Comments Thread For: Wilder Says a 'Lack of Loyalty' Led To Rematch Loss To Tyson Fury

[Oldskoolg]

There's been a few British success stories over the years BUT looking back at the bigger picture the Americans have had a massive amount of success by comparison , too many to list! If we've got a good one here there's usually a match in America that's equal if not better. Hats off to Tyson for taking on Wilder , when Joshua had the chance to do the same! Many years ago when Eubank Sr. was champion, there was James Tony & Mike McCallum who were never mentioned as opponents !

Yeah I do remember that Eubank never mixed it up with the body snatcher and Toney. To be fair, everyone wanted to avoid the body snatcher, clearly one of the best Jamaican fighters in history. Benn on the other hand would have fought an alien invasion, total warrior. Having said all that, the U.K. had a damn good Jr middle through super middleweight scene in the early 90s. Eubank, Benn, Collins, Pyatt, Wharton, Watson, among others. The scene was so solid guys like Barkley, Johnson, McCallum, McClellan had to mix it up in the scene.

[mjh1969]

I think Wilder is right. If there was loyalty this wouldn’t have been a discussion. He would have taken serious damage in the fight and would have been concussed. A serious concussion would have led to brain damage. Every time I root for Wilder and want to see him be victorious in this rematch he says something else very ******. Every great fighter in the history of boxing from Louis, Robinson, Ali, Leonard, Hearns, Lewis, Holyfield, Pac Man, etc, etc has loss a fight. They all admitted their defeat, made adjustments and won the rematch. Honestly if you look at history, no one cares about the losses, but the rematches. What will bring negative attention to Wilder is his constant excuses for this loss to Fury. I think Wilder is part of this cancel culture of new age people that can’t accept bad news. If he loses this rematch then the public will be tired of him and his antics. His fighting ability better match his mouth in this third fight with Fury.

[Oldskoolg]

On this one, as a Brit it obviously does stick in the memory, but I think it's especially relevant with Wilder... A supremely confident, over hyped, brash American knock out artist with only one real weapon who absolutely dominated their division. Taken apart, physically and mentally, by a supremely skilled somewhat overlooked Brit. My main point when making the comparison is Lacy was never even nearly the same fighter or person afterwards, I see the same fate for Wilder. Genuinely, can you give me a more relevant boxer to say he's the next version of? I can't.

Your first reply I disagree with. Wilder is only dangerous in mid range, he telegraphs way too much to close the gap or set traps from the outside and doesn't have the technical fundamentals to go telephone box. I also am flabbergasted at his footwork, it's the definition of a backhanded compliment that his power has made up for it - as it's so bad I find that incredible. The minute he's under serious pressure, he has the footwork of a non-boxer in a fight - crossing his legs, forgetting offence completely and moving in straight lines off balance. My prediction for their third fight is Wilder touches the canvas 2-3 times purely due to bad balance and Fury using his footwork / stance to befuddle him...

Used once or twice afterwards I could see. But I vividly remember Brook and the sweet Caroline peanut gallery claiming Spence was another Lacy. I even saw those claims with Tank before he fought Walsh. Also here is where memory becomes clouded and legend takes over from reality. Lacy was never looked at as the second coming of Ali. In fact an over the hill well on the slide Roy Jones also beat him. I was not surprised that Joe slapped him around, Lacy was overly muscular and Joe’s stamina was piston like for 12 rounds. For some reason that fight really stands out for British fans. I find it odd that Barkley isn’t used since Benn stopped him in one round. Or Curry, who Honeyghan picked apart at the seams and totally dismantled. Or Kevin Kelly who got stopped in 4 against Hamed after an extremely vocal press conference. I assure you, Barkley, Kelly, and Curry were more highly regarded with the American sports than than Lacey who was virtually unknown. Ask the average American sports fan if he even had heard of Jeff Lacy and you may get a 1% positive return rate.
but hey, I don’t expect to stop seeing British boxing fans use that term. It’s certainly become a well used phrase back home. I just wonder why Lacy was so much more revered in the U.K. before than fight when no one cared about him in the USA. He came along in the shadow of what had been the Roy Jones era at middleweight to light heavy.

[Brumsongs1]

Used once or twice afterwards I could see. But I vividly remember Brook and the sweet Caroline peanut gallery claiming Spence was another Lacy. I even saw those claims with Tank before he fought Walsh. Also here is where memory becomes clouded and legend takes over from reality. Lacy was never looked at as the second coming of Ali. In fact an over the hill well on the slide Roy Jones also beat him. I was not surprised that Joe slapped him around, Lacy was overly muscular and Joe’s stamina was piston like for 12 rounds. For some reason that fight really stands out for British fans. I find it odd that Barkley isn’t used since Benn stopped him in one round. Or Curry, who Honeyghan picked apart at the seams and totally dismantled. Or Kevin Kelly who got stopped in 4 against Hamed after an extremely vocal press conference. I assure you, Barkley, Kelly, and Curry were more highly regarded with the American sports than than Lacey who was virtually unknown. Ask the average American sports fan if he even had heard of Jeff Lacy and you may get a 1% positive return rate.
but hey, I don’t expect to stop seeing British boxing fans use that term. It’s certainly become a well used phrase back home. I just wonder why Lacy was so much more revered in the U.K. before than fight when no one cared about him in the USA. He came along in the shadow of what had been the Roy Jones era at middleweight to light heavy.

