What Makes You Root for Who?
by John Genco on Jul 22, 2010 5:16 PM EDT
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PrintIn many ways boxing is different than team sports when it comes to fandom. If you went to college at Penn State or live in Pennsylvania then most likely Penn State is your favorite team. If you live closer to Philadelphia than to Pittsburgh you root for the Eagles and Phillies instead of the Pirates and Steelers. And vice-versa.
In teams sports the teams stay and the fans pass on. In boxing the fans stay and the boxers move on. Fans have the opportunity to have more than one guy. You can have a heavy, a middle and a welter. As opposed to teams sports, you can have the Braves. You can't have the Braves and the Yankees. But in team sports, allegiances are often passed down, especially for passion teams like the Steelers, Red Sox or Celtics. Because of that, it can be very special to root for the same team your father and grandfather jumped out of their seats for.
In boxing, it is not possible to have the same guy your father had. (Holyfield joke here) So due to allegiances being passed through generations you can have giant Steeler fans living in Georgia or Florida. But by in large, region is the number one and only determining factor on which sports franchise a fan is fanatic for.
Boxing is different. Yes, region place a part. But no more than say... nationality. To venture a guess on what motivates every boxing fan or even most boxing fans in chosing a boxer as their guy, would be foolish. So, I'll be a case study. I'll be honest and frank, and you will have to deal with it. And I'll have to deal with how you deal with it.
One factor that I will ignored as a qualification is being a quality fighter. It can be assumed most of the time fans don't go out of their way to root for a 10 and 27 journeyman. Although some of these men can hold a special place to fans.
The first thing for me is fighting style. Action! I do like big punchers. As I would guess everybody does. Sure, going for the KO has me going for the DVR, but for me, it is not nearly as important, as a lot of punches. Bring the fight. Stay in the pocket. Throw multiple-punch combinations. I don't even mind reckless and even a little sloppy.
I also love the jab. I like the jab like some folk like a dunk, like some like a double play. I like watching it. I like everything that it sets up. I like when opponents get sick of getting stung by it, and you can see it in their face. Almost like the old playground taunt of I'll hit you with so many lefts, you'll be begging for a right. No matter the style you prefer, counter puncher, slickster, body puncher... whatever. How much does the style of a fighter draw you to him. Where does it rank?
Personality. It even trumps fighting style sometimes. If I don't like the way a guy acts or talks, if he is too disrespectful of the sport or his opponents or too brash, I cheer for the other guy. But if he's a charmer like a Ricky Hatton, respectful and humble like Manny, classy like Shane I root for him. Some folk like the brash, the big talk, the man capable of selling animosity. Some, I'm sure don't care in the least. Does personality rank for you and if so, where?
Nationality. I cheer for Americans, if all things are equal. If 2 guys are fighting and both have styles I like. If they both seem to be good guys or both seem not to be J.O.'s. I go for the American. Unless one is of Italian descent, then he rockets to the top of my list. I also give Italians the benefit of the doubt. Calzaghe might have been a little too brash for me, but I've got to take what I can get. There are not too many Italian wall flowers. And if all other of my factors are equal, an Italian-American outweighs an Italian from another country. But, nationality really only plays a part when the factors mentioned above are equal. Am I the only one that thinks this way? Does nationality make some sort of a difference to anybody else?
Region/State. If I don't dislike a fighter for how he fights or how he acts. He becomes my guy or one of my guys if he is from one of my regions of choice. Georgia or Ohio, but Pennsylvania trumps them both. Now this means a lot to me. Bernard has been one of my guys forever. He's a PA kid. Again, these guys get every benefit of the doubt I can give them. Unless the guy inside or outside the ring is unbearable to me. I'll root for him. Does anyone else put that much weight into where a guy is from?
Race. I promised honesty. Hate me if you will. But I've discussed it with enough of my fellow boxing enthusiast to know I'm not alone. Depending on your comments, I may appear to be on BLH. But race is a part of sport. When discussing it with one of my dearest friends. He said it matters to him. He would expect it matters to others. He told me he cheers the hell out of a black quarterback due to their relative scarcity, unless they are in the Detroit Lion's conference. And forget it if that black quarterback is from somewhere in Michigan. He's gonna have the jersey! Why wouldn't a white guy cheer for a white boxer due to their relative scarcity?
Now that I'm finished defending myself...2 Americans, no preference in style, and no difference in personality, or region, or maybe I don't know too much about them... I'll root for the white guy. Especially if I'm watching it with my crew of regulars. They are all black, and in the interest of busting balls, I am expected to back the white fighter.
