I've been reading a lot of good reviews of Cinderella Man, but sorry, I have not just zero, but negative interest in boxing movies, regardless of how good they are. I don't watch live fights, couldn't imagine actually paying money to do so, and in general have no desire whatsoever to watch one man pummel another. I have not seen any of the Rocky series (partly for that reason, but also partly because I'm not a big fan of Sylvester Stallone). If you tell me that a movie features boxing, it's an automatic turnoff to me.

I wonder how out of the norm I am.

I also never got what was so great about beating another person into unconsciousness and calling it a sport...

Agreed. The only reason I saw any of Rocky was that it was shown on a long flight. The airline tried to run it again on the return flight, but enough of us complained that the crew stopped it after the first reel!

Although I am not a boxing fan, its easy to see how some could be.

My grandfather was and my dad used to be, so I have been around it. It's alot more than 2 guys just beating the crap out of each other. There is a great deal of training, dedication and heart that goes into it.

Not sure where anyone falls as a football fan, but some football players get about the same physical abuse in a single game, that boxers gets in a 15 round match. Lets not even talk about rugby or Australian Rules Football. Hockey is even rougher than those. WITHOUT the fighting!!

I am assuming that in not being boxing fans you've never had on gloves either. If you've ever boxed 3 rounds, I did in gym in Jr High, it gives you a whole new look at how HARD boxing is, before a glove is ever laid on you.

Last but not least, I have never seen Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, or George Foreman with a gun to the side of the head, making them box.

I'm of a fairly similar disposition towards boxing -- I don't think I've ever watched a match, have never seen a Rocky movie, and am generally disinterested in boxing. I sort of randomly ended up watching the movie last night with some friends of mine, however, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. The movie was certainly rather on the cliche side, but it was just darned well made. Somehow, I even got interested in the boxing scenes.

I think it's possible to be indifferent to boxing and still enjoy movies about it -- I liked "Rocky" well enough and enjoyed "Raging Bull" far more than I would have expected. For some reason this reminds me of the tour of the Kansas Speedway I got as part of a Project Management Institute event; same kind of thing, in that I loved every minute of it, without being remotely interested in NASCAR. There's a balance to be struck between being open to serendipity while avoiding blowing too much money on things you think are stupid. It's probably impossible to know which is which beforehand.

Helpfully yours,

Specific to this movie, it's more of a depresion era film then a boxing film.

Oscar and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! were pretty funny Stallone movies.

http://www.imd b.com/title/tt0102603/
http://www.imd b.com/title/tt0105477/

Those were going to be links, but your filter doesn't like "d b.com" (only withouth the space.)

At the top most levels I think it's hard not to have respect for any sport hobby or occupation
where one can be the "Best in the world"
Best in the world means a lot no-matter what
the event is. I respect the training, dedication and
effort necessiary to reach that level reguardless of the specific venue.

I would say that you are not out of the norm at all, Rand. Let's put it this way, I would rather watch one of those contrived home decorating/landscaping shows on HGTV before watching boxing...

I've never seen any of the Rocky movies. Or Raging Bull, for that matter.

Boxing is a martial art as sophisticated
and scientific as any in the world. The
fact that it is less popular than it once
was represents the influence of supposedly
superior Japanese martial arts and the fact that physical conflict is has been outlawed by the state. Attempting to settle an argument or defend
yourself with your fists will land you in
jail and/or a lawsuit.

The only thing barbaric about professional
boxing is the lack of head protection. I
think this should be addressed and would
even make the sport more popular.

My grandfather was and my dad used to be, so I have been around it. It's alot more than 2 guys just beating the crap out of each other.

It may be more than that, but it doesn't make it not that.

There is a great deal of training, dedication and heart that goes into it.

That's irrelevant. The same could be said for slaughtering hogs, too, but it wouldn't increase my level of desire to watch it.

I am assuming that in not being boxing fans you've never had on gloves either.

You are assuming correctly.

If you've ever boxed 3 rounds, I did in gym in Jr High, it gives you a whole new look at how HARD boxing is, before a glove is ever laid on you.

Its difficulty is not in dispute. There are many things that are hard. That doesn't make them inherently worth doing, or watching.

You've said nothing that has altered my interest in any way.

And from Paul Breed:

Best in the world means a lot no-matter what
the event is. I respect the training, dedication and effort necessiary to reach that level reguardless of the specific venue.

Rock, paper, scissors? Hole digging? Nose picking?

These are uncompelling arguments to me.

Boxing is a martial art as sophisticated
and scientific as any in the world.

You've obviously confused me with someone interested in martial arts (hint: I don't watch those movies, either).

Rand,

Think boxing is a sport you either "get" and like... or you don't "get" and dislike.

I'm a fan.

BTW - the second Ali-Liston fight was a fix. Phantom punch my ass.

Rand, I was not trying in anyway to sway anyones view, just answering what I thought was the question of where people fell on liking/disliking boxing. And why or why not.

To answer the question... you seem normal to me.

In my case, I dislike watching any sports, but I do enjoy participating. In my college years I knew a professional kick-boxer (moving up from sixth nationally) that I did some light weight sparring (he could have killed me at any moment, but I was the only guy he knew big enough to give him a workout. He was a short Samoan guy about a head shorter than me.)