Comments Thread For: The Beltline: Joseph Parker again offers proof that a boxer can go viral without spreading the disease

[RingoKid]

The Bro has Mana. Heaps of it!!!

[Left Hook Louie]

I think Parker vs Usyk is inevitable great fight
I’d lean towards Usyk but not by much 60/40 fight

I like both guys but I can't bet against Usyk (unless he gets old in the ring). Parker is a very good world class heavyweight. Usyk is an all-time great. Usyk by UD.

[MulaKO]

Somehow that human glacier Joe Joyce rattled Parker's head pretty good.

Older guys like Parker who have to rely on boxing and movement are on borrowed time. That's my feeling, anyway. He was all bulked up and guns blazing for Bakole and likely the same had DuBois made it to the ring. It seems Parker may have other ideas.

I think Parker vs Usyk is inevitable great fight
I’d lean towards Usyk but not by much 60/40 fight

[crimsonfalcon07]

Yep, there are some likeable guys among the sport's elite, and you've named some.
Parker seems to project a certain humility that sets him apart, though, IMHO.

He's an easy guy to like, for sure. I suspect if he does ever ascend to the top, however, that haters will magically appear out of the woodwork, as they always do.

Regarding the Joyce fight, he said he was sick with the flu for that fight. So hopefully he didn't get too much brain damage from that.

[Left Hook Louie]

I like Parker, but it seems hyperbole to say he's the only man in boxing to earn his hype the right way.

There's plenty of great boxers who have earned their hype in the right way. Others who haven't gotten hype despite facing everyone who will sign on the dotted line. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything bad to say about Parker. But to claim he's the only one in all of boxing to earn his hype the right way smacks of exactly the kind of butt-kissing promotional hype that the author looks to be decrying.

Yep, there are some likeable guys among the sport's elite, and you've named some.
Parker seems to project a certain humility that sets him apart, though, IMHO.

[crimsonfalcon07]

I like Parker, but it seems hyperbole to say he's the only man in boxing to earn his hype the right way.

Bivol and Beterbiev aren't big on fake beef; they just get in the ring and do their talking with their skills. "I'm not a postman" comes to mind. Beterbiev stopped everyone he entered the ring with, no matter the level, until he ran into Bivol, who was viewed as a bum and a nobody who was getting cherry picked by Canelo, before dominating Alvarez, and sending him from looking like he was going to be able to dominate Usyk to fighting almost exclusively guys pulled up from lower weight classes.

Or Oleksandr "I'm very feel" Usyk. He's earned his hype on the road as an understated underdog for virtually his whole career. It's honestly bizarre to me that a guy like him draws the haters he does.

Then there's Naoya Inoue, who is the only boxer to my knowledge to have signed a contract to never take an easy fight, and has followed through by fighting against a higher percentage of fighters who have won a world title than any other active boxer, spent nearly 83% of his career in title fights with a 92% stoppage rate in world title fights, and has just about completely cleaned two consecutive divisions of all credible opponents, all while scoring more 10-8 rounds than his opponents have combined to win 10-9 rounds against him. And, of course, doing all that while being ignored or crapped on by Western fans. That's not "earning hype the right way"?

How about Bam Rodriguez, jumping into the viral domain by coming up two divisions on 10 days notice to knock down and dominate the first of the legends he's defeated, then going on to stop, as a voluntary defense, the most feared puncher in the division at the time, both guys with solid arguments to be HOFers, then dropping back down to 112 to stop the #1 in the division at the time, while Ring magazine decided to ignore his accomplishments at 115 against better competition when determining his rank at 112. That's not a good way to earn hype?

There's plenty of great boxers who have earned their hype in the right way. Others who haven't gotten hype despite facing everyone who will sign on the dotted line. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything bad to say about Parker. But to claim he's the only one in all of boxing to earn his hype the right way smacks of exactly the kind of butt-kissing promotional hype that the author looks to be decrying.

[Left Hook Louie]

Not yet
He’s only becoming a good boxer imo
This is where he can shine and I think time is in his side

Somehow that human glacier Joe Joyce rattled Parker's head pretty good.

Older guys like Parker who have to rely on boxing and movement are on borrowed time. That's my feeling, anyway. He was all bulked up and guns blazing for Bakole and likely the same had DuBois made it to the ring. It seems Parker may have other ideas.

[Left Hook Louie]

And once he retires he’ll have opportunities from acting to music
He’s already a star down under

Good for him. He's been blessed with good looks. I hope he retires before he gets punch-drunk. He's absorbed a fair amount of shots to the head already.

Speaking of down under, I'm bingeing that Aussie TV series "Mr. Inbetween" on Hulu whose main character often likes to spar and hit the heavy bag. Good show if you like gritty crime dramas with a sense of humor.

[MulaKO]

Parker is such a chill dude.
Win or lose, he's not a dooshbag.
It's a low bar but you can't help liking this guy.
A true warrior who doesn't feel the need to beschmuck himself just for the hype.

And once he retires he’ll have opportunities from acting to music
He’s already a star down under

[Left Hook Louie]

Parker is such a chill dude.
Win or lose, he's not a dooshbag.
It's a low bar but you can't help liking this guy.
A true warrior who doesn't feel the need to beschmuck himself just for the hype.