The Observer, March 18, 2005
Volume XXXVII, Issue 21
The Contender picks boxing up from the canvas
The embattled sport of boxing has been knocked out of popularity recently. However, boxing has a shot at redemption in NBC's new television show The Contender. Sixteen of the world's best middleweight boxers (154-160 pounds) compete in a spec-ially made gym in Los Angeles. All the fighters' personal lives are detailed during the show. These men are split into two teams of eight, and each week one con-testant from each side fights an opponent from the other team. The winner stays in the competition while the loser goes home. Eventually, only two fighters will remain. These last fighters will square off at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas for a prize of $1 million.
Sylvester Stallone, best known for his portrayal of fighter Rocky Balboa in the Rocky movies, serves as the lead commentator for the series. Additionally, Sugar Ray Leonard, world champion of five weight classes, gives his boxing insight to the audience and to the fighters. The star power of Stallone and Leonard combined with the personal stories of the contestants makes this show a must-see for any person. Boxing fans like me, of course, are in heaven, but any sports fan can enjoy this type of series. Also, even non-sports fans can appreciate the intensity of the sport, be captivated by the drama of the show, and sympathize with the personal stories of the fighters.
It is the personal stories of the fighters that really make the show. Learning about why one particular fighter dislikes another fighter or why one boxer is compelled to risk life and limb for his family makes the watcher identify with a particular contestant. This type of background information on the boxers makes these men seem more human and is key to boxing's popularity. It's hard to believe, but in the 1970s and early 1980s, boxing was the second most popular sport in television viewer-ship, trailing only football. Yes, more people watched pugilism during this time period than baseball, basketball, and golf.
There are clear reasons for both the rise and then the fall of boxing as a premier spectator sport. The 1960s and 1970s were a period of great fighters with interesting personalities who produced unforgettable fights. Muhammad Ali is perhaps the best example. His cocky, articulate, flamboyant style outside of the ring peaked interest in his fights while his amazing boxing skills backed up his lofty predictions. Moreover, boxers like George Foreman, Ken Norton, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and Chuck Wepner, all of whom Ali fought, were top contenders who could beat any of the heavyweights around today.
Ali's fight against Foreman, called the "Rumble in the Jungle," actually began weeks before the first punch was thrown. Advertisers profiled each fighter, and both Ali and Foreman did plenty of trash talking. It was well-known that the two men hated each other, or at least that was what the public was made to believe. Foreman was undefeated, and was touted as an unstoppable, supremely powerful puncher who simply could not lose. Ali was described as the cocky, skilled boxer who could "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee."
Anticipation for the fight was enormous –would the power of Foreman beat the intelligence and skill of Ali, or vice-versa? On a hot October night in the jungles of Zaire in 1974, the two titans squared off and millions tuned in to see the fight. In the end, it was Ali's brains which won out. Employing the now famous "rope a dope" tactic, Ali let Foreman beat on him for seven rounds. Only in the eighth round did Ali fight back. At that point, Foreman was too tired out from the punches he had already thrown and was knocked out late in the round.
Boxing nowadays has fallen out of favor among viewers predominantly due to the lack of quality, well-recognized fighters like Ali and Foreman. The sport gains much of its appeal from the realization of the question, "What would happen if [this fighter] fought [that fighter]." For example, people always wondered who would win if Ali fought Foreman. They found out. However, today there are few exciting potential match-ups, especially in the heavyweight class, which sets the tone for the popularity of the other weight classes. The public will not watch a fight if they are not interested or do not even know the boxers in the contest.
The last great fight was Holyfield-Tyson I, where Holyfield beat Tyson in the 11th round in November of 1996. Thereafter, boxing has been mired in scandal and mediocrity, including Tyson biting Holyfield's ears in their rematch fight, Tyson making a fool of himself outside of the ring, and a complete lack of talent in the heavyweight division since the retirement of champ Lennox Lewis. Moreover, boxing coverage has changed from regular television to Pay-Per-View, which limits the audience. Finally, scandals involving promoter Don King and stories of boxers taking bribes have thrown the validity of matches into question. Consequently, boxing viewership is at an all-time low and may decrease even further unless something is changed.
NBC's The Contender brings the sport of boxing back to a prime-time, national audience. It also provides background information on the fighters, making the match-ups interesting. The first installment of The Contender was the third most watched show of the week. This past week, the fight of Ishee vs. Baby Face was advertised on the show as a battle of two men who really did not like each other. Ishee was a family man with a quiet style while Baby Face was flamboyant and a skilled fighter. In an exciting contest, Ishee won to end Baby Face's chance at the $1 million prize. I am sure lots of people tuned in to see it. Neither man was knocked down during the fight and so no one had to pull himself up before the count of 10. However, something did seem to rise from off the canvas if the viewer looked closely. It wasn't a man, but the sport of boxing itself that beat the count, just when the referee was at nine.
