Last weekend Sir Henry Cooper died, too most people in the US that name does not mean much; in the UK it’s a different story. He is known as the best heavyweight the country has ever produced. Not the most successful, he was never world champion, but a man who was so close to changing the history of the sport.
Cooper fought Muhammad Ali twice, the first at Wembley Arena in 1963 when he still went by the name of Cassius Clay and was building his career after winning Olympic gold in Rome three years earlier.
The 10-round fight was billed as a title eliminator; the winner would have a chance at Sonny Liston and his world title. Cooper came glove-splittingly close to changing the course of boxing when he put Clay down with a huge left. But Clay endured and went on win the fight, win the rematch, win the title and changed the world.
Today boxing is missing the great characters of the past, the value of a world championship has been diluted and the top fighters in each weight avoid each other. Exhibit a) in this argument would be Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Boxing need something to get it going, and if a single fight could reignite some interest in boxing in the US, that could be the one.
Boxing has many issues from the multiple sanctioning bodies, promoters just interested in a quick big payday rather than taking a long-term view of what is good for the sport. It’s far too much about what happens outside the ring, when it should be about what goes on inside.
In the US MMA has taken over from boxing in the public’s imagination precisely because it’s over come these issues. It promotes the characters, it concentrates on what goes on in the cage, it is unified and one person is in control. Four sanctioning bodies and fighters controlled by agents interested in the money and little else.
There are a lot of reasons that the sport is domestically loosing and to reverse that boxing needs to put it’s house in order, set it’s priorities, clean up and start promoting the fighters as personalities. There is no equivalent of Tyson (who despite his issues was a hell of an athlete) or De La Hoya anymore. And the sport desperately needs that, but it’s not the only or even the biggest issue.
I think it’s safe to say that today Manny Pacquiao is pound for pound the best boxer in the world, and seeing any athlete at the top of their game is exciting.
Boxing is still doing well elsewhere in the world; Pacquiao is the biggest Philippine sportsmen ever and is a huge draw at home. In the heavyweight division the Ukrainian Klitschko brothers sell out huge stadiums in Europe. The sport looks healthy elsewhere, but it’s certainly struggling in the incredibly US domestic market.
In the UK the sport is producing some great athletes with David Haye and Amir Khan being the pick of the bunch, but Carl Froch and Ricky Burns also hold world belts. And there are plenty of others trying for that level, including Beijing gold medalist James DeGale. In the amateur ranks Team GB has maybe never been stronger and has realistic hopes of 6 or possibly 8 medals at the Olympics next year.
In short, every successful spectator sport comes down to what happens on the field of play, the compelling stories and likable athletes competing at a high level. That is what sports fans want and makes them come back for more. At this time boxing doesn’t have that most of the time.
The stories are there, and of course any discussion about that must start with Pacquiao. He started in the slums of General Santos City in the Philippines and through boxing became his country’s highest profile athlete. He has worked his way through the lighter weight divisions and earned his place at the top of the sport. He is technically a great fighter and his style is great to watch, if only he and Mayweather Jr could find a way to get into the ring at the same time.
Tonight Pacquiao takes on Sugar Shane Mosley in Vegas. I’ve always wanted to go to a big fight, this is my chance and I’m very excited to be here. I think Mosley is over matched and if he is going to win, it will have to be early as I don’t think he has the endurance to stay with him. The bookies have Pacquiao as the big favorite. This is going to be a fun experience in a sold out arena.