Hating a boxer because of his fanbase.. Truth or BS?

[Adamjr91]

I agree with this, boxing not being so mainstream in Britain means the casual fans have absolutely no clue and turn me against fighters all the time. I renember when Calzaghe was fighting Hopkins and people from my gym were saying 'joe will walk it, he's been a world champ for years, what's this other fella ever done?' and during the Haye years, 'but them other two haven't got real titles, Hayes the real champ', I renember explaining to a group how don king gave Valuev Chagaevs title, so there wasn't much merit in Haye winning it and they were like 'as if they would just take a title off someone'.

So true. I was put off Haye because his fans were making out that Valuev was an ATG and that beating him meant that he's going to walk through Wlad Klitschko. I've also been put off Ricky Burns and Nathan Cleverly. They make a few mandatory defenses against journeymen and now these two are the best in their division? Crazy.

[ShamrockXpress]

So true. I was put off Haye because his fans were making out that Valuev was an ATG and that beating him meant that he's going to walk through Wlad Klitschko. I've also been put off Ricky Burns and Nathan Cleverly. They make a few mandatory defenses against journeymen and now these two are the best in their division? Crazy.

Exactly and I used to be a massive fan of burns, i just hope the same doesn't happen with Barker, not that I'm a fan I just don't want to end up disliking him.

[CounterPunching]

Matthysse comes to mind.

Guy barely talks and always puts on good fights, yet people said they wanted him to lose because his fans.

[Black Barty]

I can say with total honesty that the only reason I don't particularly like Rigo is because most of his fans are INCREDIBLY annoying. They actually worship him, and it bothers them when another fighter at/around his weight gets credit for anything. And it's blasphemy to them to even suggest that maybe, just maybe Rigo isn't the greatest fighter that ever lived.

[Alx.]

Sadly, sometimes i do.

[ramses07]

dont like mayweather's black fans or pacquiaos filipino fans.

[jqSide]

Watching Pac-Marquez III in a bar full of phillipinos. It's clear that 90% of them are not boxing fans, don't know what they are watching and their idiotic comments are detrimental to the sport as a whole. It would be better for them to leave and maybe the only way is for Pacquiao to lose.

I enjoy his fights though and if we could go back to an age before he was hyped as the P4P king then that would be ideal, lose some of the glory-supporters.

Floyd fans I don't have so much of a problem with because Floyd continues to win convincingly and doesn't need the fans to make excuses for his performances.

This guy is just making **** up. You won't see Filipinos in bars whenever Pacquiao fights. You see them watching in their homes.

[Holywarrior]

I feel like ever since the Mayweather/Pacquiao debacle fans have become fans of certain fighters just to spite the other side. It's completely sad and ridiculous that people can't cheer for a fighter and just be left alone by the other side.

[bklynboy]

Watching Pac-Marquez III in a bar full of phillipinos. It's clear that 90% of them are not boxing fans, don't know what they are watching and their idiotic comments are detrimental to the sport as a whole. It would be better for them to leave and maybe the only way is for Pacquiao to lose.

I enjoy his fights though and if we could go back to an age before he was hyped as the P4P king then that would be ideal, lose some of the glory-supporters.

Floyd fans I don't have so much of a problem with because Floyd continues to win convincingly and doesn't need the fans to make excuses for his performances.

I have no problem with people rooting for a boxer for nationalistic or racial reasons (provided he's upfront to himself and other's about this) nor do I have problems with un-educated fans. Everyone starts out as an un-educated fan. Then some of those stay and learn more about the sport in whatever way they do - go to a gym, watch fights, read boxing books. Whatever. You have a chance of converting some of these "un-educated", "one-boxer" fans into fans of the sport.

Re a Filipino rooting for a Filipino or a Thai rooting for a Thai or a Khazak rooting for a Khazak - who cares. Boxing fandom is based (for better of worse) on ethnic support.

The problem is people saying "X" is the best of all time when the boxer hasn't done enough to be considered the best in the last 30 or 40 years - let alone of all-time. I'm speaking of Floyd, or Pac, or Klitschko fans here. (You're even hearing people say that GGG is an ATG when he hasn't even consolidated the middleweight division.)

It may be tough separating the fighter from his fan base but you have to do it. You can't blame Manny or Floyd for what nuthuggers say.

[The Ninth Layer]

I honestly don't take any "boxing" fan seriously if they're not a fan of both Mayweather and Pacquiao. Both guys are unbelievable talents and we're lucky to get to watch them fight for as long as they continue.

I have no problem with people rooting for a boxer for nationalistic or racial reasons (provided he's upfront to himself and other's about this) nor do I have problems with un-educated fans. Everyone starts out as an un-educated fan. Then some of those stay and learn more about the sport in whatever way they do - go to a gym, watch fights, read boxing books. Whatever. You have a chance of converting some of these "un-educated", "one-boxer" fans into fans of the sport.

Re a Filipino rooting for a Filipino or a Thai rooting for a Thai or a Khazak rooting for a Khazak - who cares. Boxing fandom is based (for better of worse) on ethnic support.

The problem is people saying "X" is the best of all time when the boxer hasn't done enough to be considered the best in the last 30 or 40 years - let alone of all-time. I'm speaking of Floyd, or Pac, or Klitschko fans here. (You're even hearing people say that GGG is an ATG when he hasn't even consolidated the middleweight division.)

It may be tough separating the fighter from his fan base but you have to do it. You can't blame Manny or Floyd for what nuthuggers say.

Well said.