How Much Respect Should Brook and Khan Get. . .

[- Ram Raid -]

. . .for stepping up to the middleweight division (albeit one at a catch weight) and taking on fights that the majority of observers gave/give them virtually no chance of winning? Specifically how that relates to bravery.

Khan was commended by many as having a 'big set of balls' for taking the Alvarez fight. The same narrative is now starting to be used to frame Brook's decision to fight Golovkin.

I'm in no way decided on this one but I'd question whether that holds up to scrutiny. There's a bravery involved of course but is it any more so than that of Dominic Wade or Liam Smith? There's a long precession of fighters who had virtually no chance against Golovkin and Alvarez who stepped through the ropes and weren't particularly lauded for their bravery. Often they were derided.

I'd lean towards stating that those fighters, contrary to popular oppinion, showed more bravery than Khan or Brook. After all, they weren't equipped with an ego salving excuse. Most fighters aren't afraid of being beat, nor are they afraid of being hurt. The fear comes from the thought of being embarrassed. From being shown to be a lesser fighter and man than they professed to be, to themselves and others. From coming second best to a legitimate rival.

That wasn't/isn't a concern in either of these cases. Both will have jumped up two weight divisions for the opportunity to be involved in a big fight experience, against a big named opponent for a big payday, without the risk of damaging their sense of self or their reputation. Surely that's more of a business decision than a brave one? Granted there's the chance of getting hurt but fighters disavow that, it's rarely a factor in their decision making process if it's even acknowledge at all.

So essentially what we have is a business fight from both sides. From one side it's easy on the ego, from the other it's an easier nights work and both get a big payday. And in lieu of a competitive fight we're left with another spectacle.

[LacedUp]

I think both are ****** moves that were/are deemed to fail.

2 welterweights that should have fought each other ended up fighting 2 middleweights that should have fought each other.

It's a shame in my opinion.

Obviously all parties involved made record breaking paydays, but from Brook/Khan perspective, they are/were putting their health seriously on the line.

[bojangles1987]

I admire Brook's move more than Khan's because Brook is relatively unproven and could take a real beating here. If Golovkin can't just end him with one punch, he may take the kind of punishment that permanently damages his career.

Brook is taking a huge risk that, even with the excuse, may be very bad for him.

[b00g13man]

There's taking a risk, and there's taking a ****** risk. I think they're both ****** risks.

Fighters who usually take these steps normally have some sort of pedigree behind them. Khan and Brook have/had neither.

[Weltschmerz]

. . .for stepping up to the middleweight division (albeit one at a catch weight) and taking on fights that the majority of observers gave/give them virtually no chance of winning? Specifically how that relates to bravery.

Khan was commended by many as having a 'big set of balls' for taking the Alvarez fight. The same narrative is now starting to be used to frame Brook's decision to fight Golovkin.

I'm in no way decided on this one but I'd question whether that holds up to scrutiny. There's a bravery involved of course but is it any more so than that of Dominic Wade or Liam Smith? There's a long precession of fighters who had virtually no chance against Golovkin and Alvarez who stepped through the ropes and weren't particularly lauded for their bravery. Often they were derided.

I'd lean towards stating that those fighters, contrary to popular oppinion, showed more bravery than Khan or Brook. After all, they weren't equipped with an ego salving excuse. Most fighters aren't afraid of being beat, nor are they afraid of being hurt. The fear comes from the thought of being embarrassed. From being shown to be a lesser fighter and man than they professed to be, to themselves and others. From coming second best to a legitimate rival.

That wasn't/isn't a concern in either of these cases. Both will have jumped up two weight divisions for the opportunity to be involved in a big fight experience, against a big named opponent for a big payday, without the risk of damaging their sense of self or their reputation. Surely that's more of a business decision than a brave one? Granted there's the chance of getting hurt but fighters disavow that, it's rarely a factor in their decision making process if it's even acknowledge at all.

So essentially what we have is a business fight from both sides. From one side it's easy on the ego, from the other it's an easier nights work and both get a big payday. And in lieu of a competitive fight we're left with another spectacle.

Thanks for a balanced take on this. We are not overfed measured and intelligent threads in NSB at any time.

And then to the bolded, right on. We see fighters cry because of this, when they get beat in the ring in front of millions.

Thirdly, this is business more than anything else as you also point out. People are offended for a variety of reasons that a fight like this gets made, but it's about $$$ at then end of the day and you're just a fool if you don't see that. Watch Brook-GGG sell out the O2 -- this means the fight is in fact a success and worth it no matter if you like it or not.

[One Of A Kind]

Khan deserves respect as he went in there to win, and took some rounds. Brook, we simply don't know yet.

[PACnPBFsuck]

[Jsmooth9876]

Both deserve lots of credit but Brook more because it seems everyone would fight Canelo and very few will actually sign the contract to fight GGG..

Both are a no lose fight because they're expected to get beat and get paid very well to do so. Khan we already knew would get blasted out because he has a glass jaw, Brook we have no clue and we are basing it just on the size difference.

[STREET CLEANER]

I think both are ****** moves that were/are deemed to fail.

2 welterweights that should have fought each other ended up fighting 2 middleweights that should have fought each other.

It's a shame in my opinion.

Obviously all parties involved made record breaking paydays, but from Brook/Khan perspective, they are/were putting their health seriously on the line.

I agree with this message

[-PBP-]

Say you're in 3rd grade. You have a ton of 3rd graders bullying you and challenging you to a fight. Instead of manning up and fighting these bullies, you challenge an 8th grader. You know you're going to get your ass kicked but you feel better about it because you have an excuse for said ass kicking and don't have to go to sleep at night feeling inferior to your peers. Should that get you more respect?

That factor, along with the money they are getting for these suicide missions, along with putting the welterweight division on hold....I just don't see the big deal.