Everyone knows and loves the three major sports that rule the sports worlds in the United States: baseball, football, and basketball. The diehard’s know these sports inside and out - from the strategies used for success - to the essential information about the players and coaches. Even the occasional fan knows the basics of how the games work and their major players. Not much is needed to lock in the American sports fan to watch and follow the big three. Then there are the sports that have its following and draw in the occasionally sports fan when they are relevant; those sports being hockey, golf, soccer, MMA, and tennis. These sports are the equivalent of being the middle child. They have their place and get the attention needed whenever they are relevant; but ultimately, they are mostly forgotten throughout the year. They do try very hard to reach the same level of relevancy as their old brother sports (baseball, football, and basketball), but always fall short and remain in their place.
Then there are the sports that have out lived their time, much like an uncle that whenever you see him, he tells you about how great of an athlete he was in his prime and that if luck went his way, he would have been a great star. These sports, much like your uncle, were at one point in their existences, the talk of the sports world. Everyone knew they existed and followed them with great intent. Whenever there was a major event, it received world renowned coverage and was the event of the sporting world. It was right up there along with the Super Bowl and World Series, in terms of attention received by the general public. The sports I am referring to are boxing and horse racing. Two sports that as a sports junkie and purest, I love and follow. But unfortunately, not even Mr. Armchair himself can save these two sports. They are dying a slow death; with the defibrillator nowhere to be found.
This past weekend, these two sports had showcasing events that drew minimal coverage and received little attention from the general public. You had the Preakness Stakes, which is the second leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing, and you had a major championship fight in boxing. These two events at one time during their existences would have been major television events, and received much attention even from modest sports fans. Much would have been made of these events prior to them actually happening, and the excitement level would register throughout the nation. People would have known every participant and much trash talk would be flying around to help fuel the interest. Instead, the two events this past weekend, featured an over the hill boxer who at one point was a worthy champion but is continuing to fight just to stay relevant; and a field of mediocre horses that even the most famous jockeys wouldn’t ride. The prevailing winners of these events were a horse (Shackleford) that will soon be forgotten in 4 months, and a boxer (Bernard Hopkins) who is well pasted his prime at 46 years old, but is still continuing to fight for a paycheck. Not to diminish their accomplishments, but it’s nothing to get excited about. (Side note: this blogger hit the 5-11, Shackleford - Animal Kingdom Exacta!!! Just had to throw that in there)
A major reason for these two sports dying off is the fact that they both lack major stars or attractions. Back when horse racing and boxing were at their peak, they featured major stars that people could admire and appreciate. In horse racing, you had beautiful racehorses like Affirmed, Man o’ War, Seabiscuit, Seattle Slew, Secretariat, and War Admiral. These racehorse were admired in the sporting world. With such purity and elegance, they captured the hearts of many sports fans. They were as popular as any human athlete for their time.
Boxing featured such prized fighters like Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman, Mike Tyson, and the greatest of all, Muhammad Ali. Known as the "sweet science", boxing is as beautiful of a sport to watch as any. The technique and coordination needed to dance around the ring while plotting your next punch is poetry in motion. After recently taking up boxing classes, it's a sport where you need to be on top of your game, both physically and mentally. Like chess, you are always thinking two moves ahead of your opponent, while still trying to focus on the here and now. There is a great appreciation for a boxer as an athlete, which is why whenever two goliaths like Ali and Frazier got into the ring to fight each other, it instantly became the sporting event of the year.
Whenever these racehorses raced or fighters fought, it was a big deal; and an even bigger event. It is because of these great horses and fighters that the Kentucky Derby is the greatest two minutes in sports, and a championship fight brings out the best Hollywood and politics has to offer. But now and days, the stars are far and few between. In horse racing, the jockeys and trainers are more famous than the racehorses themselves, and race tracks across the country are having to close up their stables. The industry still holds out hope for that next great crop of racehorses to save the sport. For boxing, it has all but written off the heavyweight division; a division that once carried and made the sport. It now focuses its attention to developing prized middleweight fighters in hopes that they can carry the sport.
There is however a glimmer of hope for these two sports to be saved. For horse racing, they need a horse to win the Triple Crown in the worst way. For the novice sports fans, the Triple Crown of horse racing is when a horse wins the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont; the three preeminent races in horse racing. All three races are run in a span of three months, making horse racing semi-relevant for a short time period. Recently, there has been plenty of horses that have won the first two legs (races) of the Triple Crown, causing much anticipation leading up to the third leg, but ultimately failing to win. Horse racing could also do a better job at featuring some of its other races held during the year; making horse racing relevant for an extended amount of time. They can feature races like the Arkansas Derby, Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, Santa Anita Derby, and the Breeder's Cup. Obviously the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont speak for themselves and have a rich history.
Boxing on the other hand, needs two things to happen. The first is for the heavyweight division to develop a great boxer. Heavyweight fights are the fights that more often than not produce knockouts - which is what the average boxing fan likes to see - and why MMA has now taken precedence over boxing to the average sports fan. They want to see people get knocked out by power punches. You aren’t going to find much of that in the middleweight or featherweight divisions. Those fights are more tactical in nature, with most fights ending with a decision by judges. Having a great heavyweight fighter who can mow through the competition, a la Mike Tyson, to use a recent example, could really do wonders for the sport of boxing and help draw in fans. Plus, heavyweight fights are the class of boxing. It’s their bread and butter, and it’s also how boxing came to be so great.
The other thing that needs to happen is for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao to once and for all, square off in the ring and fight each other. These two boxers are arguably the best and most renowned the sport has to offer. "Pretty Boy" Floyd has never lost a fight, allowing him to make the claim of being the greatest "pound for pound" boxer of all-time. Manny Pacquiao currently holds all Welterweight Championship belts and is the first boxer in history to win ten world titles. He was also named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 2000’s, and is currently rated as the “pound for pound” best boxer in boxing right now. While Mayweather is supposedly “retired” and unwilling to fight Pacquiao, many estimate that if this fight were to happen, it would be the largest grossing Pay-Per-View fight in boxing history, and would certainly draw new interest into the sport. But this fight needs to happen soon, as Mayweather and Pacquiao aren’t getting any younger and are nearing the end of their prime. Some (Mayweather mostly) argue that Pacquiao's reluctance to Olympic standard drug testing is preventing this fight from happening. Other say pride, ego, and the fear of defeat from Mayweather will most likely prevent this fight from ever happening. So until this fight happens, boxing will continue to promote any fight involving Pacquiao, even if it’s against 39 year old wash-ups (sorry Sugar Shane, but you had no business fighting Pacquiao).
Both once proud and renowned sports, horse racing and boxing have been delegated to back page news and a following that rivals most piano lounge singers. But they can be saved. They just need a defibrillator.
Mr. Armchair Speaking
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