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I am quite enjoying this little debate myself. No nastyness like you get from some other users just people using opinions and history to put there point across. Good stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fenster
And WOW Pac beats Floyd?? Didn't expect that lol.
Sorry to say this but I don't think the HW championship is the biggest prize in sports anymore, maybe at 1 time like say 45-50 years ago.
In America it's all about the Superbowl and it has been that way for the past 40+ years or so.
And I'm guessing winning the World Cup would be the biggest prize in sports today since soccer is the number 1 sport in the world.
And while Ali is definitely very popular worldwide, I'm thinking Pele or Maradona may surpass him since soccer is far more popular, if you're factoring in the Latin American countries and Asian countries.
Well boxing is back upto 2nd in the most watched sports in the world again.Quote:
Originally Posted by generalbulldog
Now I really know nothing about your Football so I don't want you to think I'm being ignorant here, but is the Superbowl that took place in say 2002 better remembered than Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson? Like I say I really don't know so i'm not being in any way funny here.
Yes, by far. The NFL has been the number 1 sport in America since the early 1960s or so. The Superbowl every year does massive ratings and usually establishes new records in views, whether it's percentage of households or raw numbers in America. The Lombardi Trophy of the NFL is considered to be America's top prize in sports. The HW championship is just something to be view at as like say Tiger Woods winning the Masters or Pete Sampras winning Wimbledon, it gets some coverage and a few Americans may be excited about it but not big. An example would be when Hasim Rahman ko Lennox Lewis and won the HW championship in 2001, it got mentioned but wasn't considered to be big or anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by rjj tszyuWell boxing is back upto 2nd in the most watched sports in the world again.Quote:
Originally Posted by generalbulldog
Now I really know nothing about your Football so I don't want you to think I'm being ignorant here, but is the Superbowl that took place in say 2002 better remembered than Lennox Lewis vs Mike Tyson? Like I say I really don't know so i'm not being in any way funny here.
ANd put it this way, it was estimated that 2-3 billion people watched the 2006 soccer World Cup. ANd I'm guessing the 2010 World Cup will either post similar numbers or better. So I'm guessing in terms of worldwide, winning the world cup would be the number 1 prize in sports.
I love boxing as much as teh next guy on here, but the reality is that the HW championship doesn't have the prestige it once had in America, even when Tyson and Holyfield were in their prime, the HW championship wasn't view as being the top prize.
It's worth nothing because this forum & Lyle's endless 'why didn't Lennox rematch Vitali' rants probably make up 75% of those. ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by Fenster
In response to rjjtszyu's point (btw couldn't you have had an easier name?), Cooper was above a Brit level boxer, he was very famous at a time when boxing was a bigger sport in Britain. Even if you ignore Charlton, put him up against someone like Gordon Banks. I prefer boxing, but it & its stars will never be bigger than footballers in the UK, just won't happen.
I also think that in recent years, the title of HW champ has been replaced by P4P champ in what matters to the public.
No I like my name :DQuote:
Originally Posted by JazMerkinIt's worth nothing because this forum & Lyle's endless 'why didn't Lennox rematch Vitali' rants probably make up 75% of those. ;DQuote:
Originally Posted by Fenster
In response to rjjtszyu's point (btw couldn't you have had an easier name?), Cooper was above a Brit level boxer, he was very famous at a time when boxing was a bigger sport in Britain. Even if you ignore Charlton, put him up against someone like Gordon Banks. I prefer boxing, but it & its stars will never be bigger than footballers in the UK, just won't happen.
I also think that in recent years, the title of HW champ has been replaced by P4P champ in what matters to the public.
Cooper was only so famous because Britain lacked a real class act in those days. He was not a world level fighter. He dropped a very young and inexperienced Clay and that made him a household name forever. I like Cooper but he is not of the same level in boxing as any top league footballer which Banks also was. IMO the greatest GK ever. You example of Lennox vs Gazza was a good one but as I said I think Lennox was more famous in the UK.... just.
