Why are British boxing fans and media so idealistic?

Question

I was watching an interview at the media coverage for Hopkins Calzaghe and the British sports media asked Hopkins "Joe Calzaghe has beaten up a few Americans in his time, Jeff Lacy being one of them. What makes you so different?". ...? What the h**l kind of question is that? What kind of observation is that? ' He's beaten a few Americans (like 3) including Jeff Lacy("is that a big deal?"), so how are you, Bernard Hopkins (who has actually faced and beaten world class recognized fighters) going to be any different?' Haha, u kiddin me? What fools. We can go back about 5 months ago to a situation which was arguably more crazy and ridiculous than this- where many British fans and media actually thought that Ricky Hatton was a better fighter than Floyd Mayweather jr. What's the deal? They're worse than Laker fans.

Answer 1

All i can say to you is please dont class us fans and the media as the same, our media is a joke. I am one of the biggest British fans of boxing there is but that doesnt mean i only follow British boxers i am a fan of all boxing. I was however one of the stupid fans who followed Hatton accross the pond to Vegas to watch him get outclassed by Floyd and i did think before the fight that Hatton had a realistic chance of beating Floyd if he worked to the right gameplan, only to realise after about 8 rounds that he had been took to school by not only a great ring technician but also a master tactician. The situation with questions being asked by the media to B-Hop is basically media types trying to get a rise out of Hopkins and you shouldnt see it as anything more than that. Every single boxing fan in this country knows that Hopkins is an all time great and that he will be a hall of famer as soon as he does hang em up. The two fighters both know that it is what happens in the ring that counts and not anything that the media says or does, so the best advice i could offer you is dont let it get to you.

I would just like to ask you a quick question back though. Seeing as you are so upset by the handling of Hopkins by the media at this press conference i would like to know what are your feelings about Floyd Mayweathers antics at every press conference he attends ?

Answer 2

British fans have been waiting on a great fighter to rep them.....unfortunately for them every time they faced an American A+ fighter they lose usually by KO.....so there's a jealousy against us....like Hatton beat an oll Castillio by KO they thought he would do it against Floyd but they forget floyd fought him when he was in his prime and floyd was young.....now they squared off and floyd beat that @$$....by KO mind you....now enter B-HOPS a pound for pound top A+ fighter who has faced the greats win lose or draw in their primes or reigns.....beating 2 fighters by Ko that never been ko'd Trinidad(power puncher) and De La Hoya ( a master boxer with vicious left hook)...a fighter that everyone avoided Winky Wright, fought against Roy Jones in his Prime and lost a close fight, plus if you look at his resume' at Calzahge, Cal only has 3 maybe 4 good names of old fighters and 1 legit win over a young up and coming fighter that's it.....so they are hoping he wins but inside like all their other fighters they know he's going to get that @$$ beat...i call it jealousy of America's elite...been that way ever since the red coats got that @$$ beat by the Patriots remeber "dont fire till you see the whites of their eyes"....(a lil history lesson) hahahahaha

Answer 3

I think its the nature of that country's sports media, its more nationalistic than idealistic.  There is more of an habitual identification with teams and athletes to the country, than there is here in the US.  

I don't think it is competely crazy to think Calzaghe is better than Hopkins right now, but it is crazy to base a pick of him winning on the fact that he has beaten other Americans....thats like saying Manny Pac beat an American lightweight, so he should be able to beat Evander Holyfield.

Both of these guys are pretty overrated, its just a question of to what degree.  I've said this before, but Bernard Hopkins has made this huge leap in the last two years to all-time great status......he is 2-2 in his last four fights, beating a bloated Winky Wright and completely spent Antonio Tarver shouldn't add to his legacy.  Joe Calzaghe has never beaten a very good fighter, nevermind great fighter, Jeff Lacy struggled to beat Peter Manfredo - those are 2 of the 4 biggest names on his wins list...come on.

