First Punch: First Time for Everything

Jeremiah Artacho | TBL Writer

If you enjoy boxing or any combat sport, Team Boxing League is something to check out, whether in person or online. 

Preferably, in person, though. 

Take it from me: I’ve only experienced watching basketball, football, or baseball in person; however, until week three, on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11, I was able to experience the ins and outs of the new wave of boxing. The NYC Attitude and the Houston Hitmen, along with the matchup between the Las Vegas Hustle and the Philadelphia Smoke.

The crowds were into it in both fights. And while perhaps Saturday’s showdown in Chester, Pennsylvania, may have been more competitive, it doesn’t take away from the crowd that gathered around in Houston, Texas. Those fans would have probably been up against the ring if it weren’t for the barricades separating them. 

Also, shoutout to that one Smoke fan who kept on talking trash during every single round. He surely made the atmosphere much more engaging. 

One thing that stood out to me about these TBL fights is the amount of variety that is featured throughout all 24 rounds. I had no idea what to expect, but the nature of being able to watch not only different fights, but different kinds of fighters on a round-to-round basis was fascinating. 

If the boxing aspect intrigues you, but not the idea of two fighters going 12 rounds like traditional fights, this is for you. The concept of TBL fits the younger generation quite well. 

Just like the popular social media platform, TikTok, those short and to-the-point videos try to grab your attention from the moment your thumb scrolls. That is what a round in a TBL event is like — quick and bite-sized. The rounds are three minutes long after all. 

From the introductions of both teams, where each fighter was introduced one by one, to the national anthem and all the music played in between the rounds. The vibe of sitting in for a TBL fight is similar to if you were watching an NBA, NFL or MLB game.

Yes, the venues are much smaller.

Yes, the number of fans is much less. 

But that didn’t matter, because the energy still grew over time. It’s season four, the beginning stages of development, but the potential is evident for what could become a global sport for fans all over the world to experience. Imagine teams from various countries going up against each other in the ring. That’s so Olympics-esque. 

Besides, all pro sports leagues didn’t blow up overnight. 

In the end, what did I conclude? 

TBL is up next in the boxing world. It’s innovative. It’s a brand new culture within the sport that already has respective fans engaged — both in person and online. 

Week 4 brings three new fights: Nashville Smash-Phoenix Fury, Dallas Enforcers-Houston Hitmen and Atlanta Attack-Miami Assassins. 

I’m excited for what’s to come. I didn’t see any knockouts in week three, unlike the ones that occurred in the first two weeks, but despite that, the aggression from the fighters was at a high level. Think about it: Every fighter has only so much time to figure the opponent out, and that will result in only a handful of strategies.

Do the fighters go all out? Or do they patiently wait and attack when the moment is right? It will be interesting to know how the coaches prepare their teams, as turning a traditional solo sport into a team-based one must have its challenges. 

This is the kind of stuff that places TBL in its own lane. 

If you are wondering about anything else that this league has to offer, there’s only one thing you can do.

Go watch.