How come US boxers (Champions) don’t like travelling?

[Southpawology]

Because we dont want to breathe and drink the UK air and water and become chinless quitting pu$$ies like all of your fighters.

[Sid-Knee]

Boxing is a business. AJ didn’t come to the USA because he wanted the challenge of fighting in his opponent’s backyard or to enhance his legacy. He came here because his promoter thought it would help build him into an international star and open more doors for more $$$, especially PPV-level money (or, more for Eddie’s sake, dazn subscriptions).

I remember Chris Eubank talking about coming to America as a young fighter and not being able to hang in the gym even though he won a few 4-rounders of no consequence. He went back to the UK with his tail tucked between his legs. And had a great career over there ... but you didn’t see him venture over the Atlantic again — not to fight Roy Jones Jr or anyone else.

His conqueror, Steve Collins, also had his time in the USA and was rather pedestrian. When he went back to the UK his career took off. Softer touches overall and was able to build his record.

(Both those guys, btw, were ‘house fighters’ in the U.S. in that they weren’t fighting ‘in their opponent’s backyard’ because they were promoted by the people putting on the cards and picking opponents for them.)

Like I said, it’s a business. And when it makes dollars, it makes sense. Nobody in their right mind is going to wake up one day and say ‘I’m going to go fight some guy in his backyard’ unless he’s being compensated to do so ... anymore than a fighter from LA is going to go fight in Florida unless the money is right for the opponent offered. That’s all it comes down to.

If you want an American to go fight in Germany, offer him the right money or right (title) opportunity. A few guys ventured into Klitschko territory and came out with wins, but Ross Purity didn’t go to Kiev to prove he could fight abroad, he did it because he was paid well to do so.

Fighting in different geographic locations isn’t what makes a fighter great. Chauncey Welliver fought all over the world — U.S., Australia, China, Russia, UK, New Zealand, Japan, etc. — and won fights in numerous countries. I don’t see anyone calling him great for it. No more so than if he had ended up with the same record fighting only in Australia or only in England.

What makes a fighter great is beating the best around. Doesn’t matter where. Wilder knocked Audrey Harrison senseless in England but if he had fought the same guy in Alabama it wouldn’t enhance his resume any more. He also fought a few early pro fights in Mexico. So what?

I will say this: Wilder got experience in being in an unfamiliar country in those fights and that may serve him well in the future ... if AJ’s promoter had taken him to America once or twice early in his career to face journeymen he might have been better prepared for fighting Ruiz in MSG.

I know boxing is a business as well as a sport. I'm not saying otherwise. But British fighters travel to open up another market in a way Americans don't. And we can see why by the fact that they lose nearly every time they fight someone of substance. Beating bums prove nothing.

Even when money is on the table for Americans to travel they balk at the idea and want home advantage all the time. All the Welters were offered big money to fight Brook. They weren't interested in fighting. Hell, they weren't interested in fighting Brook on their turf either. Wilder and Miller also refused their biggest payday to travel and made the usual excuses.


I don't know where you heard that Eubank story from because he did a lot more than hang as he was the best in the gym at the time and got the better of them after finding his feet there. Eubank however returned home because he was British and would make more money at home. It had nothing to do with not being able to hang.

Roy Jones ducked everybody so it would have been a pointless exercise to go over there and try to get him into a ring. Roy did what he wanted and ignored many call outs.

Collins only had 2 losses to Johnson and Mccallum when in the states. But of course he's going to get bigger paydays against fighters at home than abroad. The Supermiddleweight division was in the UK. They were the bigger fights for him.

Welliver was a bum. You actually have to fight top fighters and beat them to get credit. Fighting any tom **** or harry won't do it for you. Any bum can travel and lose. That's easy. But when top fighters do it and win against credible opposition? That's where it matters.

Fighters find it a struggle to win on the road against credible opposition so the situation is going to be a test of your mettle. That's the whole point. You get extra credit for doing so. Of course the money has to be good otherwise you wouldn't do it. But even when that's on offer to Americans, they still don't want to know. Froch was only paid 375,000 Dollars for the Ward fight. But did you see him cry like Ward did and demand all his fights be at home while everyone else travelled? Of course not. Brook was paid just over 400,000 for the Porter fight. He still travelled. But when Americans are offered their biggest payday? Nah, they don't want to know. Travelling opens up another market and builds your name. Americans need to follow suit or forever be seen as cowards who can't cut it like everybody else does without crying about it all the time and looking for every advantage going.