 1952 (when Floyd Patterson won the gold as a light heavyweight) through 1984, were now relegated to cable and not even shown live anymore. It became much harder to have fighters "grow up" with their audience.

Two other things hurt the sport a lot. One, was the heavyweight division going to hell. The second was when Mancini killed Duk Koo Kim in the ring. It really caused the networks to pull back from showing fights on Saturday/Sunday afternoon.

That's a good point about fighters no longer being able to "grow up" with their audience.

Kinda sad what's happened to the sport... especially the HW division.

 

[Plankton]

That's a good point about fighters no longer being able to "grow up" with their audience.

Kinda sad what's happened to the sport... especially the HW division.

It is.

When I was younger, boxing was my second favorite sport after football. I loved watching Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler and Benitez. It was a way for my dad and I to bond - we both loved the fights.

Now, it's a complete clown show.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If Young didn't use tactics such as sticking his head through the ropes to avoid being hit, he may have gotten the decision.

I still remember the crowd starting to chant "Ali, Ali, Ali".

Then another group started "Jimmy Young, Jimmy Young".

Good times.