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

[Monty Fisto]

he’s probably more popular than Lewis because if the fact that they saw him come up the amateur ranks and represent them in the Olympics. There’s more emotionally invested in olympians similar to sugar Ray and Oscar in America. Lewis represented Canada in the Olympics because that’s where he was raised and learned to box. His representation of the Uk as a pro was likely more of a calculated decision based on the larger more passionate fan base.

This is a fair point; Lewis never felt truly British but he was still well liked in Britain. His fights with Holyfield and Tyson were very big. But they weren't the phenomenon that Joshua has become. It doesn't mean AJ is the best ever, but it is worth admiring it for what it is. He is extremely popular; popular to an extent that would be notable in any era. 90,000 people at Wembley. That by itself is amazing. But for some reason there are many on this board that begrudge the success and have to find ways to try and diminish it.

[Monty Fisto]

Boxing's Biggest Box Office Draw Joshua Battles Usyk In Tottenham

He is? I just checked and Canelo appears to carry that mantle.

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.

[Monty Fisto]

Exactly. He may be boxing's most marketable brand....but he's certainly not boxing's biggest draw.

But he is using the criterion that the article is talking about ("There is no bigger box office draw in terms of number of attendees than him").

Please name me one single name who draws larger attendances to prove how he is 'certainly' not the biggest?

[billeau2]

Firstly. No one can take away from the fact that this is a great fight and its credit to Hearn for actually seemingly pulling off a half decent fight against a strong young contender for what i feel is the first time in Joshua's career.

Genuinely no idea what is going to happen on Saturday but I am slightly curious at how this article is worded. Joshua, unlike Canelo, the only other big PPV star left in boxing, seems to be spoken about almost exclusively in regards to his earning potential. I like boxers treating the sport like a business just as much as the next guy but I've always stated how Joshua's entire image seems to be an exercise in media marketing than it is about watching a genuinely great boxer. You speak of Pacquio and Lewis but their sellout fights were against the likes of Hatton, Mayweather, Tyson and Holyfield. In comparison Joshua's biggest PPVs were against guys like ****ing Takam and Parker. No one is going to remember these fights in 10 years time. They barely remember them now. Joshua's fans don't feel like fans at all, they feel like mascots. The typical idiots in this country who seem insanely easily swayed by facile media manipulation.

And I say that as someone who works in a well known British media organisation. It's kinda sad how easily the public here have their opinions dictated to by our media classes. Which, rather surprisingly, is something you don't see in America. When Joshua came over stateside, he underperformed and the audience responded accordingly. The same for Wilder. Unlike the UK, I don't think you can get away away being "good enough" over there. After experiencing the likes of Holmes, Tyson, Ali, Holyfield and Foreman, I just don't think they're going to be as early impressed with the current top heavyweights as we are over here.

Very interesting insights!

[Monty Fisto]

It can't be easily created because there aren't many boxers who won a gold medal AND have the looks and personality. That doesn't suddenly mean that he represents boxing at its best. Neither does it mean that he's not a media creation. I thought the Euros would have been a good indicator of how tiring this attitude is considering how much England was despised despite having a talented and likeable manager and team.

I think the big thing Americans have is that he was spoken about as this next gen Lennox Lewis and didn't deliver. In hindsight it's not the fact that Tyson was pulling some of the biggest numbers boxing had ever seen at the time, its the fact that he was a phenomenal boxer and the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Joshua's fame and popularity have become more important than his boxing. So much so that he going into one of his most competitive ever fights and people don't even seem bothered. If the only thing one can recall as notable about your career is your revenue streams then it begs the question of how notable is your BOXING career.

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.

[MPA2000]

But he is using the criterion that the article is talking about ("There is no bigger box office draw in terms of number of attendees than him").

Please name me one single name who draws larger attendances to prove how he is 'certainly' not the biggest?

You are confusing attendance with PPV buys.

[SUBZER0ED]

It's all about perspective. Yes...he can fill stadiums in the U.K. but take him to Boise Idaho and see what the sales are. Manny Pacquiao would sell out a stadium anywhere in the world and he's on his retirement tour.

"Boise, Idaho"! I can't see anything or anyone selling out there, unless it's maybe some kind of potato festival.

[billeau2]

Yeah ok I’m a casual. Feel better?

Ewwwwww!!! cooties!!! Cooties!!!! nah Nah nah nah nah... Oldsckoolg is a casual nah nah nah nah nah... Hold your head in shame sir!!! and be prepared during the next conversation about boxing, when a few casuals rip about Mayweather and "that big Russian guy with a twin brother" to clear your throat twice, suavely fold back a cig pack if you smoke, or take a belt of yer favorite poison and in a low "high appeal" voice state emphatically "I myself prefer Mike McCallum." When they say "who is this?" Go to work!

[billeau2]

Big Josh - the face of boxing!

****Em the face of my backside.

[Szef]

Firstly. No one can take away from the fact that this is a great fight and its credit to Hearn for actually seemingly pulling off a half decent fight against a strong young contender for what i feel is the first time in Joshua's career.

Genuinely no idea what is going to happen on Saturday but I am slightly curious at how this article is worded. Joshua, unlike Canelo, the only other big PPV star left in boxing, seems to be spoken about almost exclusively in regards to his earning potential. I like boxers treating the sport like a business just as much as the next guy but I've always stated how Joshua's entire image seems to be an exercise in media marketing than it is about watching a genuinely great boxer. You speak of Pacquio and Lewis but their sellout fights were against the likes of Hatton, Mayweather, Tyson and Holyfield. In comparison Joshua's biggest PPVs were against guys like ****ing Takam and Parker. No one is going to remember these fights in 10 years time. They barely remember them now. Joshua's fans don't feel like fans at all, they feel like mascots. The typical idiots in this country who seem insanely easily swayed by facile media manipulation.

And I say that as someone who works in a well known British media organisation. It's kinda sad how easily the public here have their opinions dictated to by our media classes. Which, rather surprisingly, is something you don't see in America. When Joshua came over stateside, he underperformed and the audience responded accordingly. The same for Wilder. Unlike the UK, I don't think you can get away away being "good enough" over there. After experiencing the likes of Holmes, Tyson, Ali, Holyfield and Foreman, I just don't think they're going to be as early impressed with the current top heavyweights as we are over here.

You can't compare Pacquiao to Joshua when it comes to the US market.

There are 4 million pinoys living in the US. Not sure how many Brits live there but I'm willing to bet that there's no more than a million.

I also have to LOL @ the romaticizing of US fans' love for Lennox Lewis that's been going on here since Joshua got mainstream.

Lewis was despised and underrated by the Americans for his entire career. Who are you guys trying to fool?
Some of us did watch boxing back then and we remember how hated he was by Yanks.

His PPV vs Tyson and Holyfield did good number over there because Tyson and Holyfield were fighting Lewis, not because Lewis was fighting Tyson and Holyfield. Tyson especially, was at the time the biggest PPV seller of all time. It wasnt Lewis name that made Americans buy that fight.

It's not the fighters who are 'not good enough' to American fans, it's the sport of boxing as a whole that's not good enough. They are not interested in it, period.

Joshua is doing fine. Hell, he's doing great giving the current landscape of the boxing world. He's the most popular fighter on the planet on all social media platforms and respectable websites. Except this one, of course.