Race is trumped by personality and country and region, and style, but it's there. Does race matter to anybody else? Do you think I should be ashamed of myself? I won't be ashamed for it. But what do you think?
Yes there are sharp expections to these guidelines I have uncovered about myself. Ricky Hatton was one of my favorite fighters. I like him so much for his action and personality that I cheered the UK great against my guy Paulie. I had never cheered Mayweather due to style and bile. And when Floyd stepped in versus Ricky it was as easy as deciding who to cheer for, the flu or NyQuil. Then our National Anthem got booed. I cheered that night for Floyd. It was the last time, never again, but I did it.
So, these aren't rules. They aren't hard and fast. They are just the things I think makes me root for certain guys. There are intangibles that I can't really understand or isolate. Sometimes I like a guy and I don't know why. Sometimes I don't, and I don't know why either. In the interest of science here is my all-time 3 and my current 3.
Marciano, Ray Leonard, Tyson
Pavlik, Williams, Wladimir Klitschko
How close are my factors to yours? What am I missing that makes you root for certain guys? What is part of my thinking that plays no part in yours?
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Wlad?
I guess its all about the jab, yeah?
About Race, I think, like you say if every other thing was equal, apart from skin colour, then yeah, support the white guy because that is what you relate too. If you like a black fella’s style who is US or Italian dissent, dislike a white boy’s personality who comes from spain, or mexico but still root for the white guy…. That is when you will have issues! Im not going to comment much more on Race because obviously, I don’t want too get too deep. Yes it is a discussion topic, but it has too be handled with care.
Anyway about the main topic.
99% of the time I will support the Brit, unless I have some inclanation not too. Even if I don’t particulrly like him, it will have to be with a passion before I start rooting for the other guy. I really don’t blame you for rooting for Floyd by the way. That is what happens when you get pissed up football (soccer) fans at a different sport. They treat it like a football match even though there is different ettiquettes, even general politness when it comes to other sports. Its a shame for me that soccer is like it is, but thats for another blog!
Floyd Mayweather is a particular enigma of mine. There are times when he is funny, times when he shows the compassionate side of him. the rest he is a dick. But my name is not Sweet science for nothing. What he does in the ring is an art. Enough said.
At the opposite end of the scale you get the Gatti’s of this world. Pure Excitement.
Ryan Rhodes. His comeback win over Moore was a sensational story. Don’t forget, we Brits love an underdog. And the way he did it was sensational as well.
Hopkins. I don’t really like him. That “never lose to a white guy” comment was fucking stupid. (but again enough of the race) But again, the way a 44 yr old dismantled an unbeaten fighter in Pavlik was outstanding. While I don’t like him, he deserves BIG respect, for his profesional attitude, his record and his bounceback ability. (Yes soccer Am fans if there is any in here)
I could go on, but here is just a few
I have forgotten Canelo
I recentley watched his latest fight on youtube. It was breathtaking. I havn’t been this excited about a prospect not from Britain in my short boxing love affair!
by Sweet science on Jul 22, 2010 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions
thanks, I'm gonna check that out on youtube.
Breathtaking? I can’t wait. That’s a lot to live up to.
It's available in high-def on demand at wbcboxing.tv
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Sorry if it fails to live up to your expectations now
But let me know how you feel about it?
by Sweet science on Jul 23, 2010 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I envy
I envy the passion of the British fans have for boxing. Your loyalty adds so much to a fighter. I loved Hatton for his style and personality, but I’ve said it before what really brought me too him was the atmosphere around him. the colors, the songs the flags. Every fight was like a event, a super bowl. It seems you all have taken the Irish love and Italian love that use to and is still around and multiplied it. I’m so shallow whenever I meet a Brit, the first thing I ask is, are you a boxing fan.
The atmosphere is because were all soccer fans
Thats what we all do at football games. We sing our heart out to try and motivate our men, not wait for something to cheer about. Hatton is loved so much and has such a big fanbase because of the Man City link. It’s been played to death but that is why he is considered a man of the people, because he would be one of those cheering in the stands at Man City, smashed on the guiness. The Man City fans took him to his heart, and the Floyd build up, as well as, to an extent Tyszu, put him into superstardom. The fact he is such a funny fella, such a good bloke and down to earth means that he is loved.
I don’t think it is a great passion for boxing, but it’s just our willingness to support our man.
I hope my point has come across in this.
