"Putting aside the breathtaking exhibitions of physical and psychological intensity it can produce, boxing has long been a refuge of the underclass, credited with changing the lives of the disenfranchised and impoverished. There are no barriers to entry. In that sense, it has always sold a democratic dream. But boxing is, and has always been, the red-light district of professional sports, its flimsy guardrails making it a longtime haven for brazen criminals and the kind of grift and corruption that strains credulity."
"Yet in the hours after Anthony Joshua meted out the reality check of a lifetime to Jake Paul on the neon edge of south-east Florida, the instinctive grappling with What It All Means has left us staring at some uncomfortable questions. Not so much about boxing's future, but about the world now consuming it and the environment that enabled Friday night's artless, cynical spectacle to generate a reported purse of $138m (103m) to be divided between its participants."
Boxing offers unparalleled accessibility and has historically provided the disadvantaged with life-changing opportunities. The sport simultaneously tolerates deep-seated corruption, organized crime influence, and exploitative promoters because of weak regulations and lucrative financial incentives. High-profile mismatches and celebrity entrants like Jake Paul stress-test boxing's contradictions by turning spectacle into massive paydays despite questions about sporting legitimacy. Paul's rapid development benefited from abundant resources and training, allowing him to build a credible record against a mix of former fighters and celebrities. The Joshua-Paul event epitomized commercial cynicism, producing an artless spectacle that nevertheless paid an extraordinary reported purse of $138m.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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