What Ever Became of US Olympic Boxing Coverage?

[bijanc]

Has U.S. amateur boxing coverage gone the way of TAF? There was a time when even the Trials were televised nationally. Media darlings such as George Foreman, Howard Davis, Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, and Oscar de la Hoya depended on t.v. coverage during the Games to catapult their ensuing careers. The Spinks bros., Pernell Whitaker, and even the Cuban Teofilo Stevenson were big media deals.

In Montreal, U.S. fighters were bigger than Jenner.

Any thoughts on why coverage has been so sparse since Atlanta (and I don't mean that daytime MSNBC stuff- I mean prime time)?

[guru]

I'd suspect if/when any US boxers make the gold medal bout that will be on prime time. Showing a preliminary fight takes up a lot more time than showing a swimming prelim, and NBC does have an entire channel devoted to boxing every day(CNBC).

[bijanc]

Pug Snub

guru wrote:

"...I'd suspect if/when any US boxers make the gold medal bout that will be on prime time. .."

It's not expected that any will. Of the two given the best shot(s), one DQ'd prior to the stateside weigh in because he fainted due to dehydration and couldn't weigh in- the other lost an early prelim (his first) because of what he says was a miscommunication w/ his corner/coach.

CNBC? So much for the big bucks and the Wheaties box covers.