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I would like to point out that most people have at least heard of Oscar de la Hoya. Though he's old, he is still an active fighter, and the sports current star. UFC does not have a single fighter of cross over appeal. I've tested this. Ask someone who does not watch any fighting sport- not kickboxing, not boxing, not MMA - some preppy white girl - and some would know who Oscar is. Almost none would say they've heard of Ortiz, or Sherk, or Lidell. He's know to those of us who watch boxing and other combant oriented sports- but despite the growing fans UFC fighters have not broken into the mainstream....not even as it grows.
So what about boxing? Well, we do still have Oscar - but before him we only had Tyson, Roy Jones Jr. and maybe Lennox Lewis. Why did these men make it? (Other than being heavyweights). For the most part they had the complete package that current boxers lack. No, I don't mean skill...we have skillful warriors in every division. So what is this total package? Fighting skills AND people skills. They have to be attractive and well spoken. Tyson was a nut job...but people wanted to see what would come out of his mouth- he could speak well. Lewis was decently well spoken...did commercials (even if his commentating makes him look like a verbal ******). Roy Jones Jr. has proven he can make his opinions heard - he worked with HBO on their broadcasting team for awhile. Oscar is the same way...well spoken, good looking. People like him- and then they find out he's a fighter and they go, 'Hey...I want to watch that guy.'
Does Manny Pacquiao have that charm? Is he well spoken...no. English is not his native language. Paul Williams? Not really. He's either soft spoken or stutters in his souther drawl. Mayweather? Well...he can speak- but he choses to be an *******. The boxer needs to not just be able to talk...but do so in a way that their personality shines through and people want to listen. They need to show they're unique and what they say needs to be more than just robotic repition. "I will fight anyone. I am the creme de la creme..." Floyd does stuff like that too much. They need to think on their toes.
The sport has athletes. We have good, skillful boxers. What this thread is about is 'boxing superstars'. In other words..people that make the casual fan or person who doesn't care about boxing listen to the words coming out of their mouth...someone who sucks them into a sport they could care less about by being an intriguing character.
Is their hope? Well...Hatton is a very likeable guy. If he can pull out some big wins..maybe he could be a bit of a star- but his age is starting to work against him. Vlad Klitschko might be able to do it...he has an accent but he's humble and what he says is insightful- we'd just have to hear from him more. I don't know...you guys have to think of someone who is a lethal combination of skill and personality.
The sport is not lacking talent or excitement...it's just lacking guys who can sit on Lettermen and be interviewed on mainstream news programs and make people want to watch them fight. Who look good, speak well, and seem interesting. Oscar does it...the others I mentioned had that ability. That's all the sport needs, really.
It just needs to come before no one cares about boxers at all.
So what about boxing? Well, we do still have Oscar - but before him we only had Tyson, Roy Jones Jr. and maybe Lennox Lewis. Why did these men make it? (Other than being heavyweights). For the most part they had the complete package that current boxers lack. No, I don't mean skill...we have skillful warriors in every division. So what is this total package? Fighting skills AND people skills. They have to be attractive and well spoken. Tyson was a nut job...but people wanted to see what would come out of his mouth- he could speak well. Lewis was decently well spoken...did commercials (even if his commentating makes him look like a verbal ******). Roy Jones Jr. has proven he can make his opinions heard - he worked with HBO on their broadcasting team for awhile. Oscar is the same way...well spoken, good looking. People like him- and then they find out he's a fighter and they go, 'Hey...I want to watch that guy.'
Does Manny Pacquiao have that charm? Is he well spoken...no. English is not his native language. Paul Williams? Not really. He's either soft spoken or stutters in his souther drawl. Mayweather? Well...he can speak- but he choses to be an *******. The boxer needs to not just be able to talk...but do so in a way that their personality shines through and people want to listen. They need to show they're unique and what they say needs to be more than just robotic repition. "I will fight anyone. I am the creme de la creme..." Floyd does stuff like that too much. They need to think on their toes.
The sport has athletes. We have good, skillful boxers. What this thread is about is 'boxing superstars'. In other words..people that make the casual fan or person who doesn't care about boxing listen to the words coming out of their mouth...someone who sucks them into a sport they could care less about by being an intriguing character.
Is their hope? Well...Hatton is a very likeable guy. If he can pull out some big wins..maybe he could be a bit of a star- but his age is starting to work against him. Vlad Klitschko might be able to do it...he has an accent but he's humble and what he says is insightful- we'd just have to hear from him more. I don't know...you guys have to think of someone who is a lethal combination of skill and personality.
The sport is not lacking talent or excitement...it's just lacking guys who can sit on Lettermen and be interviewed on mainstream news programs and make people want to watch them fight. Who look good, speak well, and seem interesting. Oscar does it...the others I mentioned had that ability. That's all the sport needs, really.
It just needs to come before no one cares about boxers at all.
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