20 things that have changed in boxing since the ‘good old days’

20 things that have changed in boxing since the ‘good old days’

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i have to confess. Standing in the press line with my brothers often strikes me with self-consciousness.

Laptops here, laptops there, laptops everywhere, but except for those who are really at home, they’re covering the boxing news show with a pen and pad. Granted, I usually don’t have super short deadlines like some other reporters do, but those observing me might think Time got caught in his warp.

It got me thinking about a lot of things that were routine in our sport at the time, but the relevance is not as great as it used to be.

Here are 20, in no particular order of importance.

Newspaper coverage: Once upon a time, major daily newspapers were the main source of information for fans, but with the birth of the Internet, people no longer have to rely on them for the latest information and match results.

Live gate: While still important to small club promoters, large promotions can still be profitable with fewer participants. was not always the primary source of income. This was proven during the pandemic when the show took place without anyone from the public in attendance.

manager: Let’s be honest, the manager’s role is greatly reduced at the championship level. For the most part, it is the promoter who takes on the role of de facto manager, making decisions the way managers used to do in the old days, and guiding a boxer’s career.

Poster: One of the reasons they became popular on the souvenir market is because their use as marketing materials has virtually disappeared. In the old days, it was common to have posters of big shows plastered all over town. Not so much anymore.

Ringer: Before BoxRec, record keeping was spotty. Even the revered Ring Records book is said to have contained many errors. As a result, some managers feared he might be tricked into the ring with a much more capable fighter than they were led to believe. There was a common fear in their hearts.

scoop: It’s a term used to break stories. Doing so in front of fellow reporters increases the writer’s reputation. While somewhat satisfying, breaking news rarely leaves a long-lasting trace of a reporter. Before the day is over, it’s indirectly posted all over the internet under another reporter’s byline.

Be Competitor: In times past, there were far fewer champions than in this era, so being a competitor brought great prestige. It’s a stepping stone to opportunity, nothing more.

European Championship: There was a time when holding European titles was of increasing importance in that its holders were always lining up to win world honours. boxers can go straight into a “World Championship” match without boxing for their rightful title or proving that they are the best on the continent.

Killer Instinct: Champions like Jack Dempsey have built reputations for having “killing instincts.” The term was used for decades after he retired (1927). However, in this day and age, the term is frowned upon, as is understandable due to the various ring fatalities.

Abolition of Boxing: For decades there has been a movement to do away with boxing and it seemed to gain momentum with each in-ring fatality. But calls to stop boxing are rarely mentioned today.The change in attitude can be traced to studies showing that other sports, especially American football, pose serious safety risks as well. increase. Other martial arts are slowly becoming more popular. For all this, I hope the call to abolish boxing will be a thing of the past.

Great White Hope: In the days of Jack Johnson, and even much of the 1900s, the term Great White Hope was embedded in boxing culture. Now it is rarely mentioned for the simple reason that society has grown thankfully.

Silent Ring Walk: These days, even four-round fighters walk down the aisles with music blaring from their favorite tunes. In the old days, all you needed was the cheers of the crowd.

Smoke filled arena: When I started covering boxing, I would come home from a show and my clothes would be full of cigarette smoke. The air environment around the ringside was not clean. A cloud of smoke hung over the ring while the match was taking place. Although smoking is currently prohibited around the arena, the smell of marijuana can be heard from time to time.

Dress code: If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look at the photos from the game from years ago and what the crowd wore. Most men wore suits and ties. It has been superseded by a more casual dress code. Or, like the biggest event, they may dress slightly flashy to make an impression.

Saturday Night Fever: The battle of the century between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier took place Monday night. In the past, most of the big shows were traditionally held on weeknights. Today, virtually all big events are held on Saturday nights.

Weight Ranking: When there were mainly eight weight classes, champions spent their careers in one or two weight classes at most. We knew Marvin Hagler was a career middleweight, but what about someone like Roy Jones or Manny Pacquiao? It’s hard to say in which division they primarily campaigned.

Trainer role: Trainers used to be entirely in charge of getting their fighters in top physical condition.That’s no longer the case as most top boxers now employ entire teams to get them in top shape.

Ticket stub: Back then, you would buy a ticket, walk up to the usher at the entrance, show him the dukat, and check it before tearing it in half and letting you through. Currently, we are dealing with technology that is good for the younger generation, but not for the older generation.

Fighter introduction: These days, the fighters participating in the show are introduced to the audience through a jumbotron, a giant overhead screen. It only appears for a few seconds at most, eliciting fan reaction. A few years ago, crowds were much more entertained watching the champions stand in the ring and be introduced before the main event.

Fight Night Program: These were once hot items, but are no longer in demand as they used to be. At some point it was imperative that fans buy the program to find out who was boxing and learn more about them. It seems that there are not many fans who have run out of time to put it in.

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