5 things America needs to rectify, for the sake of boxing.

Inspired by Truss, not an attack on America.

1. The inability of top promoters such as Top Rank and Goldenboy to get together. Countless fights have not been made because of this, and it is a disgrace.

2. The rise in the use of PED's in the states and the lack of punishment and regulation. America has legitimized drug use in this and other sports. They do this by failing to punish offenders and regulate the sport better. Andre Berto and Lamont Peterson have literally gone unpunished. Boxing has gone the same way as other top American sports like baseball where everybody knows the stars are doing it and they don't care, because winning is seen as all important.

3. Failing to stage fights where they sell. How many times do we read about poor gates at American events, seems like it is all the time lately. Stage fights where they are wanted; watching Boxing After Dark on HBO is atmosphere-less half the time. Take a note from Britain and Germany, stage fights where they sell.

4. America's inability to accept they aren't the dominant force in the sport anymore. When the best Heavyweights in the world are ten years removed from being American, it is time to engage in promoting non-US fighters better.

5. A lack of courage by American networks in confronting and highlighting all of the above. HBO are particularly bad in this respect. They are the biggest game in town; challenge the injustices you see.

Agreed.....especially on number 1. Don't let the little things get in the way of what can only be a good deal

I think number 1 happenes over here too sometimes, Warren and Matchroom aren't the greatest of mates are they?... Agree with the above points though.

I think 2 is the most poisonous issue. All very true and an absolute disgrace. Wonder what coverage Armstrong's shame has got over there? None? Still considered a hero/winner??

1. A problem over here as well

2. A problem the world over

3. Unimportant to the networks who pay for the events

4. Cyclic

5. If the networks make money why should they bother.

Maloney and warren are working together with Price, David Haye worked with Warren recently, Warren and Hearn are working together for Rees vs Murray.

Over here is nowhere near as bad as America

bhb001 wrote:
2. A problem the world over

Disagree, to an extent. As the point sean is trying to make, nowhere else (other than undeveloped countries, which is an entirely different ball game) is drug use excused/accommodated to the extent it is in the States as nowhere else has such a die hard winning is all that counts attitude.

Yes drug use happens elsewhere, but elsewhere it turns convicted cheats into pariahs unable to ply their trade (look at Chambers) whereas in the States it's all too often just brushed under the carpet and people are allowed to move on once the storm blows over (look at Peterson and IBF not stripping him or Washington SAC not calling it a NC).

Top hat, maybe they are just a little better at sniffing it out than some other countries. I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years time, we are looking at some other countries and seeing that behaviour every bit as bad as you described was "looked over" by national agencies, similar to how East Germany did it in the 70s.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

bhb001 wrote:
2. A problem the world over

Disagree, to an extent. As the point sean is trying to make, nowhere else (other than undeveloped countries, which is an entirely different ball game) is drug use excused/accommodated to the extent it is in the States as nowhere else has such a die hard winning is all that counts attitude.

Yes drug use happens elsewhere, but elsewhere it turns convicted cheats into pariahs unable to ply their trade (look at Chambers) whereas in the States it's all too often just brushed under the carpet and people are allowed to move on once the storm blows over (look at Peterson and IBF not stripping him or Washington SAC not calling it a NC).

This is exactly the point I am making on that point.

Berto was on Boxingscenes radio show the other day and it was farcical how they treated it, IMO

bhb001 wrote:Top hat, maybe they are just a little better at sniffing it out than some other countries. I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years time, we are looking at some other countries and seeing that behaviour every bit as bad as you described was "looked over" by national agencies, similar to how East Germany did it in the 70s.

How good they are sniffing it out is not the relevant point (though I'd further argue that I doubt they're any better than other major developed nations eg UK, France, Germany, Oz etc [the likes of East Germany, Slavics and China are a totally different kettle of fish]) it's the brushing it under the carpet.

See my examples of Peterson and Chambers. Totally different treatments by their respective nations and governing bodies.