Tweet
By William Dettloff
In view of what transpired in december on that fatefull vegas night, one can only with clear conviction conclude that the fiercest, most loyal, and most demonstrative fight fans on earth reside in Great Britain. It’s true those in attendance to watch Ricky Hatton challenge Floyd Mayweather displayed scandalously poor manners by booing and hissing the singing of the national anthem of the United States, while in comparison, nary a sound was heard during Tom Jones’ rendition of “God Save The Queen.” (Maybe it was because the American fans were outnumbered.) You can hardly blame them for that.
What really was telling was the crowd’s continued rooting and support of their man Hatton, in the form of song, even as he lay in a semiconscious state on the canvas in the 10th round, having been pole-axed by a Mayweather left hook.
It matters little that the song heard throughout the week and in the farthest reaches of the Nevada desert is, to the untrained ear, part nonsensical, part unintelligible, and mostly derivative. It takes a special brand of people to muster the kind of loyalty and devotion to a prizefighter that British fight fans in general and Hatton fans in particular have demonstrated passionately, in great number, and at great volume.
I can think of no American athlete—never mind a pug, for heaven’s sake—who is so beloved that his fans would travel to Great Britain by the planeload to watch him compete in a contest whose outcome, by way of rational thinking, is almost a foregone conclusion.
But this is nothing new for British fight fans. Long, passionate affairs with the likes of Henry Cooper and Frank Bruno, mystifying though they were to Americans, forever shamefully and stubbornly transfixed on winning, remain evidence of the country’s devotion to its gloved warriors, regardless of their level of achievement. It is an admirable land indeed whose people pride earnestness of will and love of country over the selfishness of an accomplishment-based mentality.
It is mostly for this reason that when a radio show host in Ireland asked me early in the week if Hatton had made a mistake in taking on Mayweather, if he would be better off staying in Britain, I replied along the lines of “certainly not.”
I knew then what I know now: Hatton was making the biggest payday of his career, probably the biggest one he’d ever make. He’d still be the world junior welterweight champion either way. And even after Mayweather beat him, his fans would not desert him. In fact, the defeat would endear him even further.
If you think Hatton was a champion of the people before, watch him now
-----------------------------------------------------------
*political correctness* does no one see the irony in that statement...
FIRST ROY JONES,THEN MARION JONES
WHOS NEXT TOM??
JEREMY WARRINER ON MEETING CALZAGHE FOR THE FIRST TIME: "WELCOME TO MY WORLD BRO!"
THERE LITTLE FAT FACES ARE LIKE ISLANDS IN A SWARMING SEA OF FLAB!!
BACKING FROCH,HATON,CALZAGHE,FRANKIE GAVIN,HAYE ALL THE WAY.
In view of what transpired in december on that fatefull vegas night, one can only with clear conviction conclude that the fiercest, most loyal, and most demonstrative fight fans on earth reside in Great Britain. It’s true those in attendance to watch Ricky Hatton challenge Floyd Mayweather displayed scandalously poor manners by booing and hissing the singing of the national anthem of the United States, while in comparison, nary a sound was heard during Tom Jones’ rendition of “God Save The Queen.” (Maybe it was because the American fans were outnumbered.) You can hardly blame them for that.
What really was telling was the crowd’s continued rooting and support of their man Hatton, in the form of song, even as he lay in a semiconscious state on the canvas in the 10th round, having been pole-axed by a Mayweather left hook.
It matters little that the song heard throughout the week and in the farthest reaches of the Nevada desert is, to the untrained ear, part nonsensical, part unintelligible, and mostly derivative. It takes a special brand of people to muster the kind of loyalty and devotion to a prizefighter that British fight fans in general and Hatton fans in particular have demonstrated passionately, in great number, and at great volume.
I can think of no American athlete—never mind a pug, for heaven’s sake—who is so beloved that his fans would travel to Great Britain by the planeload to watch him compete in a contest whose outcome, by way of rational thinking, is almost a foregone conclusion.
But this is nothing new for British fight fans. Long, passionate affairs with the likes of Henry Cooper and Frank Bruno, mystifying though they were to Americans, forever shamefully and stubbornly transfixed on winning, remain evidence of the country’s devotion to its gloved warriors, regardless of their level of achievement. It is an admirable land indeed whose people pride earnestness of will and love of country over the selfishness of an accomplishment-based mentality.
It is mostly for this reason that when a radio show host in Ireland asked me early in the week if Hatton had made a mistake in taking on Mayweather, if he would be better off staying in Britain, I replied along the lines of “certainly not.”
I knew then what I know now: Hatton was making the biggest payday of his career, probably the biggest one he’d ever make. He’d still be the world junior welterweight champion either way. And even after Mayweather beat him, his fans would not desert him. In fact, the defeat would endear him even further.
If you think Hatton was a champion of the people before, watch him now
-----------------------------------------------------------
*political correctness* does no one see the irony in that statement...
FIRST ROY JONES,THEN MARION JONES
WHOS NEXT TOM??
JEREMY WARRINER ON MEETING CALZAGHE FOR THE FIRST TIME: "WELCOME TO MY WORLD BRO!"
THERE LITTLE FAT FACES ARE LIKE ISLANDS IN A SWARMING SEA OF FLAB!!
BACKING FROCH,HATON,CALZAGHE,FRANKIE GAVIN,HAYE ALL THE WAY.
Comment