Why is it one rule for Americans and one rule for everyone else?

[Dimebar]

Good point. Fighting in the UK is the equivalent of a fighter in the US who doesn't fight outside his state. And seriously, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Canadians, Africans, Australians, Germans, Russians etc. have no problem fighting here. It's mainly UK fighters that refuse to leave the womb...

Britain was the home of boxing, back in the 70's it was only Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran and Carlos Monzon that we saw outside of Britain and when we thought of boxing outside of Britain we thought of only Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta. We considered Britain to be the home of boxing, we got boxing every Saturday afternoon on Grandstand (Southern Area title fights, British title fights, Commonwealth title fights, European title fights, World title fights, every stage of the ABA's every year, Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games).

We didn't really get boxing outside of Britain and so hardly knew it existed outside of Britain. It wasn't until the 80's when Grandstand started screening prospects from both sides of the Atlantic (including a young Tyson) and we followed Leonard after the Green fight, followed Hagler after the Minter fight, and ITV screening Tyson's world title fights that the 'American boom' began.


York Hall = Home of boxing

Las Vegas = Mecca of boxing

[Dimebar]

And $6 million is 20% of $30 million that Tyson has made. DLH is making $25 million for his next fight. All you are doing is furthering the argument that all the big fights should be in America...

Most of De La Hoya's fans are Hispanic.

If Tyson was British, fought in Britain and had US TV coverage he'd make almost as much money (just wouldn't have casinos putting up most of his money).

Remember Don King was willing to split $50million for Benn-Jones, IN BRITAIN. But Jones wouldn't fight for King.

[The Wire]

You can spin it however you want, but it all comes back to money...

If the UK or any other country could provide the type of purses that fighters get in the US, then of course all of the top fighters would choose to fight there. I mean, the biggest draws in the UK make $3 million or so tops in their backyard. That's peanuts compared to the money Tyson and DLH make for fights...

lol you see, this is just the typical sort of bull**** i knew i would get. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MONEY!! The thread's not about that - besides which, Kostya Tszyu got a career best purse fighting here so that's bull**** in itself. What I am talking about is the fact that a victory in the UK or in Europe or in Australia or in Timbuctoo can and should mean just as much as a victory in the States. If a fighter fights the best in his home country then he is still the best no matter that those fights didnt happen in the States.

Here we go, though, I'm sure we'll get a whole bunch of posts telling us how America is the mecca of boxing, america is where the money is, america's the **** blah blah blah and just completely ignoring the point.

[global_analyst]

Constantly on this forum I am hearing people slating fighters like Joe Calzaghe and Chris John for staying at home and fighting rather than going to the States. But we hear virtually nothing about the fact that many US fighters NEVER fight outside of the States. This even extends to 'legends' like Roy Jones Jr, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, none of whom have fought a single fight outside of the good ol' US of A. Now if you say they're not fighting in their backyard because they move around the country - well Joe Calzaghe has fought in Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Bristol and London, as well as having fought in Denmark and Germany (against a guy that only he had previously defeated and whom had stopped Charles Brewer) - something Roy Jones dared not do for fear of being robbed.

But it's not only Americans that feel this way. Chris John has got virtually no recognition whatsoever for his victory over Marquez apparently because it was in Indonesia. Say what you want about that fight, but it was an extremely close one. If it's unfair to expect Marquez to travel all that way why is the reverse not so?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the Americans I stated above don't deserve the recognition they've got. They were and are all great fighters. But ulitmately, why does it matter where a fight is held? If the standard of opposition is good then it shouldnt matter. Ali managed to fight all over the world and win, because he was good enough.

And if you say that in America you never get a duff decision, how's about these beauties? Oscar De La Hoya/Shane Mosley 2, Lennox Lewis/Evander Holyfield 1, Vernon Forrest/Ike Quartey, Johnny Tapia/Manuel Medina, Everett/Escalada, Kid Gavilan/Johnny Saxton, Foreman/Briggs etc etc. I could go on. Now of course there are bad decisions that happen away from the States too, but there are just as many that happen on the Strip and around the country as happen abroad.

Now, a fair criticism of Calzaghe would be that he's never fought a great fighter. That's fair enough. But to criticise him and others for WHERE they fought them is, frankly, moronic.

For the same reason Michael Owen Zidane, Vierra, Del Pierro, janse, Rooney all will not play in the Major league soccer in USA. Everyone knows that if u think ur worth anything in soccer, you have to play in Europe, in countries like germany, England, france etc etc. The best known soccer player in USA didnot make his name playing in MLS in USa but had to play in Europe, if u are worth anything in boxing, u have to hang with the elites wherever they are, fortunately or unfortunately, it is in USA. Got it?

[global_analyst]

How can you defend one good fight in a career in ur hometown, while for the rest of ur career u fight at best B+ fighters, to be great and accepted by all, u have to mix it with other fighters at elite level and place to find these elite fighters regardless of nationality is the USA.

[The Wire]

For the same reason Michael Owen Zidane, Vierra, Del Pierro, janse, Rooney all will not play in the Major league soccer in USA. Everyone knows that if u think ur worth anything in soccer, you have to play in Europe, in countries like germany, England, france etc etc. The best known soccer player in USA didnot make his name playing in MLS in USa but had to play in Europe, if u are worth anything in boxing, u have to hang with the elites wherever they are, fortunately or unfortunately, it is in USA. Got it?

No mate. You're wrong. The world cup in 1994 was in the States. in 2002 it was in Korea. This is not European boxing or US boxing ITS ****ING WORLD BOXING

[global_analyst]

You got it wrong, i am not refering to the world cup, but however since u brought it up, how many players that participated in the world cup play for various clubs in Europe.........maybe this will get my point across

[global_analyst]

What i am saying is that if you are good in soccer (football) to maximise your pay for ur skill u will have to play in Europe, If you play in one club in timbuctu, u are either not too smart or not willining to mix it up with ur peers. Do you know how many foreigners are in the bundelsliga?, in the english premeir league, in the italian league?

[Hitman932]

i could really care less if a guy like joe calzaghe never comes to the states..

as the original poster said, he can/should be criticized for his choice of opposition, not the locale of the fights....

but as i said before, geographically speaking, fighting all over the united states is the travel equivalent of fighting all over europe.... just cause were 1 country doesent mean all 50 states are joined at the hip..

states have their own laws, their own taxes, etc...

if calzaghe had beaten someone of hall of fame credentials than maybe he would have earned the right to "stay home" at this point, but he has not

i want to see calzaghe succeed, for the sake of boxing, not cause hes british not cause im a self hating american, but because it is good for the sport i love for the best fighters to fight and to take on challenges head on no matter what stage of their career they may be in...

calzaghe vs hopkins, kessler, taylor fights are all bigger than anyone understands... when and if they happen it would be a wonderful treat to everyone...

and considering that jeff lact (an undefeated champion) went to England to attempt to unify the belts in calzaghes backyard.... i dont see where he gets off thinking he is too good to do the same.

[global_analyst]

You made good sense in that post.