Expert: Lian Shoemake - 6/7/2006

Question
My sixteen year old son has been dying to go to any boxing match
with friends, but isn't sure if there is some sort of age limit.  Is
there?  Would he feel weird there as the average guy will be years
older, or would it be no different than any other sporting event in
that regard?  Thanks so much.

Answer
Hi Jason,

Thanks for the question.

Most boxing matches are like any other sporting event in that each seat has a price attached, and the age of the person in the seat is immaterial to the promoter.
Sometimes there may be events at particular venues where all attendees need to be 21, but that's not the norm. Boxing crowds tend to vary based on who is boxing on a given night, but whether or not your son would feel weird would depend soley on what his comfort level is, since there would likely be the vast majority of fans outside of his own age demographic. But again, be aware that the crowd at an Oscar De la Hoya bout at Staples Center in Los Angeles could be significantly different than the crowd at a smaller local auditorium with a maximum ticket price of $50.00.

I hope this helps, Jason. I always enjoy live boxing, and if you and your son are fans, I highly recommend that you take in a show in person. It gives one a whole new perspective on the sport and the participants, particularly if you take the opportunity to talk with some of the boxers and trainers.

Thanks again for writing!

Regards,
Lian