Who are the fighters that can save boxing?

With fighters like Hopkins, Dela Hoya, Morales, and Mayweather all going into the sunset very soon, who is the new blood that can revitalize the sport?

I'm talking about the fighters who people will follow and will bring new fans to boxing.
My list includes:

Manny Pacquiao - Fighter of the year 2006, consensus P4P#2, his style excites and he does it against world class competition. He's part of an elite crop of fighters in the sport today.

Miguel Cotto - Exciting slugger, he's not afraid to get into a war to prove his point.

Rey Bautista - This guy is 20 and is rarely in a boring fight, if he can win some titles against good competition, he will have a long and popular reign.

Kelly Pavlik - I think he'll wipe the floor with Edison Miranda and could beat Taylor with some more experience.

Juan Diaz - Exciting, bust em' up style, he's Mexican-American and a champion who slugs, can't miss here.

 

The only one that could come close on that list is Pacman and sorry thats not enough.

 

Mohinder Singh Sidhu!!!!:clap:

 

I'll also drop in Amir Khan. He's a big lightweight and hits like a mule. He's really exciting to watch. :clap:

 

....

The problem with people is that they are stupid. there is plenty of talent in the sport. Yet when people want to see blood and guts they look at guys who aren't the most exciting (like tonight). That fight was never going to live up to the hype.

 

At least wait for him to step up the comp. That kid is a bust waiting to happen.

 

You think so?

Anyway most of the people on this list are potential superstars (except Pacman who already is a superstar in the sport).

Let's face it, the sport is based around the stars within in it and that's the crop of people who carry boxing. Back in the 1990s when there were so many recognizable stars, I never heard "Boxing is dying!" because there was so much star power.

Now days it's becoming much more rare to spot true superstars.

 

Sanpreet and Hardeep Jugpal will save the division. 2 guys from the punjab villages are on their way to the grand stage in Las Vegas. They're gonna knock out some bums!:clap: I'll provide pictures when they become available.

 

In a lot of Khan's fights he is getting hit cleanly by bums. He has a lot of improving to do IMO. I agree that boxing don't have big stars but I really don't see why. The sport as a whole has a lot of talent.

 

But could they beat Parvinder Chahal or Vishvajit Pati? :dunno:

 

I think Khan has a lot of growing to do, I'm kind of worried under Warren that growth won't occur though...

I agree that the sport has a lot of "talent" but I think it takes more than talent to trascend the sport.

The stars of the 1990s seemed to have attributes beyond their vast talent to attract fans to the sport:

Oscar Dela Hoya - Sex appeal, clean image, Gold Medal Winner
Felix Trinidad - Large latin following, pride of a country
Naseem Hamed - Hugely popular in the U.K, flashy showman
Evander Holyfield - Popular American Heavyweight, "slayed" Mike Tyson, blood and guts
Roy Jones Jr - Virtuoso, almost mythical image in the ring, part of team "Jordan"
Michael Carbajal - Little "Big" man, brought attention to lower weight classes
Mike Tyson - More sideshow than anything else, but attracted curious casual fans
Riddick Bowe - A sideshow lifestyle to a lesser degree than Tyson

I think my point gets across. Something about those fighters beyond their skills attracted people to the sport to watch them even if they weren't boxing fans in the first place.

 

This alone would save boxing :laughing:

 

Good thread.
Especially in light of last night's fight which was described as 'for the good of boxing' and 'the fight that boxing needs' but where the two combatants are on the verge of retiring. ::

Boxing is dead on it's fucking feet.

 

I can't imagine how the sport would be if Pacquiao retired this year like he claimed. The sport would be officially dead.:eeeek:

 

Pac is only ever 1 or two fights away from his next draw.

You didn't even mention Abraham, Wlad, Povetkin.

Those guys can make some serious noise.

 

Pac is universally accepted as a P4P#2 and people actually pay to see him headline.

Abraham, Wlad, and Povetkin would be hard sells as PPV matches anywhere besides Europe. Plus Abraham got his ass kicked by limited Miranda (needed the ref to save him), he loses all credibility.:shit:

 

Boxers won't save boxing. The elimination of PVP and alphabet belts is all that can save boxing.

 

:clap:

 

NOT lANCE Mayrunner that is for sure. Floyd Oquendo Mayhugger should try the Tour de France.

 

PPV was around in the 80s when boxing was arguably in a very popular age. Also Pac doesn't own a major alphabet belt.

I do agree the ABC belts are diluting what a champion is though (important for incoming casual fans).

 

It was around. But only the huge fights were PVP. Now every damn fight is becoming a PVP event.
And who gives a shit what belt Pac owns, the fact that most weight divisions have 4 champions muddles the picture of who ominates to the casual viewer. Don't argue for the sake of arguing. To save boxing, the casual fan has to be brought back, and this is what is keeping them away.

 

Hey buckaroo, calm down.

I just brought up Pac because he's one of the few people who is a superstar in the sport who can exist without a belt (certainly not the only one). He's proof that the ABC belts don't need to be important as many people think.

 

I agree, but to be honest with you, outside of true boxing fans, the casual fan knows little about Pacman.

PVP is the real problem I believe.

 

Wald
Pacquiao
Cotto
Miranda
Kessler
Mormeck
Marquez, Rafa
Bautista

these are the fun guys to watch

 

PVP?

 

oops PPV:dunno:

 

People pay to see superstars. Floyd and Oscar are superstars. Pacquiao will never be one in America because he struggles with English. Fighters like the Mayweather, De la Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson - people know who they are and what they're like. Most Americans can't understand Pacquiao when he talks. At least the Mexicans could understand Julio Cesar Chavez and Roberto Duran.

 

Floyd since he will retire.

 

You can't understand him only if you're deaf. His english isn't perfect but it's understandable.

Pacquiao is already a superstar, his trilogy with Morales was one of the most viewed trilogies of the sport, and those fights were some of the highest grossing PPV bouts south of 147.

 

Floyd Mayweather, Sr. and Meldrick Taylor are easier to understand.

Then how come Mayweather's three fights against nondescript competition - Judah, Gatti and Baldomir - generated just as much money?