Cold War Era Boxing

Soon following the time of prosperity for the sport of boxing would come a time of hardship. From the 60s to the 80s boxing saw a gradual shift in personality, and not in a good way. Promoters and fighters brought negative connotations to the sport and would leave permanent legacies that taint the art to this day. In this brief essay, I will examine what caused the downfall of boxing and how economically it changed during this time period by using a number of articles as well as examining the tactics of fighters and their managers during this time period.

Mike Tyson v. Marvis Frazier

According to the article "1980s Boxing" on the site "Pro-Boxing Fans," the 1980s "were a time of excess. In boxing, the impact was felt on all levels. One talented fighter after the next fell by the wayside, victims of frenzied lifestyles that sapped them of all their promise. The 80s would have been even more thrilling if not for the demise of countless talents. Nevertheless, it was still a great time to be watching boxing. It is a testament to the depth of talent during this time that boxing managed to have one of its best periods despite all the destructive factors working against it." Promoters such as Don King and managers such as Panama Lewis are some of the men accountable for the "victimization" of boxing. Don King, who was for a long time Mike Tyson's promoter, allegedly cheated him out of millions of dollars, as well as Muhammad Ali. Panama Lewis, the manager of Luis Resto, removed padding from his gloves and replaced it with a thin layer of concrete which lead to the death of Billy Collins Jr. in a light-heavyweight bout. The media took advantage of these controversies and boxing was seen in a new light. Big names such as Mike Tyson also did not help the sport with numerous encounters with the law and personal problems that distracted from the actual sport and portrayed the fighters as brutal people. This lead to a decrease in popularity of the sport and, while profitability is still high, it is not on par with where it would have been had it kept growing at the same exponential rate as previous decades.