Tweet
[QUOTE]Presently the two most prominent trash talkers are Floyd Mayweather Jr. and David Haye. Both men have used verbal talents to great extent when eviscerating their top challengers.
Alex Livesey/Getty Images
The problem is that unlike in the previously mentioned examples, neither Mayweather nor Haye have any intent of fighting their top challengers.
Mayweather used the hype surrounding his comments on Manny Pacquiao to have his name mentioned on numerous non-boxing focused sporting shows. This was not done to promote a fight against Pacquiao, but rather to promote a fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.
More appalling has been David Haye’s verbal assaults to the Klitschko brothers, Waldimir and Vitali. Haye’s taunts have included wearing a shirt depicting him holding the severed heads of both brothers, mocking their skills, and announcing how soundly he would defeat them.
Yet through three sets of contract discussions, Haye has only shown a passing interest in actually fighting either Klitschko. Still, for both Mayweather and Haye the trash talk has paid off by receiving constant media coverage, resulting in much exposure and increased revenue.
Mayweather has become as much a household name for his racist online rants about Pacquiao as he has for his impressive technique, possibly more so. Mayweather has leveraged his fair share of trash talk against opponents such as Arturo Gatti and Shane Mosley, but his most vicious words have been held for the men he did not fight—Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, and Manny Pacquiao.
Haye is one of only a few heavyweight boxers currently active to receive any American media attention and this was accomplished without a marquee heavyweight victory to his credit. And the irony of the fact that this article is denigrating this behavior while simultaneously catering to it is not lost.
Neither Mayweather nor Haye is truly at fault for taking advantage of earning cash for talking instead of fighting. Boxing is a sport where paychecks are often earned through concussions, and if millions and millions of dollars can be earned for "dissing" one boxer and fighting another it is hardly surprising that they prefer to talk.
The fault truly lies with the fans that have far too long been willing to grease only the squeaky wheel. Tomasz Adamek has beaten the same number of top-10 opponents as David Haye and is scheduled to actually fight one of the Klitschko brothers in 2011—yet he receives very interest from fans.
Showtime’s Super Six Tournament has pitted the absolute best super middleweights against one another but has difficulties selling out venues in America.
So, until boxing fans decide that winning fights and beating top contenders has more value than talking trash, the fighters will have no incentive to take on larger challenges./QUOTE]
moreon here http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6...of-empty-words
Alex Livesey/Getty Images
The problem is that unlike in the previously mentioned examples, neither Mayweather nor Haye have any intent of fighting their top challengers.
Mayweather used the hype surrounding his comments on Manny Pacquiao to have his name mentioned on numerous non-boxing focused sporting shows. This was not done to promote a fight against Pacquiao, but rather to promote a fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.
More appalling has been David Haye’s verbal assaults to the Klitschko brothers, Waldimir and Vitali. Haye’s taunts have included wearing a shirt depicting him holding the severed heads of both brothers, mocking their skills, and announcing how soundly he would defeat them.
Yet through three sets of contract discussions, Haye has only shown a passing interest in actually fighting either Klitschko. Still, for both Mayweather and Haye the trash talk has paid off by receiving constant media coverage, resulting in much exposure and increased revenue.
Mayweather has become as much a household name for his racist online rants about Pacquiao as he has for his impressive technique, possibly more so. Mayweather has leveraged his fair share of trash talk against opponents such as Arturo Gatti and Shane Mosley, but his most vicious words have been held for the men he did not fight—Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, and Manny Pacquiao.
Haye is one of only a few heavyweight boxers currently active to receive any American media attention and this was accomplished without a marquee heavyweight victory to his credit. And the irony of the fact that this article is denigrating this behavior while simultaneously catering to it is not lost.
Neither Mayweather nor Haye is truly at fault for taking advantage of earning cash for talking instead of fighting. Boxing is a sport where paychecks are often earned through concussions, and if millions and millions of dollars can be earned for "dissing" one boxer and fighting another it is hardly surprising that they prefer to talk.
The fault truly lies with the fans that have far too long been willing to grease only the squeaky wheel. Tomasz Adamek has beaten the same number of top-10 opponents as David Haye and is scheduled to actually fight one of the Klitschko brothers in 2011—yet he receives very interest from fans.
Showtime’s Super Six Tournament has pitted the absolute best super middleweights against one another but has difficulties selling out venues in America.
So, until boxing fans decide that winning fights and beating top contenders has more value than talking trash, the fighters will have no incentive to take on larger challenges./QUOTE]
moreon here http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6...of-empty-words
Comment