Answer 4

if i remember calzaghe won the fight,and he has whupped a few yanks, get over it.it's not idealistic it's fact.so what the reporter blew our trumpets a bit and you americans don't blow your own,that's a bit rich coming from a american!

Answer 5

What astounds me by the question is that the question, in its nature, is demeaning Calzaghe. Its basically saying that beating Americans are the high mark in boxing, and that since Calzaghe has beaten three of what are considered the best (since they are American...forget what they were ranked or their previous achievements)...Calzaghe MUST be an all time great.

What I dont think that Calzaghe understands, is that he is walking right into a trap...and he doesnt know it.

Hopkins now, is going for glory, not the thrill of the win. He wants his legacy to be CEMENT, not to be trifled with by anyone in the near future. He is picking opponents that are DEEMED dangerous, and burning them. If Hopkins picked Calzaghe, he obviously saw a HUGE flaw in his fighting style that he could exploit...or else he wouldnt have taken it. He could have called his own money and made MILLIONS in a rematch with Roy Jones, only because people would want to see it, even if the thought of those two being too old is outlandish.

But what is even more outlandish, at this point, is that anyone, American or Brit alike, couldnt deem Calzaghe as one of the most protected fighter of his time. Of everyone that Calzaghe has lost, the BIGGEST name on his record is Jeff Lacy (Oh Im sorry, Chris Eubank....OOOOOH). I mean, lets talk about the Americans or top tier fighters in his class that he DIDNT fight. Now you may say that one or maybe TWO of these fighters ducked him...but if you look at this list of personalities...not all of them SHAKE when they hear his name.

Roy Jones

Antonio Tarver

Glen Johnson

James Toney

Vassily Jirov

Montell Griffith

Chris Byrd (before he went heavy)

Now during his ten year run, you cannot tell me that someone like James Toney would run from an offer Joe Calzaghe??? Come on, thats not realistic at all!!!!

If Calzaghe is what he promises...this is going to be the fight to define him. But it does not erase from history that some very historic fighters, have been his division, during his tenure, that he has allowed to go unchallenged.

Answer 6

I like the idea that the British have a media at all, we in America get spoon fed propaganda instead or real news, the American media is a travesty.  The fact that the British media coddle Calzaghe is to be expected, he's the best British boxer to come along in quite a while.  Hopkins is 43 years old, and if he beats Joe, it is proof of what we all know anyway, that  Warren protected Calzaghe and made sure he was in the ring with beatable fighters.  Thats what promoters try to do for the fighters they promote, Warren just did it better than most.  I think it's funny that the Brits think Lacy was a serious opponent, I always though of him as a club fighter with a decent left hook not a serious contender.  Kessler was the first real contender Joe ever fought, and truth be told he surprised me and did better than I expected.

I think Calzaghe should slap and arm punch his way to a decision over Hopkins, but with Bernard you never know.  About the only real hope Hopkins has is to KO Joe, I don't see that extra 7 years of age allowing Bernard to out work Calzaghe.  It's going to be interesting from a boxing standpoint, and huge for Joe.  It's really just anohter money fight for Bernard, and Warren put Joe in the ring with Bernard at the right time.   Soon enough we will see if the British boxing fans and media were idealistic, or realistic.

Answer 7

you always say how calzaghe ducked fighters but how many off them were actually up for going over to wales to fight him . not many just because joe wasnt botherd abouy going to fight in america doesnt mean he was ducking fighters

Answer 8

Joe Calazaghe might do better than Hatton. He might go the distance. But Bernard Hopkins will win.

Some British boxing fans are more interested in the fact that someone's British than who's the better fighter.

Answer 9

Well I am sure you won't pick me as best answer for this, but its pretty basic.  Calzaghe has never lost a fight, and has been pretty dominate, so he was simply asking how are you different from all is other opponents he has beaten.  Just asking him why we sould hink he will beat Calzaghe if no one else has......

Its a very simple question, not idealistic at all.  Maybe his british accent made it sound that way?

Answer 10

I think you forget about his age. Bernard is pretty old....