In a way im kind of disagreeing with your location paragragh. The hardcore boxing fan probably doesn’t support a fighter just because they live close. But the casual fan will get sucked into that.
by Sweet science on Jul 22, 2010 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think it is a great passion for boxing, but it’s just our willingness to support our man.
Wow. That’s very interesting. So, it is more a point of success than what sport the athlete is using. I’ve never thought of that. So, you are saying he basicaly he took one group that was already together as fans, and they brought that passion to him? Nice insight. I would not know that perspective unless you spelled it out for me.
I agree that once a core group is established many of the causul fans are just along for the party as you stated about the casual fan getting sucked it.
I'm an Arsenal fan, so the atmosphere at boxing is entirely different to the library we've got going at the Emirates.
When I was at Upton Park for Mitchell-Katsidis, however, I couldn’t help but join in when everyone started singing ‘Bubbles’. Ahh – what I would give for an atmosphere at the Emirates!
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Jul 24, 2010 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Haha
you need to get urself down to Aldershot Town. We’l show you an atmosphere!
And yes, I would have done the same at upton as well. (But if I was an Arsenal fan, I wouldn’t admit it!)
by Sweet science on Jul 24, 2010 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions
And by the way
I really enjoy reading your articles. It seems a great deal of thought goes into them, and some good discussions are made too!
thank you
I really appriciate that especially coming from you who has made a lot of good points on BLH and tremendous contributions.
Two types I generally root for
1) Talented fighters with exciting styles where they fight well offensively but have some vulnerabilities (Izzy Vazquez, Rafael Marquez, Paul Williams, Marcos Maidana, Lucian Bute, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Fernando Guerrero, Tomasz Adamek, etc.)
2) Guys I think are really good and are underappreciated by the general public, or at least were at one point (Celestino Caballero, Chris John, Joan Guzman (although his weight issues recently have turned me off), Denis Lebedev (my new one here), Glen Johnson, Rafal Jackiewicz, etc.)
This all assuming that they don’t have some other quality that really turns me off (which is another post altogether).
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Joan Guzman is a good one
I don’t remember what it was, it might have been Hatton Mayweather, but he fought on someones undercard. And again, like Mayweather, he dispayed the sweetest science in it’s true form. Hot and don’t be hit.
Again that was when my passion for boxing was in it’s infancy, but I have always had a little soft spot for him, and his weight issues are infuriating, especially for one so talented.
by Sweet science on Jul 23, 2010 7:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Guzman
great fighter.
Now, Tweek, boxing is a Man sport. There is nothing in the world more Man than boxing. It is Man at his most Man. So when you spar with Ned here, just dig deep into that most Man part of you. (Uncle Jimbo, South Park: Tweek vs Craig)
what about...
If you don’t know too much about them yet? they are just coming up. Say two guys with good styles, are you rooting for one or just kind of watching, interested but not pulling for one over the other. If you are rooting what some other factors?
A friend of mine, just told me an interesting factor for him. He’ll root against a guy sometimes if he held by a promoter he doesn’t like.
I usually just root for good fights until I know the fighters
Nine times out of ten, I’ll know something about the fighters beforehand, and if I don’t, usually I’ll just root for the underdog or whoever’s trying harder.
And even such, I don’t usually get the same kind of emotional attachment to any particular fighter than I have with the Tampa Bay Rays, for instance.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Lets take Degale and Groves
If they fought tomorow. Both very good prospect’s and also really don’t like each other. There on a collision course big time
I like both of them, and like Brick says I would want a good fight and also wouldn’t want either fighter disgraced or embarrased. I would also like both of them to show great respect for each other during and after the fight, no matter what the outcome. Sure build it up before, but show humility after. A great example of this is Mayweather’s words after the Hatton fight.
by Sweet science on Jul 23, 2010 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions
My number one and ultimate criteria for choosing to root for someone is pretty much the same as brick’s #1: they gotta be entertaining. my two favorite active fighters are pacman and baby bull. they rarely have dull fights, and in the case of baby bull they manage to make awesome fights with dudes that aren’t known for their exciting styles (paulie-baby bull I was an underrated fight of 09). gatti is in my top 3 of favorites because well he’s pretty much the most entertaining fighter of all time
my second criteria is pretty much a mix of hypocrisy and various other things. region plays a part for who i’m rooting for, but that region is confined to state. as unpatriotic as this sounds i honestly don’t care if a fighter is american or not. in my top 5 fighters of all time only 1 is american (tyson). however, if you’re from texas you’re my hero! also the latino aspect doesn’t really matter for either unless they’re just too badass to hate (morales) or american with hispanic heritage (like baby bull). i love morales, izzy, arce, etc but i absolutely loathe the marquez bros.
so yeah entertainment is my main criteria when rooting for a fighter
Texans 19-0 in 2010-2011 season PERIOD
by battle axe of doom on Jul 23, 2010 1:22 AM EDT reply actions
Interesting...
