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Originally posted by motoriser
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Morales was really past prime by the time he fought Raheem. Borderline shot fighter. In a terrible weight-class for Morales. He was already on his 4 weight-class going along with being way past prime borderline shot. -
I understand your points but this has will always be the way Boxing operates. No one forces fighters from all over the world to fight in America. It's their choice but for most fighters, there is no better place to fight for a pay check. You can't hold it against Mayweather that he doesn't fight outside of America because it simply doesn't make sense. Besides Morales fighting in Mexico is basically the same thing. There is no time zone difference and really no difference between the desert of Vegas and the desert of Mexico. I'm sorry but the whole he doesn't travel doesn't hold much water in boxing especially when majority of the fight fans aren't even on the Americans side. It has been like this for ages.No doubt, but a much tougher ask over there.
lol take your stars and stripes shades off for a second brother
and first look at the importance of home advantage in sport generally then look at boxing and the particular emphasis fighters place on trying to secure a home bout and all the advantages which lie therein.
Forget the US patriotism for a second and tell me that Paulie Malignaggi fighting Senchenko in the Ukraine isn't going to be a much tougher bout to win than if he fought him in New York City. Tell me that it wasn't tougher for B-Hop to get the win over Pascal in Canada than it would have been in his hometown - hell these guys will tell you themselves!
When fighters are taken out of their zone away from home comforts we find out what they're made of and how strong their character is and yes, how good they are. A win away from home is always going to look better in any sport and this is especially the case with boxing where the mental edge is so important and corruption with judges is rife.
Being from the US I wouldn't expect you to understand it as your fighters mostly fight at home, but try to picture Rocky when he beat Drago in front of all those Russians, they staged the fight there for a reason, it wouldn't have been the same if he'd won it in the MGM or somewhere safe
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Another thing that Weebler forgets to mention is that these fighters aren't just jumping off a plane. Majority of the top fighters that strictly fight in America now are staying here for at least a week and sometimes longer. It isn't like Sergio Martinez is jumping off a 6000 mile plane ride from South America and lacing em up. The arrive very early and get used to their surroundings. The whole home court thing is silly especially when America is so diverse and Americans are usually not the rooting favorite of the crowd. When's the last time Pac wasn't a favorite? Do you think Bradley will have home court advantage against Pac? After all he's the American. Do you think Floyd will have home court against Cotto?Comment
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I don't actually hold it against Mayweather, I shouldn't have used him as an example as it attracts the wrong kind of debate. However, extra credit should be given to a fighter like Morales for leaving his backyard and taking on some of the best away from home and as explained above it's not just about time-zones.
Another example, no one can tell me it wasn't tougher for Carl Froch to go to Denmark and fight Mikkel Kessler in front of a partisan viking crowd than it was for Calzaghe to fight Kessler at home in front of a stadium of 74,000 of roaring Welsh fans. If Froch had got the win, imo it would have been worth more than Joe's win largely on that basis (unfortunately for CF he didn't get it done).
You might not attach much importance as to the 'where' but I think it's definitely something which carries a degree of significance when debating resumes.Last edited by Weebler I; 03-26-2012, 09:51 AM.Comment
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Lol@ a prime morales destroys a prime floyd....
I can see u saying hed beat him
but destroy??Comment
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Okay, but where exactly did Morales fight? Morales fought in Mexico, his home country and basically America. In most of the fights held in America he fought fighters that were also not American based either. So who exactly had the advantage?
In the Froch example I would agree that had Froch won he would get extra props for traveling but it really isn't something that I would put too much stock into. Europe is way different than America. Our country is very large, basically the size of your continent. Sure, the fans will be booing and stuff like that but it effects both fighters. It isn't like team sports where fans get loud when the opponent has the ball to try to mess them up, both fighters are going at it at the very same time.Comment
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He was past prime when he beat Pac. That wasn't a prime Morales. Barrera was past prime when he officially beat Morales in the rematch. Saw his fights against Jesus Chavez and Carlos Hernandez. If you think that was a prime Morales. Then it's whatever.
I saw Morales in his prime. Those version of Morales wasn't a prime a Morales.Comment
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