African American Fighters dont have mass fan support

[The Gambler1981]

People love a knock out artist. People love a face to come with it too. People generally go for guys who get involved into all sorts of media events as well, not just dwi's and assault cases. People may not remember all your fights to the tee, but what they will always remember is the style you brought.
You can say pretty much the same thing goes about any white american fighter out there as well.

To me it is more a matter of excellence, because people will forget your flaws if you are excellent.

Being exciting and marketable helps a great deal also, but if you don't have the abilities to do it you are limited. If you are the best though to me Americans will always want to see the best, if they are American.

[cixthree]

According to Vivek Wallace over at opposite of West side boxing, many boxing promoters find it hard helping African American fighters earn healthy living because "unlike Latino fighters, or those who hail from other countries, African American fighters simply don't carry the same level of support".

This is in relation to Mosley and Hopkins complaining that because they are black, GBP has not set up big money fights for them.

With Mayweather and the heavyweights being an exception, do members here agree?

I cannot see the likes of Bradley, Alexander etc ever making the amount the likes of Khan, Manny, Hatton etc will ever or have made.

Why do african-americans not support black fighters to the same level or degree Latino's, Brits (look how many thousands of fans Rick brought from the UK)?

Well if you're black or white and support a fighter of your same race, you're considered a racists...

But i see his point, and i do agree. I support my own but I also respect others, i just wish more followed that reasoning...

[medium-deek]

Well if you're black or white and support a fighter of your same race, you're considered a racists...

But i see his point, and i do agree. I support my own but I also respect others, i just wish more followed that reasoning...

excellent point.

[LoStranger]

Well if you're black or white and support a fighter of your same race, you're considered a racists...

But i see his point, and i do agree. I support my own but I also respect others, i just wish more followed that reasoning...

thats the formula there support ur own but respect others i'd never dispute a guy like Sergio Martinez for example he is clearly talented

[ThePrince]

Problem is that the marketable Black fighters outside of Floyd are being handled by incompetent and powerless promoters. I guarantee you if Paul Williams, Berto, Bradley, Alexander, etc were being handled by Top Rank or even GBP they'd be major stars in the sport. Guys like DiBella, Goosen, and Shaw just don't have the pull or expertise to build a fighter from the ground up and turn them into household names.

Someone like Williams- a genetic freak, action fighter, and ****-talker in the hands of someone seasoned like Arum would be a major draw at this point in his career, but instead he just fought a rematch of a FOTY candidate, a championship bout for the lineal MW belt, in front of only 5,000 in Jersey.

The biggest draws in Boxing's history have been predominantly Black, so Black fighters CAN and HAVE (and do w/ Floyd) drawing power, support, etc. But it's up to their promoters and handlers to maximize their star power.

[MikeRo1972]

In the US amatuer boxing has taken a complete nose dive in the last 15-20 years. young fighters jump into pro ranks as soon as possible to make money and other elite athletes are playing football and basketball. In addition, young prospects fight in either obscure cards and when on a PPV card they are either not on the TV portion or nobody cares. In other words most casual fight fans dont buy boxing PPVs so if you have a prospect he most likely wont be known until he is a rated contender and even then most wont know and that's regardless of race. Casual fans dont know Dawson, Bradley, Alexander, Ortiz, Ward, Donaire, Arreola, Cunningham, Dirrell, Berto, Rios, Litzau, Pavlik, Alvarado. These are all Americans and It doesnt matter that they are black, white, or latino.

Back in the day ABC used to have monthly boxing matches on World Wide of Sports. Today there is no such thing in mainstream TV. It's premium cable, PPV, or online. ESPN is starting to do some good things with Friday Night Fights as well as ESPN3 (online).

The only american fighters casual fans know are Mora, Manfredo, and Bundrage and thats because of "The Contender". People know Hopkins but he's a fossil.

I cant speak for Europe but in Latin America there is boxing on TV all the time and that helps in name recognition and getting behind their fighters.

[medium-deek]

Boxing is big business in Europe. The likes of Abraham, Felix, Huck, etc are all earning mega bucks. Sums that american fighters can only dream about.

[shogun1123]

According to Vivek Wallace over at opposite of West side boxing, many boxing promoters find it hard helping African American fighters earn healthy living because "unlike Latino fighters, or those who hail from other countries, African American fighters simply don't carry the same level of support".

This is in relation to Mosley and Hopkins complaining that because they are black, GBP has not set up big money fights for them.

With Mayweather and the heavyweights being an exception, do members here agree?

I cannot see the likes of Bradley, Alexander etc ever making the amount the likes of Khan, Manny, Hatton etc will ever or have made.

Why do african-americans not support black fighters to the same level or degree Latino's, Brits (look how many thousands of fans Rick brought from the UK)?

I agree, It's not that we don't support black fighters, AA only make up about 12.8 percent of the population in the US. AA these days tend to follow AA athletes in other sports i.e.. Basketball and Football primarily.


AA boxers are not marketed very well like the NBA and the NFL does with it's AA stars.


We grew up in a Era where Michael Jordan and AA NFL stars dominated the marketing we saw in television ads.


There really isn't a new AA fan base for AA boxers. Hell I'm 42 and most of my friends can only name a few black fighters. Tyson, Holyfield, Ali, Mayweather, and SRR but as far as any of the present black fighters they get stuck at Mayweather and Mosley. (Yes I am Black)

AA fighters can only make a name for themselves these days if they act like an ass. Then people only tune in to see them get their ass kicked.

PBF and his people figured this out long ago. PBF did not always act like an idiot but playing the nice black guy did not make him popular or any money.


Boixing use to be one of the only professional sports we had access to. So as a community we tuned in to watch AA compete.

Now AA compete in many more professional sports so the attention these athletes get from the community is divided and split among the various sports. NBA players and NFL get a lot of support from the AA community.


Mike Tyson got a lot of support from the AA community and the world, but all for the wrong reasons. I'd rather we not do that again.

My sarcastic advice to Bradley. Alexander, Berto, PWill, the Peterson brothers and Mosley is start biting Mother F**kers ears off people will tune in then.

That my 2 cent's

[Mr. Fantastic]

I don't think it's that. I think it's mostly due to the style of a lot of black boxers. Outside of some hardcore fans, it's not really pleasing to see to the general public.

[shogun1123]

I don't think it's that. I think it's mostly due to the style of a lot of black boxers. Outside of some hardcore fans, it's not really pleasing to see to the general public.

AA Love that style, Its the Style of ALI. We grew up thinking that's how you were supposed to fight. Whip ass and look good doing it.

A fight where it looks like both people lost is not how we were taught to fight.


I personally have never been hit in the face in a fist fight. Yes I fought all the time growing up in Chicago.