As far as the p4p champ replacing HW champ as far as what matters to the public i'll agree with that, but more because of a lack of HW talent recently than anything. If we all of a sudden had a 70's rebirth of HW talent it would be back as the major prize in boxing, way above the mythical one.
So let's just say Haye fighting Wladimir for the HW championship and ENgland in the world cup final. What would be bigger in the UK?
I'm seriously asking this question, because some posters have mentioned that Haye is the biggest sports star over there and I know soccer/football is a very popular sport there as well.
England in the World cup final would be bigger no doubt. That is the one thing the English public have been waiting for, for 44 years now.Quote:
Originally Posted by generalbulldog
Football wins i lose :(
Although that would be a great days sport if it was to happen on the same day :)Quote:
Originally Posted by rjj tszyuEngland in the World cup final would be bigger no doubt. That is the one thing the English public have been waiting for, for 44 years now.Quote:
Originally Posted by generalbulldog
Football wins i lose :(
It wouldn't even be debatable. Haye-fever lasts for a couple of days, maybe a week either side of the fight.Quote:
Originally Posted by generalbulldog
Our country cannot actually function without constant news on football. Even when there's no actual football being played, the sports pages are full of transfer stories & contracts extensions.
Any England game in the World Cup, even if they go out in the first round at the expense of the US, Algeria & Slovenia, will all be bigger than a Haye fight.
Then again, it's not like Wlad or Vitali are anywhere near the biggest stars in either Germany or the Ukraine. Again, in both those countries the footballers vastly overshadow them.
take away the "UK Google search" and this is the single greatest thing ever posted in the history of this forumQuote:
Originally Posted by Fenster
;D;D;D
I don't know, they are well popular. If you put them against the German national team then yes but against just the Bayern Munich's and Leverkusen's of the the world Wlad and Vitali get 10 million viewers in Germany per fight alone. I don't know how many viewers the domestic games get in Germany but 10 million is some going and if they get that for every Bayern game i'd be impressed.Quote:
Originally Posted by JazMerkinIt wouldn't even be debatable. Haye-fever lasts for a couple of days, maybe a week either side of the fight.Quote:
Originally Posted by generalbulldog
Our country cannot actually function without constant news on football. Even when there's no actual football being played, the sports pages are full of transfer stories & contracts extensions.
Any England game in the World Cup, even if they go out in the first round at the expense of the US, Algeria & Slovenia, will all be bigger than a Haye fight.
Then again, it's not like Wlad or Vitali are anywhere near the biggest stars in either Germany or the Ukraine. Again, in both those countries the footballers vastly overshadow them.
They are very different sports as far as news as there is so much more to talk and write about in football. And there are a hell of a lot more pro's in the sport too. It is not really something you can compare.
German football does fantastically on both attendance & viewing figures because it's all affordably priced. I heard the other day on the Lyon-Bayern second leg commentary that the first leg was watched by 12m people in Germany. Considering they aren't even the country's biggest club, that's pretty impressive.Quote:
Originally Posted by rjj tszyu
Also if you can't compare it, it's probably best to avoid statements saying someone is 'the biggest sports star' in whatever country ;)
Sorry I'll retract my statement.Quote:
Originally Posted by JazMerkinGerman football does fantastically on both attendance & viewing figures because it's all affordably priced. I heard the other day on the Lyon-Bayern second leg commentary that the first leg was watched by 12m people in Germany. Considering they aren't even the country's biggest club, that's pretty impressive.Quote:
Originally Posted by rjj tszyu
Also if you can't compare it, it's probably best to avoid statements saying someone is 'the biggest sports star' in whatever country ;)
(Don't forget they are not German though ;) )
Comparing Football with boxing is a complete mismatch, but as individuals bigtime boxers are just as famous as footballers.
I would bet more non-sport fans recognise Haye over the likes of Lampard.