Fight night in Las Vegas means hotel rooms are scarce and parties are plentiful. But it wasn't that long ago that boxing was itself a punching bag, hurt by notorious one-round bouts, a glut of confusing title fights, and backlash against charismatic promoter Don King.
Sports sociologist Kurt Stahura, a professor of tourism and convention administration department, says boxing's image took it on the chin when it lost the public's trust. "People thought boxing had become one step removed from wrestling, where it became more entertainment than sport," Stahura says. "To a certain extent, Don King was a showman, which helped boxing. The problem was, it became so much of a show that it no longer resembled a sport. It's a fine line."
Boxing's fortunes are inextricably tied to Las Vegas, and it's no surprise that the "sweet science" made its comeback as the city surged in popularity, Stahura says. Absent a pro sports franchise, Las Vegas made boxing its official sport and part of its culture. And it's a sport that's easy to televise, which has helped to extend the global reach of both boxing and the city.
"Vegas has utilized boxing and boxing has utilized Vegas, and they harmoniously evolved throughout the '90s. They're both bigger and both better," Stahura says.
Personality has also returned among up-and-coming fighters, Stahura says, and fans are drawn to follow strong good guys and bad guys. But in sports where rivalries are played up for marketing, Stahura says fans who sense things are being scripted will feel cheated and move on.
"The advantage of sports (as entertainment) is that it's unpredictable. That's what lures people — and what makes it problematic."it problematic."
