Comments Thread For: Matthysse Focused on Winning, Not a FOTY Display

[Johnny Rubber]

Matthysse is a straight up top bloke. It's always good a to hear a humble, appreciative and respectful person in today's boxing landscape.

Leaving the Poster Boys Club was the right move

[SalimShady1212]

if every fight was fought in a vacuum that would be true but there is a multiplier effect that gets fighters paid more. for example if ggg and kovalev had won all their fights in boring clinching fashion the networks wouldn't have been interested and they would be making a lot less since no one would want to watch them. fighters from abroad have to not only be good but be entertaining at the same time in order to make money. some fighters from the usa don't have to be either but they just lucked out and had a pre established fan base that they could be marketed to. this fan base will even defend how boring they are and say things like you don't get paid more for being entertaining while watching a sport that's designed to entertain fans.

I partially agree however it's a case by case argument. For example, Lucas has already established a reputation as an entertaining fighter and most recently had a FOTY contender vs Provodnikov. He dreamed of winning a world title and now he has the opportunity he should prioritise winning. Not saying he should clinch his way through every fight but win first and stick to your style and gameplan. Don't change yourself to impress fans and potentially lose; especially at 33 if Lucas loses he's too old to work his way back up and may have to fight lesser opposition in Argentina. I.e in an interview after the Molina fight they asked him "did you think about quitting after two KD's and a cut all going against you?" He replied "I knew if I lost I wouldn't get another opportunity at top level so I refuse to lose".

[-Kev-]

a guy like floyd has a fan base that doesn't care if he's entertaining or not. matthysse doesn't have that luxury. the way matthysse gets higher paychecks is yes he has to win but he also has to be entertaining. juts winning isn't good enough. look at rigo.

I don't think his fans didn't care about him being entertaining or not. What happened with Floyd was that for the most part of his career, from 1998 to mid 2000s he was mostly in dominantly exciting fights and that's where his fans stem from. Now Floyd is a small guy and people understand what he did, fight bigger guys and have 10lb fight night disadvantage just for a bigger check. To do this he had to change his style and become more defensive to win fights, as well as hand injuries plagued his power. I thought it was fun to watch a guy so small, have 10-14lb weight disparity and win. It wasn't always fun, like the Baldomir fight but what Floyd did going up in weight classes, rehydrating 3-4lbs, that was cool to watch him win.

Obviously Matthysse, and many other fighters do not face this issue, they are rehydrating 8-10lbs on fight night and they are fighting similarly sized opponents, much easier to get the KO then. When Floyd was fighting at SFW it was a lot easier for him to get KO's, the guys there had like 5lbs on him. Except Corrales, he was like a WW, 146lbs I think.

[aboutfkntime]

if every fight was fought in a vacuum that would be true but there is a multiplier effect that gets fighters paid more. for example if ggg and kovalev had won all their fights in boring clinching fashion the networks wouldn't have been interested and they would be making a lot less since no one would want to watch them. fighters from abroad have to not only be good but be entertaining at the same time in order to make money. some fighters from the usa don't have to be either but they just lucked out and had a pre established fan base that they could be marketed to. this fan base will even defend how boring they are and say things like you don't get paid more for being entertaining while watching a sport that's designed to entertain fans.

That is a fair call, no argument, but if they had lost, same end result.....

That is why we are getting great matchmaking, from Golovkin, and to a lesser extent from Kovalev.

[aboutfkntime]

a guy like floyd has a fan base that doesn't care if he's entertaining or not. matthysse doesn't have that luxury. the way matthysse gets higher paychecks is yes he has to win but he also has to be entertaining. juts winning isn't good enough. look at rigo.

Or is it because Matthyse is not elite, and doesn't win all of his fights ?

[Dean_Razorback]

is it me or he didn't say that? (the title) he said he doesn't feel any pressure to top the provo fight. lucas won't change his style right now

[HURTFEELINGS]

So the boxer that some of you criticize for winning at all costs, is the highest paid athlete in the world, and the most entertaining fighter is...yeah we dont know him, but he isnt the highest paid nor even near the top of the list.

[joesaiditstrue]

So the boxer that some of you criticize for winning at all costs, is the highest paid athlete in the world, and the most entertaining fighter is...yeah we dont know him, but he isnt the highest paid nor even near the top of the list.

Mayweathers popularity is a gimmick.

[aboutfkntime]

Or is it because Matthyse is not elite, and doesn't win all of his fights ?

So the boxer that some of you criticize for winning at all costs, is the highest paid athlete in the world, and the most entertaining fighter is...yeah we dont know him, but he isnt the highest paid nor even near the top of the list.

Mayweathers popularity is a gimmick.

I agree that Mayweather has played the villain and polarised the fans.....
..... but that only played out so far.

Most people, love him or hate him, paid to watch an elite fighter and consumate professional who was highly unlikely to lose.

The 7mil PPV in 2 fights was at the end of his career.