Thomas Hauser (Hall of Fame writer)
Because the television networks and streaming services that are putting up the money accept them.
John Scully (Former world title challenger)
Simply because they are allowed to be. Boxing is different to other sports, it is not a league with a set schedule. It’s very much an individual sport and each boxer is brought along at a different pace. There is also the money factor. Each fight is a risk vs reward proposition. The money has to be right for the risk involved; at the lower levels there often isn’t enough to justify the risk of two higher quality boxers going head to head.
Nigel Collins (Former The Ring Editor)
Mismatches have always been part of boxing and always will. Prospects feed on woeful opposition, veterans launch their comebacks against no-hopers and it’s become acceptable for titleholders to have an occasional easy defence. This wasn’t as blatant or pervasive when promoters relied on filling seats to make money. Todays the majority of it comes from television and streaming services. Selling tickets is secondary. The practice is detrimental the sports and eventually turns away both potential and long-term fans.
Enzo Maccarinelli (KO’d Jones in 2015)
Because of the promoters but I haven’t seen one as bad as Estrada-Adkins in a long, long time. I know boxing is a business and fighters have to be marketed and developed but that was absolutely disgusting. It’s one thing having a prospect fighting a journeyman but this was different, Adkins couldn’t fight. We’re lucky the worst didn’t happen.
