This is how it would really be if Wlad was Black and American

[AntonTheMeh]

If he fought in the exact same way, lost to the same people in the same manner, he would not be that popular for the most part. If you look at the HW division, when Rahman, Ruiz, Holyfield, Lewis etc were all beltholders, the only one out of that bunch who was american and massively respected was really Holyfield, and that was because of his wars from the past. The reality is this, a black american champ would have a few followers here and there, but if he fought with the tenacity of wlad, the style that wlad has etc, he would be loved probably about as much as chris byrd. Instead of eastern european ****riders, youd have a few niche fans here and there who support him as byrd and rahman did. The reality is that some of you are really overplaying how popular black american boxers are in this country, they arent unless you are really ****ing good.

For the most part, blacks compete with every other sport for the spotlight, blacks have elite atheletes in every sport in america thats major, so in order to be popular, you have to really have something that puts you over the top. Mayweather only got popular when his persona went over the top and he began trying to appeal to his own community moreso by running his mouth and look how popular he is here on this board and abroad in the boxing world. If you are a heavyweight champ and you dont have that killer instinct, you arent just going to be put over because you are american, you have to knock people the **** out and you cant really have much of an off night. Byrd, Rahman, Briggs, and others like Brock and other 3rd tier heavyweights didint have some huge following, they didint have some overrated bandwagon singing their ****ing praises, hell no, those guys were all ****ing boring as hell and their popularity reflected it, Byrd is a respectable fighter and a good person, but his style just doesnt sell, people hated him. Rahman is a bigtime underachiever, Briggs is...well, ****ing Briggs. Lets not even talk about Jameel Mcline.

You would have a few black folks here and there who might get behind him, but as a whole, the media would tear you apart if you were a unified champ and you were constantly giving boring performances in championship unification matches (Sultan), and losing to the likes of Sanders/Brewster. The win over Sam Peter was a good one though, but Wlad fans constantly say he aint **** anyway. What also hurts wlad is the fact that even though he won the rematches with byrd, brewster, those guys were past it, so he ends up not getting due credit for the wins, that doesnt help. Perception is everything, Wlad is the best heavyweight right now, but the perception is that hes not a killer and hes boring, that would never ever fly here.

You guys swear being black is some free pass to stardom when its not. In boxing, blacks dont really get behind you unless you are REALLY good, we have had some of the most outstanding boxers of all time here in america, unless you are a tyson, a roy jones, an ali, a foreman, Ray Leonard etc. The bandwagon isnt just going to latch onto you, and neither is the media.

I would post in Tunneys thread, but hes a coward and has me on ignore.

good post.

[Boofdatruth]

I completely and utterly disagree with you. Leaving aside whether he is black or not, if America had a truly dominant HW champion, which Wlad is, he would be massively popular.

Sure, hardcore fans might criticise his sometimes boring style, point out that he is in a weak era, and say that he is not as good as say Holyfield, but in general these faults would be looked past in a way that they are not right now.

Really, really can you imagine Americans basically disowning their dominating HW champion, because I certainly can't.

America wouldn't be disowning Wlad if he were American. He'd be looked at as an above average heavy who is very vulnerable as a champion. Look at who he is beating. Is that great comp to you? Is he winning in spectacular fashion? Wlad's best win was against Sam Peter, and he went down in that fight a few times from illegal punches, and from being punched while illegally holding. That isn't the type of fight, fight fans will remember. What fight to date has Wlad been in that we will all remember outside of the Peter fight?

[Boofdatruth]

Once a guy has lost to the kind of opponents that Wlad has lost to, it's hard for people to look at him as some kind of unstoppage warrior.

Part of being successful as a heavyweight is that people look at you and think "****, I wouldn't want to mess with that guy". That's part of why Tyson was so popular. If Tyson had 3 embarrassing KO/TKO losses on his record when he was coming up through the division, people wouldn't have seen him in the same way. The point was that he was unbeaten and KOing people in 1 or 2 rounds.

Tunney, do you really expect Wlad boring us to tears vs Sultan or Wlad getting put down but being able to win simply because of his size advantage vs Peter to impress people as much as Tyson destroying Berbick?

It would be like if Audley Harrisson beat Sam Peter on points after being knocked down a few times. Of course people would have more respect for him than they do now, but once you've been seen as a joke with a weak chin, it's very hard to change that perception, especially when you fight like Wlad did last time out.

I realise of course that Audley isn't American, but my point is that if people see you as a joke, and if you have a history of being knocked all over the ring, you cannot expect to be treated like a young Mike Tyson just because of a few decent wins. Especially if those wins are as boring as the Sultan fight.

Good post.