Is this something you knew. Or did you have to think about what makes you like someone? I had to think about why I root for some and not another. I guess I mean I knew it, but I never thought about it.
And I like the baby b also, but I just wish he’d get over the top of some of these guys he brings it too, but just can’t get there. Maybe he can against JMM 2.
its not something i think about really. if a dude entertains me, he gets a thumbs up. if he wins and they interview him and he comes off as an ass then that thumbs up might not be so enthusiastic but whatever he entertained me. for ex, JMM has been in some magnificent fights, but he’s a whiny bitch so i hate him.
Texans 19-0 in 2010-2011 season PERIOD
by battle axe of doom on Jul 25, 2010 2:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Good post man...
My criteria is ever-changing so I can’t really put them in order.
Sometimes I’ll root for a guy like Juan Diaz cause he’s the hometown boy (I live in Houston).
I root for guys because of their nationality (Mexican or USA) or race sometimes. It’s not that I dislike the other guys nationality or race, but I like mine. I don’t know why it feels like you have bragging rights when they win, even though you really don’t. I don’t think there is anything wrong with feeling pride in your ethnicity and culture. I do think it’s a problem when you’re rooting for a guy because you dislike the other guy’s race or nationality. Rooting because of hate = bad. Rooting for pride = good.
Fighting style is another one. I like all kinds of styles. I like guys who are supremely athletic with a combination of speed, power, reflexes, footwork, etc. I like guys who are skilled technicians. I like guys who will go to war also, though I don’t dislike you if you don’t like to get hit a lot.
I also find myself rooting against people for various reason. I root against guys who I feel are over-hyped. I used to root against Floyd Mayweather just because he was undefeated. I wanted to see him lose so bad. So bad that I even convinced myself on several occasions that inferior opponents could beat him. Arturo Gatti is one such opponent. That’s some serious dislike if I can convince myself that Gatti had a chance to win. I root against guys who have rabid irrational fan bases. Tito Trinidad is one such man. I can’t stand hearing his fans talk about the man. Same with Pacquiao. Maybe it’s because I spend time on some of the websites they hang out at and I subject myself to their idiocy. I don’t know.
nicely said
I wish I would have wrote your “I root for guys” paragraph. You summed it up so very well, I knew it the moment I read it. I said, "darn, that is a lot of what I meant.
And we are a lot alike it seems when you mentioned rooting against Floyd. I’m a positve person, but I do often finding myself rooting against someone instead of rooting for the opponent. And yes, I also can not only root against a fighter, but a fan base. If you think about it, its a pretty strange thing to do, but I do it all over sports. I live in Georgia, and like UGA, but I root against them b/c everybody around here swears they are going to be national champs every year no matter what.
I wish I would have wrote your "I root for guys" paragraph. You summed it up so very well, I knew it the moment I read it. I said, "darn, that is a lot of what I meant.
I hate trying to describe something and then someone does it a million times better. Makes me feel inadequate :)
by Sweet science on Jul 23, 2010 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions
baby bull fans unite!
Texans 19-0 in 2010-2011 season PERIOD
by battle axe of doom on Jul 25, 2010 2:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I root for all kinds of different fighters and for many different reasons. I’ll just throw out some examples of how I became fans of certain guys (I’ll keep it to active/recent fighters).
Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera: Their fights against each other, their unbreakable will, their attacking nature, their fire. Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez go here, too. So does Juan Manuel Marquez. Basically you could call this the “stereotypical Mexican fighter” if you want to, and I mean “stereotypical Mexican fighter” in the best way. There’s a long history of Mexico’s blood and guts warriors, though they have their sweet scientists too. The stereotypical Mexican fighter is my favorite type of fighter and I pretty much like all of them.
Paul Malignaggi: I always thought Paulie was just kind of a jerkoff who was skirting by fighting guys his natural boxing talents could outclass, a big talker who would surely meet his doom against Miguel Cotto. And he did in fact meet his doom with Cotto, but I became a Malignaggi fan that night and have been one ever since. Eventually watching that fight, and I was rooting for Cotto to thrash him, I had to stop and just go, “This guy is fucking TOUGH.” Malignaggi talks a big game and even when he doesn’t win he can back himself up. He’s 500 times tougher than he looks and is a genuine guy.
