Stadium boxing wins by knockout
15-Mar-10 10:41
Comment by Paul Upham: While others today will focus on the ring action of Manny Pacquiao’s dominate performance in beating the extremely tough Joshua Clottey, I want to record the most important knockout win of the night - boxing’s triumph over its many critics.
The crowd of 50,994 people at the US$1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys Stadium, for a boxing match not ever considered the best match they could be made this year, was an impressive performance. Titled “The Event”, by co-promoters Bob Arum and Jerry Jones, it lived up to its own billing.
Over the last two decades, boxing has not replenished or even attempted to grow its fan base. In recent times Arum even admitted to being part of a group of promoters in the 1990’s and 2000’s who compressed the sport’s appeal by taking too many fights to pay-per-view and holding boxing matches at casinos where the rich and famous where the few who could afford tickets. The average boxing fan was being left out and turned to other sports and entertainment options.
While there were still plenty of rich and famous at the Dallas NFL arena on Saturday night, average boxing fans were treated to an experience they are unlikely to forget for many years. And it wasn’t just the boxing action that made it memorable, it is the feeling of being apart of something bigger. The crowd was the third largest ever gathered in the USA indoors for a boxing match, only behind the 63,315 at Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks 2 and the 58,891 for Julio Cesar Chavez-Pernell Whitaker.
Even individuals used to the atmosphere of really big fights were taken aback. Seated at ringside alongside promoters Arum and Jones, HBO Pay-Per-View senior vice president Mark Taffet was captivated by the audience.
“This is the most memorable of experiences,” he texted. “Unbelievable. Wish you were here!”
The amazing crowd in Jones’ freshly built arena only added to the television coverage. Casual fans were intrigued, “if there is that many people in the arena, I better make sure to watch it”, was the reaction of many. Even those in the cheap seats or the US$35 walk arounds were compensated with the biggest video screen in the world above the ring.
Pacquiao-Clottey became such an event it assisted in the promotion of itself. Mainstream media usually partial to boxing picked up the pre-fight coverage because of the Cowboys involvement and the unique notion that a Filipino boxer from the other side of the planet could draw so many people to a match against a tough boxer from Africa.
The days of promoters matching a fight, getting a TV deal and a casino site fee and letting their partners sell the fight must end. To grow the sport, promoters need to get out and sell their fights like they did in the 1960’s and 1970’s. They must take boxing to the fans and allow them to be part of the experience.
Boxing had become a boutique sport because of the restrictions being placed on the fans. Not that every match will succeed in a stadium environment. Because of the global financial crisis, in recent times regional fights held in local arenas have prospered with big money in Las Vegas no longer on offer for marginal fights.
Boxing will survive and prosper as long as the best fights are made, but more importantly, they must be made accessible to the average fans.
There is new life in boxing if those in control will just allow it to breathe.
Paul Upham
Content Editor, SecondsOut.com
uppy@optusnet.com.au
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