Remember When AJ Was Compared to Ali?

[iamboxing]

Here's Brits saying AJ was like Ali when he beat Liston:

link to news story

and here's the pic they posted on the front page:




and not just one paper either:

here's another story in the telegraph - a reputable and one of the most popular newspapers in england:

news link

and again same pic:




I said it from the start, they hyped him too much and put too much pressure on him, you could see it on his face before the bell was rung in the ruiz fight, out of his comfort zone without his adoring and screaming fans....the british press and fans ruin their own fighters and then discard them like trash when the honeymoon period is over

[deathofaclown]

His talent could never match the fame and popularity.

Sky and Hearn did a great job marketing him to the public, to people who don’t even like boxing. Fair play, they all made a lot of money.

In all fairness, most British people I know that actually really love boxing never thought AJ was some elite fighter. But of course he had to be hyped and marketed as one to fill stadiums with casuals. You can’t fill stadiums by marketing the guy as just pretty good

[JERMELL_CHARLO_]

Here's Brits saying AJ was like Ali when he beat Liston:

link to news story

and here's the pic they posted on the front page:




and not just one paper either:

here's another story in the telegraph - a reputable and one of the most popular newspapers in england:

news link

and again same pic:




I said it from the start, they hyped him too much and put too much pressure on him, you could see it on his face before the bell was rung in the ruiz fight, out of his comfort zone without his adoring and screaming fans....the british press and fans ruin their own fighters and then discard them like trash when the honeymoon period is over

What an utter disgrace.

[BodiesInFlight]

His talent could never match the fame and popularity.

Sky and Hearn did a great job marketing him to the public, to people who don’t even like boxing. Fair play, they all made a lot of money.

In all fairness, most British people I know that actually really love boxing never thought AJ was some elite fighter. But of course he had to be hyped and marketed as one to fill stadiums with casuals. You can’t fill stadiums by marketing the guy as just pretty good

If all is needed is SKY and marketing then where are the other cash cows filling out stadiums like AJ did/is?

I think what attracted him to the general public was him knocking out people in spectacular fashion and looking like he was carved out of stone. Obviously he is going to get overhyped from that point on. we've all seen that happen with English footballers before.

But I guess its easy to just say he's trash and Hearn overhyped him for cash. Makes you look hardcore.

[DuckAdonis]

Fury the new Ali

[Ray*]

Yep, i remember that picture and article. I was shaking my head when i saw it. But everyone was fever AJ especially the tabloids.

[*Makaveli*]

If all is needed is SKY and marketing then where are the other cash cows filling out stadiums like AJ did/is?

I think what attracted him to the general public was him knocking out people in spectacular fashion and looking like he was carved out of stone. Obviously he is going to get overhyped from that point on. we've all seen that happen with English footballers before.

But I guess its easy to just say he's trash and Hearn overhyped him for cash. Makes you look hardcore.

Winning the gold medal at the london Olympics made him popular with most folk here, even with folk that aren't into boxing

[deathofaclown]

If all is needed is SKY and marketing then where are the other cash cows filling out stadiums like AJ did/is?

I think what attracted him to the general public was him knocking out people in spectacular fashion and looking like he was carved out of stone. Obviously he is going to get overhyped from that point on. we've all seen that happen with English footballers before.

But I guess its easy to just say he's trash and Hearn overhyped him for cash. Makes you look hardcore.

Well i never called him trash, despite me not being a fan of him, i’ve defended him on here and said he is still a good heavyweight. You don’t beat guys like Parker, Povetkin etc..if you’re a bum or average.

My point is that his fame was on such a huge level and he had been built up by those around him as some iconic figure that his loss was always going to be amplified x1000 when it inevitably happened.

He still had to get in the ring and do the job before and he did. I’m just saying the likes of Sky were part of it, once they put up a poll on their site about who is the best heavyweight ever and his name was included on it, there was only about 5 names on it. The average casual fan might read that and not know any better and believe he’s in the company with guys like Ali.

He had the image, following, promotion etc. Of a GREAT fighter when the reality is that he’s not actually great. Do the downfall is always going to be as spectacular as the rise.

He’s still a very good solid heavyweight in the current era.

[Cutthroat]

Fury is the closest we've seen to Ali

[BangEM]

Fury is the closest we've seen to Ali

No, Fury is the closest thing to Henry Cooper.

Ali didn’t get battered and beat up by a fat pub boxer with beer gut like McDermott. And he sure didn’t get knocked down by cruiserweights.