Agreed; part of the problem with boxing is that there are too many rules, clinches, strategies, etc. in the way of action now. Ali was one of the first responsible for this with rope-a-dope, holding, clinching, etc. nothing to do with fighting.
Another problem with boxing is the lack of white guys, especially anyone who can fight. What i want to know is why white guys like to fight in MMA and not boxing, obviously there's an appeal with one and not the other.
All the heavyweight champs except Briggs are white guys.
Boxing attracts poor working class types, because it doesn't require a ton of equipment or specialised training in a variety of fighting styles. It's like basketball, all you need is a ball and a hoop. That's why you see a lot of blacks, hispanics, and eatern Europeans. They come from poor environments. Also, with boxing you either got the speed or you don't when you're young, and you cultivate that from an early age. Middle-class Anglo guys usually are thinking about school first, so it's hard to gauge their boxing skills. Much easier for these guys to learn the technical aspects of ground fighting, and develop "decent" stand up. That's all it takes to win really.
Back on topic:
Boxing isn't dead. UFC has already peaked. Boxing has been around forever. UFC was entertaining when it was a better approximation of a real fight...when guys like Tank Abbott, Bas Rutten, and Don Fry were dominant. Now it's turned into another sport. Boxing, while not as "real" is much more entertaining if it's a good fight. It's pure. The winner is determined to be the best boxer, while a UFC match has more variables. I'd rather see guys with fast hands wailing on each other's head, than see a couple guys roll around for 5 minutes. Snooze fest. zzzzzz.