[The Mutineer]

Black Jesus makes some interesting comments, but he's missing the main point. Racist blacks and self-hating whites comprise the majority of sports fans in American sports. If Wlad were a black American he sure wouldn't be a superstar with mass appeal, but he'd be more accepted as a legitimate HW champ.

[Boofdatruth]

I haven't read the responses, so sorry if this is just a repeat. Wlad being white might have a little to do with it for the majority of black boxing fans, lets face it. However, I think Wlads biggest problem is that he came on the scene immediately after the Lewis, Holyfield, and Tyson era's. Just like Holmes, he doesn't compare to what the era before him had to offer. That has a big reason to do with why Wlad doesn't look all that great to us. Holmes was also compared to guys like Ali, and wasn't readily accepted right away even though he was a black American. Had Wlad come around 10 years or so after Lewis with the division being in the same shape as its in now, things would have been much different. He'd be considered the savior of the HW division.

Boxing fans accepted Naseem Hamed. They accepted Manny Pacquiao, they accepted Felix Trinidad. Why wouldn't they accept something new like a great caucasian fighter from Europe? The other fighters I named are from different parts of the world. It's his style of fighting. There isn't a fight fan who doesn't watch Wlad for the sole reason of seeing if he will show skill or be knocked out. It's his style that American fight fans don't like. He still fights like an amateur.

[IMDAZED]

No one wants to watch a fighter as huge as Klitschko with the fight mentality of a poodle. NO ONE. Especially when they've already been stopped THREE times in their prime. Come on, man....

[Boofdatruth]

Black Jesus makes some interesting comments, but he's missing the main point. Racist blacks and self-hating whites comprise the majority of sports fans in American sports. If Wlad were a black American he sure wouldn't be a superstar with mass appeal, but he'd be more accepted as a legitimate HW champ.

What a sorry response. Damn, you could've hid behind your ALT a little bit better lol. racist blacks...self hating whites...lol Comical

[The Mutineer]

What a sorry response. Damn, you could've hid behind your ALT a little bit better lol. racist blacks...self hating whites...lol Comical

I never hide. I just make new accounts when my old ones get banned.

[Boofdatruth]

If he fought in the exact same way, lost to the same people in the same manner, he would not be that popular for the most part. If you look at the HW division, when Rahman, Ruiz, Holyfield, Lewis etc were all beltholders, the only one out of that bunch who was american and massively respected was really Holyfield, and that was because of his wars from the past. The reality is this, a black american champ would have a few followers here and there, but if he fought with the tenacity of wlad, the style that wlad has etc, he would be loved probably about as much as chris byrd. Instead of eastern european ****riders, youd have a few niche fans here and there who support him as byrd and rahman did. The reality is that some of you are really overplaying how popular black american boxers are in this country, they arent unless you are really ****ing good.

For the most part, blacks compete with every other sport for the spotlight, blacks have elite atheletes in every sport in america thats major, so in order to be popular, you have to really have something that puts you over the top. Mayweather only got popular when his persona went over the top and he began trying to appeal to his own community moreso by running his mouth and look how popular he is here on this board and abroad in the boxing world. If you are a heavyweight champ and you dont have that killer instinct, you arent just going to be put over because you are american, you have to knock people the **** out and you cant really have much of an off night. Byrd, Rahman, Briggs, and others like Brock and other 3rd tier heavyweights didint have some huge following, they didint have some overrated bandwagon singing their ****ing praises, hell no, those guys were all ****ing boring as hell and their popularity reflected it, Byrd is a respectable fighter and a good person, but his style just doesnt sell, people hated him. Rahman is a bigtime underachiever, Briggs is...well, ****ing Briggs. Lets not even talk about Jameel Mcline.

You would have a few black folks here and there who might get behind him, but as a whole, the media would tear you apart if you were a unified champ and you were constantly giving boring performances in championship unification matches (Sultan), and losing to the likes of Sanders/Brewster. The win over Sam Peter was a good one though, but Wlad fans constantly say he aint **** anyway. What also hurts wlad is the fact that even though he won the rematches with byrd, brewster, those guys were past it, so he ends up not getting due credit for the wins, that doesnt help. Perception is everything, Wlad is the best heavyweight right now, but the perception is that hes not a killer and hes boring, that would never ever fly here.

You guys swear being black is some free pass to stardom when its not. In boxing, blacks dont really get behind you unless you are REALLY good, we have had some of the most outstanding boxers of all time here in america, unless you are a tyson, a roy jones, an ali, a foreman, Ray Leonard etc. The bandwagon isnt just going to latch onto you, and neither is the media.

I would post in Tunneys thread, but hes a coward and has me on ignore.

Good post............

[Mike Tyson77]

If Wlad was balck and American he would be very popular in America.