Yeah, I was the same way. At first, it didn't interest me but once I saw that it was going to be about more than just boxing, I was interested. I will admit, I find the subplots about organized crime, financial stuggles and dementia more interesting than the boxing stuff, but it all comes together really well. And the characters are so engaging that it brings it to another level.
Heh, random fact. A few episodes back, did any of your recognize the receptionist that Johnny banged on top of the copy machine? That was the girl from that movie "My Girl" back in the early 90's. You know, the one where Macaulay Culkin got killed by bees? lol