As I sit here in this Brooklyn hotel room the night before I cover the somewhat anticipated (although non-title) welterweight bout between world champion Danny Garcia (28-0 16 KOs) and hungry hopeful Rod Salka (19-3 3 KOs), I find myself reflecting on conversations I’ve had with my father, grandfather, and one I had with an older gentleman standing around the Barclays Center at the weigh-in earlier this afternoon.
The conversation involving boxing’s resurgence falls into the laps of my father and I quite often, and when I ask him why he doesn’t follow boxing, he consistently gives me the same answer. As does my grandfather, as well as the gentleman I’m writing of. “No American heavyweight champion”. In fact, when discussing this with almost any sports fan over 40 this is the consensus.
The heyday of boxing was filled with knock down, drag out style fights. Brutal, yet captivating. From the Ali/ Frazier fights, to Hagler/ Hearns to “Iron Mike”s domination of the 90s, the one constant was the American people, (and more importantly) the American media had an American champion to either love or hate. The entertainment value for the best fights then; rivals the NFL’s today. When Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson (odds were 42-1 in favor of Tyson), it didn’t just permeate throughout the boxing circuit, it was like an atomic bomb went off in the sports world.
Can you name me one dominant U.S. heavyweight champ fighting right now? Can you name a U.S. heavyweight at all? This brings me back to the conversation I had with this gentleman standing around the Barclays center. When I asked him if he was any kind of excited about tomorrow night’s fight, he simply shrugged and said “I guess, sure it’s alright.” Immediately I noticed his drab tone and jumped on the chance to see if yet another observer saw what my father and others did. His first response was exactly as I mentioned, a lack of noteworthy American heavyweights holding world championships.
Sure, we have some budding talent in the lower weight classes. We have our Mayweathers. Our Broners, Pacquiaos, Garcias, and Canelos getting some shine right now. However, without a universally recognized American heavyweight champion, boxing is just treading water, awaiting rescue.
The best boxing was barbaric boxing. Are we ashamed to mention this? Was it more entertaining to see Mike Tyson beat the fear of God into opponents or see fighters dismantled by the heavy body blows of Larry Holmes that were most likely inflicting some damage. George Foreman, who was a pure knockout artist, left his impression on the world. All were highly covered champions that enabled boxing to thrive. However, with today’s emphasis on concussions and brain trauma, how much negative attention would accompany a new, fresh, young fighter that took the boxing (and sports) world by storm with exciting knockouts and devastating performances? How many people will shine the light on all of the great fighters of the past who are enduring terribly in their latter years? This is the definition of a “catch 22”.
Floyd Mayweather is the brightest light boxing has right now to keep it interesting, but who will drive it once he’s hung up the gloves? Soccer, some would say; is in the same position. Awaiting that American-born superstar whose recognized, not just among the greats of his/her own land, but around the entire globe. Boxing has been there before, and unless something changes, I don’t see it returning to the mountaintop in near future.
Not saying I want to be right.