The muddied waters of boxing are becoming a lot murkier these days, not more so with the knowledge of this generation of fans who want to see fights like Floyd Mayweather vs. Andy Ruiz Jr.
It’s bad enough when YouTubers pretend to be boxers and fight MMA stars they outweigh so much they can’t lose, but the internet boom in 2010 seems to have played a part.
Gone are the days when an avid fan would watch old tapes passed on by family, wait for the latest installment of HBO Boxing After Dark, ESPN Friday Night Fights or follow the latest Pay Per View star.
No, these days, all the footage you need is on YouTube and accessible whenever you want it. It’s a pity some folks don’t use it.
Instead, they’re probably watching some YouTuber playing video games or trying on boxing gloves to see what network he can swindle next.
The days of the pure pugilistic fans are numbered.
Former heavyweight champion of the world Andy Ruiz Jr. posting a nice photo of himself to Instagram, looking svelt I might add, was all good and well. That’s until you look through the replies.
“I want to see you in the ring with Floyd Mayweather!” – said one clueless attempt to interact. It doesn’t end there.
Twitter is possibly the worst culprit and is awash with “fight Canelo” shouts to fighters campaigning at 140 pounds and below.
I mean, the guy outweighs them by almost thirty pounds and is the best fighter on the planet.
Supporters can get forgiven for their enthusiasm – to an extent. But when do you pull a celebrity for their lack of understanding?
Without naming names, there are at least two high-profile US sportspeople who are massive boxing fans. Amazingly, their opinion on a particular fight gets taken a gospel.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER vs. ANDY RUIZ JR
The situation doesn’t get helped by the constant cross-codes bouts featuring MMA fighters. But it is the weight situation that is most worrying.
At what point do you say, “no, that fighter should be fighting someone that much bigger” and raise a red flag to the promoter or sanctioning body.
And where will boxing be in another decade? – It’s hard to imagine.
For now, though, you can safely tell that we won’t see Floyd Mayweather in the ring with And Ruiz Jr. at any point in the future.
The views expressed in this article are opinions of Phil Jay.