Shane Mosley: I just think Shane Mosley is a nice guy and a hell of a fighter. I’ve also always loved the way he fights back when he gets tagged. He is in many ways a stereotypical Mexican fighter without being Mexican.
Vernon Forrest: Forrest was a moody guy, but he was also a good person and a fantastic fighter at his best. No one was giving anything to Vernon in pro boxing, so he went out and took it against Shane Mosley. And that takes me back to Mosley: Shane Mosley fought guys (Vernon, Winky Wright) that nobody else wanted to fight.
Winky Wright: He plugged away and seemingly never got discouraged. He got his shot and made it count.
Ricky Hatton: He’s an everyman and fought like a bull. He was sorely outclassed by Mayweather and Pacquiao, but he had to be knocked silly to stop coming forward. I know he has his detractors from all angles, but I really, REALLY like Ricky Hatton, and always will.
David Lemieux, Saul Alvarez: Young fighters who come to fight. They’re out there to put the hurt on their opponents. Alvarez has a confidence level for a 20-year-old kid that is perhaps unmatched in boxing. Watching him fight, I genuinely believe he’d fight Floyd Mayweather tomorrow and that Alvarez would go in truly believing he’s going to win the fight.
Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward: If you like boxing but don’t like Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward, something’s wrong with you.
Jermain Taylor: Humble, friendly, competitive guy who fought tough competition. Never made the most of himself that he could have, perhaps, but just a nice, nice guy that I can’t help but like.
Kelly Pavlik: I just like Kelly Pavlik.
Matthew Hatton and guys like Matthew Hatton: Has a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Has always worked hard. Overcomes a lack of natural ability.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
"I just like Kelly Pavlik"
Says the 20-something white midwestern guy who probably buys Affliction t-shirts and has truck nutz hanging off the back of his 4X4
I keed, I keed
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
If you ever accuse me of owning an Affliction shirt or TruckNutz again I’m banning you. I’ve already been accused of being influenced by fuckin’ Entourage today.
I GOT A LOTTA PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jul 23, 2010 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
do you regret not buying that pavlik shirt
Texans 19-0 in 2010-2011 season PERIOD
by battle axe of doom on Jul 25, 2010 2:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Not really
I would just never wear it, even in an ironic way
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
I wish I had mentioned Forrest. Just a great bloke who gave a lot back. Didn’t look for the spotlight and when he was in it he was very humble. Tragic ending.
Also a great shout with Matty Hatton! Works hard and has a real willingness to adapt. I sometimes think if you had the brain and dedication of Matthew, and the talent and never say die attitude of Ricky, you would have had a BAD mother fucker
by Sweet science on Jul 23, 2010 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions
In regard to your comment about Mosley coming back when getting tagged -
- That was what I loved so much about Barrera. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy respond so instinctively to being hit with his own shots. It was amazing to watch.
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
by Oli Goldstein on Jul 24, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
SC, can you give atleast one reason why you like Kelly Pavlik
Im not saying the guy is unlikeable, but I see for every other person you gave some detail why you like them, but none for Pavlik.
Sure. I like the way he fought coming up — I was a big fan of his style prior to the Hopkins fight. Since then he undeniably has not been the same fighter in the ring, except perhaps against Rubio, who just stood there, frozen in time. But his style hooked me. Pretty basic, good power, relentless type of guy, and in the first Taylor fight when he got hurt but survived, and went to his corner and looked at Jack Loew and said, “I’m good,” I knew I was a Kelly Pavlik fan. The ass-whipping he administered to Edison Miranda also tickled my fancy, since I’m not a Miranda fan, and it was a thorough beating.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jul 28, 2010 2:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Great list
David Lemieux, Saul Alvarez, I’ll check that out right now, get some youtube time in. thanks
Killer instinct and a vicious streak contained in a well disciplined fighter. Someone who’s dedication to gym work honors the craft that manifests when it comes time to fight. From novice amateur to world class and in between; I’ll root for this fighter.
Great post John.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
I like Scott’s comments on Paulie. I had a similar opinion of him until I met the guy. Solid bloke, very amiable. We spoke about Ben Rabah who was fighting down here at the time and after meeting him I’ve rooted for him whenever he fights, Monte Barrett and Zab too. (apart from the Tszyu fight).
