
So...another week without boxing...Let’s do our best to talk about something at least marginally boxing-related, then.
A little while back, I tried to get together whatever’s left of independent media in boxing and unify to create a network of unbiased, uncompromised news and information. Call me a futurist, but I saw what was happening with this Saudi Arabian takeover.
Once they got the actual boxing assets, they’d come for the media because, well, if you have the assets, you need to control the narrative.
I also knew that the boxing media would fold once money started coming their way. Hell, these are the same people who can be won over by a nice dessert station at a media buffet. The boxing media doesn’t care about boxing or journalism or writing or anything to do with the ethics or morality involved in any of it. You see, these people are slumming it in boxing and all they really care about is being part of a scene and, ultimately, feeling whatever ego rush they feel from being important in their little niche corner of a niche sport. Now, throw some money their way, and, hell yeah, they’ll push this sport that they “love” right off the nearest, highest cliff-- and they’ll convince themselves that they’re right in doing it.
But the indy media people? They’re not making any money covering the sport. They aren’t invited to the big shows and don’t get access to the major players.
If I was going to find someone who CARES, it would have to be among the independent media corps. If I was going to find someone who cared about maintaining some semblance of independent thought and preserving a degree of actual journalism in the face of a completely bought-off media, it would be among them.
But, nope.
I mean, I tried. I wrote emails, sent messages, argued my case. A few were nice enough to listen and interact before ghosting me. Others never even bothered to respond. But nobody wanted in.
It was an idea that was as simple as establishing a news portal where we shared news coverage and editorials that fans could trust as free from conflict of interest. It would’ve cost them nothing-- no money or effort-- and they could’ve maintained their own sites 100%. Everything would be as it normally was for them. Business as usual. I was really only after their moral support and the permission to list them publicly as supporters of independent media and as part of a coalition of independent media members.
I can’t say that I was surprised by their disinterest.
I tried to do pretty much the very same thing about 18 years ago, when I first got into boxing writing and saw just how compromised the establishment media was. Back then, the independent media was even pissier towards me. Some attacked me publicly for my efforts.
What I learned then and what I confirmed recently is that the so-called independent media really is just a minor leagues for those looking to sell out further down the road. They have the fantasy of someday being one of these media whores perpetually tossing the salad of whoever’s waving around a dollar bill. They aspire to be important enough to sell out.
And I really can’t blame them all that much.
They were raised on the idea of a compliant media. Coming up, who could they read or watch to show them any other way of being? People aren’t getting into boxing media because they want to exercise sound journalistic practices. They get into it because they want to be a part of boxing and you sure as hell can’t be an “insider” if you’re challenging and questioning the “insiders.”
So, I guess what I’m saying is that we’re fucked if we want to reap the benefits of everything a strong media would give the sport-- like, everything all of us say we want from the sport (good fights, affordable events, the end of corruption, etc.). We just don’t have the soldiers to fight that war and we probably never will.
*******
On a more actual boxing-related side note, I don’t recall ever being as disappointed in a generation of American boxers as I am right now.
With the exception of David Benavidez and a small handful of others, these guys just ain’t worth a lick.
Don’t get me wrong, some can really, really fight. They just really, really don’t WANT to fight.
And while they’re finding reasons not to fight, they feel the urge to share their dramas (both boxing related and non-boxing related) with the boxing world that just wants them to do their damn jobs.
I’ve only been paying attention marginally these last few weeks, but I’m bored nonetheless with Tank Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Shakur Stevenson, Boots Ennis, and even Terence Crawford. Everyone wants to fight everyone, but nobody’s fighting anyone.
These guys are supposed to be the best of the best America has to offer, yet none has a meaningful fight on the horizon (and, no, Lamont Roach is not “meaningful” for Tank Davis). Only one (Tank Davis) has ANY opponent actually lined up. And the last meaningful fight for any of them was when Crawford fought Madrimov – and that was over five months ago.
I don’t want to hear excuses or see any finger pointing. I just want fighters to fight. And I want American fighters, specifically, to fight in America, for American fans.
Got something for Paul? Send it here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com