Addressing the issue of British fighters

[kafkod]

If there's another referendum the silent majority will speak and we will say no again

I'm not so sure about that. It was a close call in 2014 and Brexit could easily tip it the other way if there's a rerun.

[KingGilgamesh]

Those are good wins. I think Joshua has has some good wins too. I really like British boxing because it appears to be mainstream sport over there. Here boxing has its moments in the spotlight but is by far secondary to Hockey. We rarely have local shows and so on. So it must be fun to have domestic enthusiasm for boxing. We do have some similarities in that our top guys usually lose when they step up and we really support our big fighters (Bute, Pascal, Lemieux).

Be prepared for a bunch of *******s to respond to your thread.

This is true, boxing is very mainstream over here but I think it also lays the groundwork for excusing poor fighters and having them lauded as the best thing since sliced bread. Thankfully, this is only really exclusive to the heavyweight division these. The talent in divisions like welterweight, lightweight, bantamweight and supper middle weight is just too deep for people to run around claiming guys BJS, Taylor or Smith are the best out there.

I'm not exactly a massive fan of granting ridiculous plaudits to fighters before they've really "earned" it because it often ends up in them being ridiculed and turned upon when they fall short. For instance, take a look at Amir Khan, in reality he's up there with some of the best in his era. He legit could have given a solid fight to Mayweather, but because he was so absurdly overrated by much of the British press, he was ridiculed mercilessly when his chin issues were revealed. I see similar happening to Callum Smith. What I also find rather strange is that are truly talented guys...people like Froch, Fury and Lewis rarely actually receive the praise their career achievements deserve.

I mean, take a look at Dubois who recently lost to Joyce. There was really nothing to suggest he really even belonged in the top 10...yet he was hyped as the next Joshua. And then you have a guy like Joyce with an amazing amateur record and one of the strongest pro resumes despite only having about 13 fights and he's treated like a bum. Its an odd country.

[KingGilgamesh]

Taylor also KO'd another unbeaten American, Ryan Martin, in his WBSS run.

World wide, 2 of the biggest fights of recent years were the AJ/Ruiz and Fury/Wilder rematches, and the Brits beat the Yanks decisively in both if them.

Ruiz came off a brutal KO the fight before and was 280lbs+, you're not going to sell that to anyone with even a pedestrian knowledge of boxing and there is a damn good reason why no one viewed it as anything spectacular. Even over here. It was seen as a job getting done and nothing more. Fury/Wilder has been the defacto British boxing performance but its largely an anomaly TBH.

[KingGilgamesh]

Also homecooking is also a big reason why British fighters end up not progressing.

I mean take for instance the first Fury Wilder fight where it was scored a draw. TBH its not even the most egregious card ever seen...but it allowed Wilder to settle into a comfort zone thinking his right hand will always bail him out. If he had lost that fight he likely would have been forced to go back to the drawing board. Brit fighters often get hometown decisions all the time and thus, the moment they fall out of their comfort zone they absolutely crumble. If anything, I think our fighters in the UFC are far more adept to performing in foreign and unfamiliar environments. British boxers get too many home comforts and thus end up disappointing on the world stage when they have to fight in Vegas.

And yes, even as a Brit I will happily admit Vegas is "the world", its where the massive paydays are made and where you're exposed to the largest paying audience.

[Bain01D]

Josh Kelly? For me he lacks power and won’t do much at the top level.

Hard to say, he has all the tools and ability

Just not sure if he had the mindset, remains to be seen

[Jax teller]

This is true, boxing is very mainstream over here but I think it also lays the groundwork for excusing poor fighters and having them lauded as the best thing since sliced bread. Thankfully, this is only really exclusive to the heavyweight division these. The talent in divisions like welterweight, lightweight, bantamweight and supper middle weight is just too deep for people to run around claiming guys BJS, Taylor or Smith are the best out there.

I'm not exactly a massive fan of granting ridiculous plaudits to fighters before they've really "earned" it because it often ends up in them being ridiculed and turned upon when they fall short. For instance, take a look at Amir Khan, in reality he's up there with some of the best in his era. He legit could have given a solid fight to Mayweather, but because he was so absurdly overrated by much of the British press, he was ridiculed mercilessly when his chin issues were revealed. I see similar happening to Callum Smith. What I also find rather strange is that are truly talented guys...people like Froch, Fury and Lewis rarely actually receive the praise their career achievements deserve.

I mean, take a look at Dubois who recently lost to Joyce. There was really nothing to suggest he really even belonged in the top 10...yet he was hyped as the next Joshua. And then you have a guy like Joyce with an amazing amateur record and one of the strongest pro resumes despite only having about 13 fights and he's treated like a bum. Its an odd country.

LMAO Boxing isn't mainstream over here and definitely not "Very mainstream". People only know Khan, AJ and more recently Tyson out of the current fighters. And the majority wouldn't be able to name a single opponent of theirs, the best you'll get is probably "that fat kid from up".

I'd be surprised if asked 1/10 random people on the steet knew who Josh Taylor or Kell Brook was.

Are you even from the UK or just pretend to be, to talk rubbish?

[davef]

Brits are the kings of the heavyweight division enough said

[Marvlus Marv]

I smell a troll... snif sniff..

[KingGilgamesh]

LMAO Boxing isn't mainstream over here and definitely not "Very mainstream". People only know Khan, AJ and more recently Tyson out of the current fighters. And the majority wouldn't be able to name a single opponent of theirs, the best you'll get is probably "that fat kid from up".

I'd be surprised if asked 1/10 random people on the steet knew who Josh Taylor or Kell Brook was.

Are you even from the UK or just pretend to be, to talk rubbish?

The Joshua/Pulev and Fury/Wilder fights were featured on BBC News you dumbass, how on earth can you claim boxing is not mainstream??? BBC Sport even had lots of coverage for Dubouis/Joyce. Fury used to first fights on channel 5 and there is always a huge coverage given to our Olympic talent. Its ****ing mainstream. Jesus, this is another thing that irritates me about Brits...knowing **** all about whats going on in their own country. The average person on the street probably couldn't even name five super league clubs, does that mean that rugby isn't our second most popular sport either??? How many people could realistically pick out Aubemayang out of a line up? Or Van Dijk? Does that mean the EPL isn't mainstream either???

Too many of you idiots live in a bubble in bum**** s****horpe or some **** and want to lecture on what is "mainstream".

[OnlytheTruth]

The Joshua/Pulev and Fury/Wilder fights were featured on BBC News you dumbass, how on earth can you claim boxing is not mainstream??? BBC Sport even had lots of coverage for Dubouis/Joyce. Fury used to first fights on channel 5 and there is always a huge coverage given to our Olympic talent. Its ****ing mainstream. Jesus, this is another thing that irritates me about Brits...knowing **** all about whats going on in their own country. The average person on the street probably couldn't even name five super league clubs, does that mean that rugby isn't our second most popular sport either??? How many people could realistically pick out Aubemayang out of a line up? Or Van Dijk? Does that mean the EPL isn't mainstream either???

Too many of you idiots live in a bubble in bum**** s****horpe or some **** and want to lecture on what is "mainstream".

Super League isn't overly that popular. Union is far more popular but the majority of fans only follow England.

Not sure why you are getting so annoyed about someone elses opinion about Boxing not being that mainstream. Does it really matter?