strange british mentality

[paul750]

It has a lot to do with how they conduct themselves, Joe Calzaghe doesn't do himself any favours by appearing to come across as arrogant, in much the same way as Lennox Lewis did, only difference being that Lewis was a household name. The British and Americans are not actually that much different in so far as they generally don't like arrogant, ****y people.

It does seem that the British like humble ''losers'', but that doesn't nessacerilly mean they don't like humble winners either, it just so happens, that many ''winners'' are not particulary humble. I'm pretty sure a guy like Evander Holyfield would have been a very popular british boxer, if he was british, just like i think a guy like Lance Armstrong would have been hugely popular as a british sports icon.

I think it's just a coincidence that a lot of British sports icons were ''nearly men'', I think it has more do do with how they conduct themselves and how they come across. As far as i know, there is popular british sports icons who were at the very top anyway, guys like Seb Coe, and Steve Redgrave, were/are pretty popular, as far as i know.

[Guest]

The british always love a colorful characters, just like us. Cooper, Bruno, those guys were personalities, not just fighters.

It's telling that despite their vastly differing success in careers, Lennox Lewis will never be a fraction as loved as Frank Bruno in England. (Not necessarily by me, I think he's a twat).

Also Cooper the fighter was no slouch. The guy had some fine skills and one of the better left hooks of the time perod. He was a deadly, deadly puncher and though that hook wasn't quite on the Frazier level it was seriously not far off. Cooper was a legitimate top contender.

His first fight with Ali was a history-threatening one. Even in the rematch, Ali could never really contend with him on a certain level. Imagine Ali vs. Cooper if Cooper had less prominent bones and thicker skin.

Calzaghe is just a damn good champion. I don't think he's a big personality. He's a handsome guy

Oh yeah? Fancy him, do ya?

[Guest]

Here's a point: Eubank. He sold tickets but only because people wanted to watch him get knocked out. But when he showed balls by taking two beatings at Cruiserweight he finally got that love.

[Kid Achilles]

Anorak, a Henry Cooper who wasn't prone to cuts would be akin to Wladimir Klitschko with a chin. History would likely not be the same. Cooper had Ali in serious trouble in that first fight and if he didn't start to bleed, who knows if Ali would have survived the distance with him. Still, those are the breaks. Everyone has his weakness.

[kayjay]

This isn't a soccer forum and I don't want to make it into one, but Rooney is probably the best athlete to come from your country in quite a while. He's also a big-game performer so he was an odd choice for the threadstarter to make his point with. I don't see what tyhe criticism is.

[iron mike tyson]

in britain people get loved for there personality not because of there skills , and we love underdogs

[shingle]

big game perfomer he has done nothing in major tounements and is vastly overated ronaldo made him look a fool.

[!!! Beowulf !!!]

This isn't a soccer forum and I don't want to make it into one, but Rooney is probably the best athlete to come from your country in quite a while. He's also a big-game performer so he was an odd choice for the threadstarter to make his point with. I don't see what tyhe criticism is.

Rooney is a bit **** really.

[shingle]

cooper knocked ali down and was then hammered by ali and if it was not for the cuts he would have been destroyed bruno was muscle bound ask amercan fight fans who thet would pay to see cooper and bruno or lewis and calzaghe obviously lewis and calzaghe.

[iron mike tyson]

This isn't a soccer forum and I don't want to make it into one, but Rooney is probably the best athlete to come from your country in quite a while. He's also a big-game performer so he was an odd choice for the threadstarter to make his point with. I don't see what tyhe criticism is.

wayne rooney is good but a michael owen he is not