Comments Thread For: Boxing's Biggest Box Office Draw Joshua Battles Usyk In Tottenham

[Rockybigblower]

Perhaps you didn't read beyond the headline. If you did, you'd surely have seen that the author clarified the precise way in which he was quanitfying this claim.

Namely: "There is no bigger box office draw in terms of number of attendees than him."

Canelo got 73k in Texas vs Saunders and I believe that was his largest attendance for one of his fights (happy to be corrected if this isn't right). Joshua routinely gets 80k when he fights in the UK. Nobody else gets these numbers.

Carl Froch did that in a domestic fight.

If you want to quantify the claim...state that Joshua is the biggest draw in the U.K. at the moment. Pac went to Australia and fought in a sold out stadium of more than 50k against a boxer noone had literally heard of. The heavyweight champion of the world (Joshua) did 15000 at msg (under capacity)...15000 in Saudi for the rematch billed as one of the richest fights in history.

[Monty Fisto]

Carl Froch did that in a domestic fight.

If you want to quantify the claim...state that Joshua is the biggest draw in the U.K. at the moment. Pac went to Australia and fought in a sold out stadium of more than 50k against a boxer noone had literally heard of. The heavyweight champion of the world (Joshua) did 15000 at msg (under capacity)...15000 in Saudi for the rematch billed as one of the richest fights in history.

Right, so Froch did 80k once. Pacquaio did 50k in Oz.

Joshua did 90k vs Wlad. 80k vs Povetkin. 78k vs Takam. 78k vs Parker. 60k vs Usyk.

Yes, his draw is in the UK. The numbers he draws there beats the numbers anyone else is doing anywhere else.

[KingGilgamesh]

Let's first address the question of whether he represents boxing at its best: I don't anyone is claiming this, are they? He's one of the best heavyweights currently, possibly the best currently (TBD) but he makes no-one's pound-for-pound lists, this article makes no claims of him being the best boxer right now, nor has anyone in this thread made the claim. Who exactly are you arguing against?

The media are not going to shun someone this popular and, yes, every boxer works with promoters and broadcasters to build their career. Joshua is no different in that. But this level of popularity is not something that is rolled off the conveyor belt. It is not something routine. There is a new heavyweight gold medal winner every four years. You do not get fighters who can sell out Wembley stadium every four years or even every 20 years.

Regarding his fame and popularity having become more important than his boxing, I do not see the evidence for this. Joshua is most celebrated when he is fighting. Your claim that people don't seem bothered about him fighting Usyk is very dubious given they have sold 60k tickets for the fight.

Finally, if more people make the effort to go and see a boxer fight live than any other boxer I think it's difficult to deny that is a 'notable' career.

Bruno was the biggest thing around back in the late 80's and early 90's. How many people remember his career as a notable one? Albeit, I consider Joshua superior to Bruno in ost facets. You still need to have notable fights. Joshua has had one notable fight in his entire professional career, his one with Wlad. That I take massive issue with. I also take massive issue with the idea that Joshua's gold medal is somehow indicative of his quality. Harrison won a gold medal too. His professional career famously tanked. The reason why is "famously" tanked was because Harrison was tipped to be a future British sporting icon, precisely due to his gold medal and not his professional accomplishments. The problem for some is that a gold medal, in a domestic olympic games no less, pretty much guarantees you major momentum going forward. TBH I don't think anyone can argue against someone beating whoever is in front of them.

[Monty Fisto]

Bruno was the biggest thing around back in the late 80's and early 90's. How many people remember his career as a notable one? Albeit, I consider Joshua superior to Bruno in ost facets. You still need to have notable fights. Joshua has had one notable fight in his entire professional career, his one with Wlad. That I take massive issue with. I also take massive issue with the idea that Joshua's gold medal is somehow indicative of his quality. Harrison won a gold medal too. His professional career famously tanked. The reason why is "famously" tanked was because Harrison was tipped to be a future British sporting icon, precisely due to his gold medal and not his professional accomplishments. The problem for some is that a gold medal, in a domestic olympic games no less, pretty much guarantees you major momentum going forward. TBH I don't think anyone can argue against someone beating whoever is in front of them.

I'll agree with you that Joshua needs more defining fights. Usyk is a decent matchup and I think it's clear that Joshua tried hard to get Fury, but it was ultimately out of his hands. You're right though that if he ends his career without ever facing either Fury or Wilder it wil be to the detriment of whatever legacy he ends up with. And, yes Audley Harrison was poor. But that was clear v early on in his professional career and no one got too carried away with his gold medal barring the BBC who gave him too much of a cushy TV deal.

[eco1]

Most people have Joshua winning this easily.
If it goes past 5, I don't.
I think Usyk is a great fighter who could land a big punch and get Joshua out of there, I am not even talking decision, I am talking a KO.

Usyk is smart, so is Joshua and for me this is a 50/50 fight.