Number of worldwide pro boxers per year

[seattlefan]

I don't know how accurate these numbers are. I got them from here which says they are from boxrec.com: http://www.boxingforum24.com/showpost.php?p=16964847&postcount=6

These numbers are the total amount of active professional boxers in each year.

2012 22265
2011 22491
2010 21053
2009 20902
2008 20625
2007 20714
2006 20087
2005 19552
2004 18406
2003 17113
2002 17001
2001 16026
2000 15071
1999 15235
1998 14269
1997 15067
1996 14287
1995 14274
1994 13766
1993 14374
1992 13280
1991 12703
1990 13484
1989 13153
1988 12362
1987 11690
1986 11350
1985 12741
1984 12581
1983 14547
1982 15211
1981 14040
1980 12538
1979 11950
1978 10596
1977 10975
1976 8919
1975 9372
1974 9224
1973 10245
1972 10379
1971 11222
1970 11124
1969 9864
1968 9815
1967 9623
1966 9710
1965 9415
1964 9675
1963 10271
1962 11302
1961 11764
1960 12215
1959 12303
1958 13091
1957 12913
1956 13447
1955 14461
1954 15711
1953 16032
1952 16792
1951 17739
1950 19820
1949 22613
1948 25695
1947 30488
1946 30936
1945 17185
1944 15660
1943 12702
1942 12350
1941 12914
1940 15891
1939 17134
1938 19047
1937 24517
1936 20433
1935 23767
1934 26667
1933 28997
1932 30914
1931 35794
1930 36138
1929 33654
1928 32337
1927 28389
1926 24307
1925 22900
1924 24305
1923 23669
1922 22859
1921 19362
1920 17662
1919 12351
1918 6311
1917 9055
1916 10463
1915 9223
1914 8145
1913 8106
1912 8598
1911 8430
1910 7129
1909 5552
1908 4465
1907 3807
1906 3862
1905 3642
1904 3211
1903 3087
1902 3281
1901 1858
1900 3817

 

[BoxingSpecialist2]

Interesting. This is a subject I've explored and discussed in great detail.

If you look at boxing today, you could almost say it is dominated by whites. According to boxrec.com, the #1 boxer in every division 154 and up is a white man. You will also observe that Americans are nowhere near as successful today as they were in the 1960's, 70 ' s, or 80's.

Many Americans say that the reason Europeans are dominating is because there is less competition and less participation.

Actually, the precise opposite is true. Boxing today is more globally competitive than ever, and in terms of pure numbers more competitive than at any time since the 1940's .

The truth is that black boxers of the 60 ' s, 70' s, and 80's had things easy in the sense that there were less boxers and the boxers that did box were exclusively from countries like USA, England, and Western Europe.

Had boxing been globally competitive in the past like it is today, many of American champions like Muhammad Ali, Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Sonny List on and so on probably would have never made it to championship level.

 

[seattlefan]

If you look at it from a demographic point of view, the late 50s to late 60s were a time when all the Italians, Irish, Poles and other white formerly immigrant populations were moving up in society as well as moving into the new suburban America but also before the rise of non-American boxers like Latinos and Ex-Soviets. The only demographic participating in heavyweight boxing were inner city blacks. The Ali era ("the greatest"?) appears to be the weakest era of boxing history. Interestingly, we are told by the experts that that period was a high point in boxing history which cannot be touched by today's fighters.

 

[Freethinker]

If you look at it from a demographic point of view, the late 50s to late 60s were a time when all the Italians, Irish, Poles and other white formerly immigrant populations were moving up in society as well as moving into the new suburban America but also before the rise of non-American boxers like Latinos and Ex-Soviets. The only demographic participating in heavyweight boxing were inner city blacks. The Ali era ("the greatest"?) appears to be the weakest era of boxing history. Interestingly, we are told by the experts that that period was a high point in boxing history which cannot be touched by today's fighters.

Excellent analysis.

It's amazing that anyone would believe that a period in which there were NO professional fighters from the Soviet Union competing was actually MORE competitive that current times is illogical at it's core. It's like saying MORE competition equates to a WORSE product.

 

[Ambrose]

Excellent analysis.

It's amazing that anyone would believe that a period in which there were NO professional fighters from the Soviet Union competing was actually MORE competitive that current times is illogical at it's core. It's like saying MORE competition equates to a WORSE product.

Ah but if so many people say the world is flat it must be...

 

[Jack Reacher]

If you look at it from a demographic point of view, the late 50s to late 60s were a time when all the Italians, Irish, Poles and other white formerly immigrant populations were moving up in society as well as moving into the new suburban America but also before the rise of non-American boxers like Latinos and Ex-Soviets. The only demographic participating in heavyweight boxing were inner city blacks. The Ali era ("the greatest"?) appears to be the weakest era of boxing history. Interestingly, we are told by the experts that that period was a high point in boxing history which cannot be touched by today's fighters.

That's along the lines with what I've always believed. I never thought the welfare coddled blacks of the 70's and 80's were as tough as the "old school" white fighters of the past. Also, I've always thought it was likely the powers that be were able to keep talented white fighters from moving up, from even being mentioned or noticed really, and that second or third tier white fighters were tossed in with top blacks to push and reinforce the social agenda underway in the West. While the same semitic bunch controls the media for the most part, the internet has been great in allowing information, video and such supporting white fighters to "get through". This combined with simply more whites getting into boxing has tipped the Caste Cart sideways when it comes to boxing.

It's still aggravating to watch "network" broadcasts popping up that for the most part present boxing as if it were still those dark days of the 80's without a white fighter in sight.