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If boxing's economics and polarization tells us anything, it's that there is no one superstar in the sport, but several superstars who prosper in different markets.
Manny Pacquiao is a superstar to Filipinos and Asians alike. If there are 20,000 people in attendance, 19.5 are probably Filipinos. To Filipinos and Filipino-Americans (like me), he is our Elvis.
Marco Antonio Barrera is still Mexico's reincarnate of Julio Cesar Chavez. Over the last 10 years, no one has captured more hearts South of the Border like the Baby Faced Assasin.
Ricky Hatton is the English contribution to the superstar category. His ability to appeal to the blue collar population in his native Manchester, as well as his exciting style have made him this generation's crossover English fighter, if not as wide spreading as Naseem Hamed.
Roy Jones Jr., though faded and semi-retired, is still an icon to American youths, similar to a Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali the way he has inspires young people to lace up the gloves like no other fighter has. Making boxing cool is important to it's future, because todays youngsters want to be like Mike, and that's not Tyson.
In America, I'm not sure there will be another superstar for some time. DLH and Jones are finished, and one thing they were able to do is make the sport hip and cool. Judah and Mayweather had an inside track, but with Judah's inability to win a significant fight and Mayweather's constant campaign to make himself unattractive to the consensus middle class denizen, it's hard to imagine them attaining that stature anywhere outside of their own minds.
Miguel Cotto is the sport's clearest candidate for the mantle of superstar in his native Puerto Rico. With Gomez and Trinidad before him, there is a proven market that Cotto can thrive in. With his exciting style and penchant for the dramatics, his future is secure, so long as he keeps winning. His upcoming fight with Quintana will answer alot of questions Dec. 2.
Tommorrow's superstars of the sport will be other fighters who can capture our hearts with their skills, as well as their personalities. Rey Bautista, Abner Mares, Miguel Cotto, and Amir Khan seem to have the inside track, but only time will tell what the cards have in store for their futures.
Manny Pacquiao is a superstar to Filipinos and Asians alike. If there are 20,000 people in attendance, 19.5 are probably Filipinos. To Filipinos and Filipino-Americans (like me), he is our Elvis.
Marco Antonio Barrera is still Mexico's reincarnate of Julio Cesar Chavez. Over the last 10 years, no one has captured more hearts South of the Border like the Baby Faced Assasin.
Ricky Hatton is the English contribution to the superstar category. His ability to appeal to the blue collar population in his native Manchester, as well as his exciting style have made him this generation's crossover English fighter, if not as wide spreading as Naseem Hamed.
Roy Jones Jr., though faded and semi-retired, is still an icon to American youths, similar to a Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali the way he has inspires young people to lace up the gloves like no other fighter has. Making boxing cool is important to it's future, because todays youngsters want to be like Mike, and that's not Tyson.
In America, I'm not sure there will be another superstar for some time. DLH and Jones are finished, and one thing they were able to do is make the sport hip and cool. Judah and Mayweather had an inside track, but with Judah's inability to win a significant fight and Mayweather's constant campaign to make himself unattractive to the consensus middle class denizen, it's hard to imagine them attaining that stature anywhere outside of their own minds.
Miguel Cotto is the sport's clearest candidate for the mantle of superstar in his native Puerto Rico. With Gomez and Trinidad before him, there is a proven market that Cotto can thrive in. With his exciting style and penchant for the dramatics, his future is secure, so long as he keeps winning. His upcoming fight with Quintana will answer alot of questions Dec. 2.
Tommorrow's superstars of the sport will be other fighters who can capture our hearts with their skills, as well as their personalities. Rey Bautista, Abner Mares, Miguel Cotto, and Amir Khan seem to have the inside track, but only time will tell what the cards have in store for their futures.
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