Apathy is a major factor that has become a serious dancing partner of boxing more than in the past. Casual fans now take up a much larger part of the landscape in boxing these days, as the truer fans tend to sit more idly by the fence while choosing to observe and analyze the other with an almost disapproval and indifference of their very own. Rightfully so however, as the casual fans bring to the discipline their own style of fandom, which often consists of disrespect, misinformation, lack of knowledge, and a carefree disregard for boxing that is as contemptible as it is annoying.
Some would argue they are not like that and merely participate in the examination and breakdown of the sport for its intrinsic entertainment value much like their counterparts in the die-hard fan base. This may be so, yet with the meteoric rise and popularity of social media and networking these weekend boxing onlookers have not only polluted the discipline with enough of a barrage of garbage and nonsensical ramblings to fill all of the landfills on the continent, but they have also succeeded in managing to turn even the most inquisitive and casual fans of the sport away at the door.
Twitter has been a long standing bastion in the internet social media bonanza. Narcissists from around the globe can tell you what they are eating; wearing, watching, doing, saying, where they are going, who they are going with and what their farts smell like at any given moment if you are interested. We have become that society unfortunately and it shows online. From taking “selfies” to duck lips and everything in-between, the website has it covered.
But on a brighter note it is definitely a good place to read about and talk boxing at any given hour on any given day of the week. Boxers, trainers, cut men, pundits, writers, hacks, fans, non-fans, fan-boys and the curious in general all come together on Twitter like a massive melting pot of various ideas, opinions and various arguments. Views can be spit out at a maximum rate all from the safety and security of your very home. A lot of times in disrespectful and ignorant fashion as well.
It’s no secret that boxing fans, wherever they fall on the scale, are some of the most unsatisfied, arrogant, misinformed and opinionated people on the planet. They know it all, have seen it all and aren’t afraid to tell you how much you do not know. Regardless of whether you have been involved in the sport for 40 years or 5, there will always be someone that knows more than you and is willing to let you know it. It’s worse for the fighters that go on the site. Because they have to deal with getting called out by those who never fought. Told how much they suck or how worthless they were in their last fight.
Constructive criticism can be helpful, being an asshole and alienating people is not. Honesty is something that is needed of course, but the feeling that is conveyed on Twitter is more of someone always fronting, except it’s not to your face so from behind a screen it could be construed as truthful although deep down everyone knows it isn’t.
Opinions are extremely important in boxing and they help guide and gauge the sport and its direction. The words that people use in 140 characters or less can be as sometimes profound as they are worthless depending on the opinions of those reading them. Many are a testament to how much people could care less about boxing as an art form itself and more about the controversy and National Inquirer like tabloid bullshit that often accompanies the fight game today.
Fans talk more about how much money a guy makes rather than the style he fights in. Boxing acumen has been reduced to every minute of useless information instead of valuable insight and relevance. Clichés fly all around the internet and more emphasis is put on what a boxer’s hair looks like or what he wore to a press conference. Since when did boxing become a fashion show or reality television program? Been that way for awhile apparently.
Boxing writers from all over get to expound about what fighter is this or that. They can exchange views, knock other writers, or just build a solid network within their own community to bounce ideas off of one another and communicate with fans on a deeper or shallower level depending on who the person is. As entertaining and addictive as Twitter can become, the potential for legitimate problems involving media hype and misinformation is ever present. Because the messages are so abbreviated often things get lost in translation, as interpretations become just that, what the other person “thinks” you meant.
Discussions can be as entertaining as they are pointless, especially with boxing when after a fight goes down you have to hear about it for what seems like forever. If boxers defended their titles more often and fought more instead of handpicking who they fought at this time or that fans, writers, and everyone else might have more to talk about. Just a suggestion here.
So the jury’s still out. Is Twitter a good or bad thing for boxing? It can and will remain to be both. It is good in that fans can interact with their heroes and shower gratitude and affection on them if they want to. Isn’t hero-worship sometimes all it’s really ever about? They can also downplay and slam a fighter for a poor performance in their eyes and judge the boxer without ever having to face them. Shit talking is also the name of the game in social media. Pressing keys doesn’t hurt that much and the repercussions are minimal to your health at best. If only there was just a way to truly change that dynamic.
Jason Petock responds to all his emails. Please send all questions and comments to Jason at: boxingwarrior@hotmail.com
