Why is Amateur Boxing losing popularity in the US ?
Editorial By: Bobby Allen Bryant
Amateur boxing was once a significant sporting event in the U.S. that major international competitions were once common events on network television. The country’s finest boxing writers covered the events.
These days, network television and sponsors pay almost no attention to US Amateur Boxing
This past week the US Olympic Boxing Team had the worst performances in US Olympic history. For the first time in history, no male boxer won any medals. This was disturbing to our US fans who have a personal connection with the US Amateur Boxing program. Here is Shreveport, Louisiana Boxing Trainer, Bobby Allen Bryant’s opinion on why there is a sharp decline in the participation in US Amateur Boxing.
The reason why amateur boxing in the United States is currently dropping in popularity is due to a few very self centered individuals who are trying to control the sport, not utilizing the resources that are given to them, and placing the wrong leaders to lead the USA Boxing organization. I also noticed a total lack of interest by the sporting good retailers (Academy Sports or Dick’s Sporting Goods for example) to sponsor amateur boxing events within the country in order for the sport to reach out once again.
By the way, the reason why I know about Academy Sports not seeming to care about amateur boxing is because the Chairman for the Junior Olympics within the Southern Association, Coach Sparky McDuffie, made a presentation to Academy Sports to sponsor this event and they denied it. And since they know incident did occur, they cannot deny it happened.
While I have been a volunteer boxing trainer and media liaison for the Stephens Youth Activity Zone (three years), I began boxing at the age of 17 while in a institution located in Logansport, Louisiana and owe this sport for turning my life around for the positive because of the people behind it. Without them (George Dement, Tim Dement, Walter Dement, Ken Anderson or Jamie Phills of the “Irish” McNeil’s Sports for Boys Boxing Gym in Shreveport) I probably never thought about enlisting into the United States Air Force or ever trying to improve myself. For a kid that was called a “loser” or “retarded” it was totally different to be told ‘”God doesn’t make junk; we make ourselves junk by what we do and what we say..”‘ Where is the USA Boxing I remember? Not only did they teach about the sport of boxing, they threw in real life advice along with it.
Feel free to share your suggestions and opinions in the comment section below.
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COMMENTS
English
I posted this on a few other sites as well – I must admit I am not that familiar with the amateurs. I went to the Jr. Golden Gloves (10-14) in Mesquite NV last month and it was inspirational. Each kid came out of their corner like a 20 year old Joe Frazier. I have been told – that style does not impress the judges and that one bomb is equal to a jab. While many European fighters look to turn pro I am not sure if their trainers enforce the more “agressive” style of boxing that the USA trainers do. Another thing – I do remember in the 60′, 70’s and 80’s that most of the USA amateur kids that entered the pro ranks had a couple of hundred fights. With the current lack of gyms – and the lack of support – this is not true any longer. The one positive note is the Hispanic population here in the US. It’s exploding. And their top two spectator sports are boxing and baseball ( I am not sure which is #1). Their support of the Hispanic fighter is very strong. That’s why almost every fight on ESPN. HBO, Showtime, features a Hispanic fighter. It’s going to be very rare for a find a black kid, like a Tommy Hearns, or even more rare a white kid, somewhat like a Boom Boom Mancini, who will generate that type of attention in the white or black boxing fan.
In my nonqualified opinion, that answer just don’t seem very logical nor has a very strong base. Here’s why:
(1) Community surroundings
In Shreveport, we have a strong mixture of African American and Angelo American presence, with the Hispanic being a very small minority.
The same is true in the rest of the state.
(2) Promotion or the lack thereof
Local media, especially in our state, has a tendency of placing the sport of amateur or Olympic style boxing in a very low priority and shows no vested interests in covering it, even though these young athletes compete just as hard, or harder, as any football or basketball player to compete in State, Regional or National level, in which leads to representing the United States in the Olympics.
(3) The Mixed Martial Arts Factor
If you had the opportunity to obtain media exposure as a fighter, you tend to go in that direction in order to receive that attention. Period.
While I’m not into the MMA, I do appreciate the overall efforts of their media liaisons to gain positive attention for their sport even though their sport is not represented in the Olympic Games. This a page we might need to use gain attention to our sport.
Here’s something else you or anyone else might not know:
USA Boxing has a scholarship program based on economic needs and not on athletic ability. Check it out on http://www.usaboxing.org/scholarship.
You build the interest at the ground level back at each club, and build from there by having
well matched club sows, and when they are ready to have them performed in the various
tournaments.
Also, there should be enough deep pocket folks involved in professional boxing
that could afford to sponsor and annual local club card or a regional tournament
in the various regions. To recognize them the annual event could be named afte
them.
It should be noted that another great man, known to the Louisiana amateur boxing community, died recently:
Mr. Charles Trahan of the Frog Capital Boxing Club!
Not only was this man considered, and respected, a great boxing coach he was just “good people” as we say in Louisiana because he would give you the shirt off his back and then tell you it wasn’t him or he would sneak in a few dollars to you if you didn’t have the money without even asking for it back!
In my opinion, that’s what makes amateur boxing great: The people behind it.