If I remember correctly the Lacy fight was on free to air TV and, as it was in Manchester, at a reasonable time. It sticks in people's memory in the UK because so many saw it and it was a talking point afterwards.

[PBR Streetgang]

Used once or twice afterwards I could see. But I vividly remember Brook and the sweet Caroline peanut gallery claiming Spence was another Lacy. I even saw those claims with Tank before he fought Walsh. Also here is where memory becomes clouded and legend takes over from reality. Lacy was never looked at as the second coming of Ali. In fact an over the hill well on the slide Roy Jones also beat him. I was not surprised that Joe slapped him around, Lacy was overly muscular and Joe’s stamina was piston like for 12 rounds. For some reason that fight really stands out for British fans. I find it odd that Barkley isn’t used since Benn stopped him in one round. Or Curry, who Honeyghan picked apart at the seams and totally dismantled. Or Kevin Kelly who got stopped in 4 against Hamed after an extremely vocal press conference. I assure you, Barkley, Kelly, and Curry were more highly regarded with the American sports than than Lacey who was virtually unknown. Ask the average American sports fan if he even had heard of Jeff Lacy and you may get a 1% positive return rate.
but hey, I don’t expect to stop seeing British boxing fans use that term. It’s certainly become a well used phrase back home. I just wonder why Lacy was so much more revered in the U.K. before than fight when no one cared about him in the USA. He came along in the shadow of what had been the Roy Jones era at middleweight to light heavy.

Lacy was pretty hyped by HBO at the time. He had an intimidating look and a gaudy KO record. His dismantling at the hands of Calzaghe may resonate with British fans because it happened in England. After that loss, he was just an opponent and looked a very different fighter.

Barkley had lost numerous times before the Benn fight (I want to say he was on a losing streak leading up to the Benn fight). Same with Kelley, he was highly entertaining but he had lost before and wasn't considered a "bogeyman" (like Lacy and Wilder). Curry might be a good comparison but all of these fights happened in the US so they may not resonate with British fans.

[Jab jab boom]

A lack of true boxing skills is more to blame than anything else.

[ShoulderRoll]

The heavy costume was very disloyal.

[VislorTurlough]

Very disappointing that he keeps on with this. He has one chance here to rehab his status. Otherwise he’s just one of those Bonecrusher Smith, Tony Tubbs types that held a belt while the best guy of the era was also champ

[eco1]

Everyone is at fault but Mr Wilder.

[springfiels]

Used once or twice afterwards I could see. But I vividly remember Brook and the sweet Caroline peanut gallery claiming Spence was another Lacy. I even saw those claims with Tank before he fought Walsh. Also here is where memory becomes clouded and legend takes over from reality. Lacy was never looked at as the second coming of Ali. In fact an over the hill well on the slide Roy Jones also beat him. I was not surprised that Joe slapped him around, Lacy was overly muscular and Joe’s stamina was piston like for 12 rounds. For some reason that fight really stands out for British fans. I find it odd that Barkley isn’t used since Benn stopped him in one round. Or Curry, who Honeyghan picked apart at the seams and totally dismantled. Or Kevin Kelly who got stopped in 4 against Hamed after an extremely vocal press conference. I assure you, Barkley, Kelly, and Curry were more highly regarded with the American sports than than Lacey who was virtually unknown. Ask the average American sports fan if he even had heard of Jeff Lacy and you may get a 1% positive return rate.
but hey, I don’t expect to stop seeing British boxing fans use that term. It’s certainly become a well used phrase back home. I just wonder why Lacy was so much more revered in the U.K. before than fight when no one cared about him in the USA. He came along in the shadow of what had been the Roy Jones era at middleweight to light heavy.

Yeah see, that's what I thought you'd say... It would be much weirder if I used Don Curry as my metaphor lol, that fight was 35yrs ago!! I just disagree with the Kelley and Barkley ones.

Lacy was being hyped ridiculously going into the Calzaghe fight! Being called the new Tyson, and HBO pushing him hard. He came in expected to walk through the soft punching Brit then took a beating which no one saw coming, and never recovered mentally... Sounds similar to Fury-Wilder to me.

The RJJ point is moot too, that was after Calzaghe. He was unbeaten fighting Calzaghe.

These boxingscene picks from the time say it all: https://www.boxingscene.com/boxingsc...calzaghe--3266