European Fighters vs American Fighters

[JStone1984]

'You haven't made it until you have cracked America' is a common phrase in Boxing, but is it still true? America's recent Olympic boxing team produced no gold medals, there are no American heavyweight champions...are Americans losing their dominance over boxing?

Countless European world champions are dismissed by Americans as being 'unproven' for the mere fact that they have not fought in the states. Joe Calzaghe can fight infront of 50,000 home fans in Cardiff, Winky Wright vs Bernard Hopkins attracted a mere 15,000. Is there any need for European fighters to go to America anymore? The major problem is that all the major money in boxing is thanks to American television channels. If the times suited American television audiences (as Calzaghe - Kessler did in Cardiff, 2am GMT start), there would be no problem in the European world champions fighting on their own turf and American boxers having to travel.

Americans do seem to underrate European boxers and during this reasonably bleak time in American boxing, maybe it's about time European fighters were given a bit more respect and were considered as real champions, irrespective of if they have fought in the states or not. America has a wonderful and rich boxing history and the allure of America for a European fighter would be to fight in the historic venues and get the large paydays...not because they feel the need to prove themselves or that fighting an American is so much harder that a top rate European fighter.

[Dan...]

I agree to a point. The European fighters should be analysed on the level of competition they have faced and defeated, not where their fights have been. If a European champ stays at home and fights top class opponents I have no problem with that. It is when they stay in their home countries and fight absolute nobodies for alphabet titles and then claim they are superstars that I have a problem, Sven Ottke presents a prime example of this.

[johnm is...]

Rinse... repeat...

[JStone1984]

But there are plenty of European fighters who are unknown in the US but are rated highly in Europe. This means that an American can look at a European fighters record, recognise none of the opponents and dismiss the fighter as having fought no fighter of any quality.

[Dan...]

But there are plenty of European fighters who are unknown in the US but are rated highly in Europe. This means that an American can look at a European fighters record, recognise none of the opponents and dismiss the fighter as having fought no fighter of any quality.

Name examples please.

[JStone1984]

Thanks for replying danc1984. Here is a small list of fights (as I don't have much time)
Carl Froch - Good Fighter and should win a world title in December
David Haye - wasn't rated and was relatively unheard of in the states until recently (when he became undisputed Cruiserweight champion)
Joe Calzaghe had been world champion for over 10 years and it wasn't until he beat Lacy that America realised he was a force to be reckoned with.
Kevin Mitchell - Prospect, British title holder and a top fighter. American prospects good and bad are well known world-wide, but not European prospects.
I could name various Russian and Ukrainian national champions who don't get any attention...even in Western Europe!
For the most part the cream always rises to the top and European fighters will get noticed in America if they are able to find good opponents and win (but attracting those opponents is much harder). Fighters such as Froch have struggled for any recognition for years. The trend is set that America is the place to be if you are a boxer, so many fighters get left behind...it also makes it a lot easier for an American boxer to make it to the top relatively quickly.

[sparked_85]

I think there is alot of money in these America vs Europe match ups.

[The Hammer]

I think there is alot of money in these America vs Europe match ups.

I agree.

Too bad the top Americans are afraid to go over to Europe to fight, like Chad Dawson was earlier this year.

[The Hammer]

'You haven't made it until you have cracked America' is a common phrase in Boxing, but is it still true? America's recent Olympic boxing team produced no gold medals, there are no American heavyweight champions...are Americans losing their dominance over boxing?

Countless European world champions are dismissed by Americans as being 'unproven' for the mere fact that they have not fought in the states. Joe Calzaghe can fight infront of 50,000 home fans in Cardiff, Winky Wright vs Bernard Hopkins attracted a mere 15,000. Is there any need for European fighters to go to America anymore? The major problem is that all the major money in boxing is thanks to American television channels. If the times suited American television audiences (as Calzaghe - Kessler did in Cardiff, 2am GMT start), there would be no problem in the European world champions fighting on their own turf and American boxers having to travel.

Americans do seem to underrate European boxers and during this reasonably bleak time in American boxing, maybe it's about time European fighters were given a bit more respect and were considered as real champions, irrespective of if they have fought in the states or not. America has a wonderful and rich boxing history and the allure of America for a European fighter would be to fight in the historic venues and get the large paydays...not because they feel the need to prove themselves or that fighting an American is so much harder that a top rate European fighter.

Great post! I agree 100%.

[x-PeROxiDE-x]

For a nation that has just elected it's first black President, these yanks can be highly hypocritical.