Thread: Fellow Brits, do you care if British boxers excel at world level?

The Khan Barrera fight has got me thinking as a significant number of Brits seem to be rooting for Barrera to destroy Amir and destroy the hype once and for all. The same people no doubt rooted for Audley Harrison's demise.

Although I can understand people's dislike for these fighters Harrison far more than Amir though imo it does raise an interesting question, as follows

'What is more important to you, that the boxers you like do well and those don't do badly or that Britain (and other Saddo members home nations) does well on the world stage?'

It seems that many are not that patriotic and couldn't don't see a win for a British fighter as a win for Britain so I'm asking the question, what about you guys, how do you see this?

For myself I generally will always root for the Brit in a world title fight as it's crucial for the success of British boxing and public interest in it that we are successful internationally, not just boxing but any sport.

However I wanted Floyd Mayweather to beat Ricky Hatton as I'm a great admirer of Floyd's ring skills. He is an ass clown though and although imo he beats Ricky 10 times out 10 I'd love to see Ricky smoke his ass now just because of his arrogance and wannabe gangsta cool image.

So what about you guys? In relation to British boxing I think an Amir win over Barrera is a shot in the arm for us and will help generate positive publicity for boxing in this country so I want him to win, so what say you guys?

I just back the fighters i like , in this fight i want MAB to KO Khan ,
were a fighter is from doesnt matter to me

Most of the time its my patriotic side that comes out and i tend to root for my fellow countrymen.

But when its fighters you have so much respect and admiration for like barrera coming over to britain when it should be the other way around you can have nothing but adulation for the guy and yes i will be cheering on barrera on the night as i suspect many british fight fans will be not because of our complete distaste for amir, but more the fact we want to see a legendary fighter do well!!

I think some guys are overly patriotic when it comes to supporting fighters, but at the same time I don't think it's naive patriotism to support your fellow countryman.

The main reason I follow/support MOST British fighters on the world stage is because I've almost CERTAINLY followed their entire career from the START.

A Guy like David Haye - I've known about him since he was a promising teenager. Surely it's only natural to feel an affiliation to a fighter like that as you watch them progress?

I think Khan is a different case because of the cynical matchmaking, career progress and the fact he started as a STAR. John Murray is the British champ. Thaxton is the European champ. Yet they match Khan with a faded former little legend.

After Barrera those fighters and titles will be a step backward (should he win). How does it help/promote British boxing if you swerve the best Britain has to offer because you need a "name" to SELL tickets/PPV?

The way I look at it, if a British fighter goes to the states or to mainland europe, and I haven't got any affiliation with either him or the other guy, I'd be inclined to support the British guy. However, when it comes to fights between a fighter i'm a fan of, and a British guy I've no affiliation for, I'd support the other guy.

Either that or I'll support whomever I chose in the prediction competition.

I don't mind what country the people I want to root are from.

Im obviously not British, but I could care less what country a guys from. I just want to know he's a good fighter.
I mean,to be fair,if it is a local boy,I'll buy what I know is a bad PPV, but its more to show support then anything,but if a guy sucks, he sucks,and if he's good,he's good.
I like Hatton,he's a bull moose in the ring,and he's fun to watch fight.
I hated Hamed he humiliated guys when he'd allready won the fight, just to show he could
I dont like Calzeghe because he's playing to an audience of four every time he fights. And I reserve the right to change that opinion now that he's ditched Warren

I'm 50/50. It's essential that some have to be successful or interest will dwindle to nothing in the mainstream.

I support the fighters I like regardless of where they come from.

I understand when you mention supporting British fighters and therefore British boxing - does that mean we should support boxers we don't think are very good just because......?

Good fights(ers) and good match-ups promote the sport.

Voted 50/50 I am always going to want the English man to win and will support him but if he has flaws I will admit it, I'm don't think that Jennings is going to beat Cotto, that does'nt mean I won't be hoping that Jennings can pull it off, I see a stoppage for Cotto and victory for Jennings will be seeing out the 12 rounds.

Brittish, Canadian, American, Cuban, Russian, Uzbekistanian... I don't care as long as you are good. My philosophy is may the best man win. I don't route for the underdog, I will route for who I like regardless of who wins, but if the other guy wins, I often find a new found respect for that guy. Like when Cotto beat Mosley, Margarito beat Cotto are two more recent examples of this.

I root for all of my fellow countrymen bar Junior Witter.

Witter is just a loud, arrogant twat who can't back up his talk. He's an embarasment for our country.