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
As a British fan, I love an underdog. Whether it's Israel Vazquez getting off the canvas twice against Jhonny Gonzales and trailing massively on all the cards, or a finished Monte Barrett against David Tua, I can't help but root for the other guy.
I’m also naturally supportive of British fighters: for example, although I was extremely disappointed with Amir Khan’s treatment of Carl Froch in the wake of his loss against Mikkel Kessler, I still couldn’t help but root for him against Paulie Malignaggi. If Derek Chisora fights a Klitschko, however, I will be rooting for the K. Can’t stand the guy, as explained earlier in the week.
I like fighters who are courteous outside of the ring, and terrifying inside of it. Miguel Cotto is one of my favourite fighters because I think he always comes across as a likeable and approachable guy, yet when he steps through those ropes, he’s a destroyer with that destructive left hook. (Or at least he was a destroyer)
I love an orthodox fighter with a good left hook. I don’t mind southpaws, but for some reason I’m naturally inclined to support an orthodox fighter with a good left hook. There’s just no more appealing punch in a fighter’s arsenal, for me.
Finally, and perhaps above all, I love fighters who will walk through brick walls to land that knockout punch. Carl Froch is my favourite fighter as a result, with Ricky Hatton and Izzy Vazquez in close second and third. Oh, and yeah, I like just about every real Mexican fighter. There’s just nothing better, is there?
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
They're a special breed
Manuel Medina typifies all that is great about Mexican fighters. Always rooted for the guy, Israel too.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
Im a guy that likes skill. If you put the time in to be the best and master your sport, Im with you.
So if this is boxing we’re talking about, Im going with Mayweather. The most skilled boxer on the planet.
Thats easy.
If this were football, I would take Peyton Manning, the most skilled Quaterback. A guy who studies the game, puts 100% into practice and the smaller things to make you better, and a guy who wont accept anything less than perfect.
Basketball: Kobe Bryant, for the same reason’s mentioned above.
I like once in a generation or lifetime type of guys, there’s going to be plenty of times for me to see the average .
I forgot Mike Tyson, another once in a lifetime guy.
A host of things including a wager, a personal knowledge of one of the fighters, skills, hometown favorite, ethnic identity,
etc, etc,. Good post by the author.
Pray for Nick Charles
Also, I’m going to put it out there – for me personally, I’m more likely to root for a Jewish fighter because there are so few of them any more (and I’m obviously Jewish). Does anyone have a similar thing?
"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"
A guy with class
I’ll root for the silent assassin over the loud mouth trash-talker.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
Yes
Arguello, Tszyu, Mosley, Cunningham etc
Confidence minus the arrogance.
"Anytime you go thirty rounds with a guy, try to kill each other, and have the utmost respect for each other, no one understands that, but guys who have been to war understand it." - Micky Ward on Arturo Gatti.
Region or Nationality Yes, but
race or ethnic origin I don’t think would ever be a factor for me – though you try and address the subject in a proper manner and honestly. Some good points were made about the Hatton style influence – basically it’s about getting behind someone and the excuse for having a good time. Sometimes I associate a fighter with a particular characteristic – which thinking about it could be related to their boxing skills / style or my peception of their personaility. Generally things I’ll admire are attack over defence, skill over power, mental strength over loud mouth, original over coventional, everyman over aloof, light hearted over serious persona. Also someone who seems to add to the sport rather than just take from it.
Oh yeah
also meant to say good and interesting fanpost !
I love humble underdogs.
The same love I feel when Pacquiao first faced Barrera and Donaire’s ass-whooping of Darchinyan. They were still a bit under the radar but truly showed great class.
Love boxers
Not quite one and all, but close. That said, 1. go-to action fighters (Pacquiao, Gatti, Alvarez), 2. likable personality (same three, Diaz, Mosely, Arreola, like that), 3. class behavior in and out the ring, I watch pre and post fight behavior almost as hard as the fight (Randall Bailey, Librado Andrade).
mix breed for me but im an enigma so yea.
im born and raised in philly but hate all philly teams. i travel and go to atleast 4 steelers away games and 1 home game a year. however, im very partial to philly fighters and of course italian fighters.
to put the old timers i loved and studied aside like tunney, marciano, graziano, greb, sadler and pep, i grew up loving the punchers like tyson and mugabi but then soon learned to love and appreciate the technicians like mccallum, hagler, ridicardo lopez and meldrick taylor.
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining."
-Sonny Liston
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