Patriotism and Boxing

Does a boxer's nationality make a difference to you as a boxing fan? Will you generally support a boxer from your own country if he is fighting a foreigner? Or does it make no difference to you ever? Personally I will nearly always support a British boxer, and in a UK bout an English one, but there are exceptions. I was completely rooting for Cleverley against Bellew because Bellew showed such little class in the run up, and I have always been a Clev fan. I also find myself wishing anyone would just knock Fury out because he gets on my tits. Never a huge fan of Junior Witter either but in 9 fights out of 10 I will get behind the British guy. Where no UK fighters are involved I can relax a little more but investing a stake in one boxer over the other, makes the fight more fun even when neither comes from my country. Your thoughts?

Not really, If I like the style the boxer has, or the way he comes across in interviews, then ya either have an instant liking or dis-like to him, and from that point you will either support them or not, when they fight.
I always wanted Witter to get smashed cos he's a tit, but other Wincobank fighters I liked, and the style was appealling, just didnt like him.

I don't really get behind a fighter because he is British. I'm not much of a patriot in that way. I tend to like fighters based on particular styles or personality. My favourite fighters come from all over the place including a few Brits. I'm only really into my country when it is something like football. I think anthems before fights are a bit meaningless. It's really man against man. England is England. Froch is Froch. Froch isn't England. You'd be better off playing his favourite song rather than an anthem. It's down to the individual and what he is rather than the national whole.

I don't love or hate any fighter. However, I do always tend to support the British fighter abroad.. unless i've got money on the other bloke, which is often, and shamefully i'm far more patriotic to my pocket.

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Originally Posted by miles

I don't really get behind a fighter because he is British. I'm not much of a patriot in that way. I tend to like fighters based on particular styles or personality. My favourite fighters come from all over the place including a few Brits. I'm only really into my country when it is something like football. I think anthems before fights are a bit meaningless. It's really man against man. England is England. Froch is Froch. Froch isn't England. You'd be better off playing his favourite song rather than an anthem. It's down to the individual and what he is rather than the national whole.

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I dunno mate, normally I'd agree about anthems but given Froch's desperate struggle in early life he's bound to pick something proper depressing. God save the Queen all the way!

Im with Greenbeanz on this one. 99 percent of the time Im behind a British fighter regardless of who he's fighting, where and for what.

Audley was always an exception, could care less who smashes him up.

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Originally Posted by Memphis

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Originally Posted by miles

I don't really get behind a fighter because he is British. I'm not much of a patriot in that way. I tend to like fighters based on particular styles or personality. My favourite fighters come from all over the place including a few Brits. I'm only really into my country when it is something like football. I think anthems before fights are a bit meaningless. It's really man against man. England is England. Froch is Froch. Froch isn't England. You'd be better off playing his favourite song rather than an anthem. It's down to the individual and what he is rather than the national whole.

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I dunno mate, normally I'd agree about anthems but given Froch's desperate struggle in early life he's bound to pick something proper depressing. God save the Queen all the way!

Im with Greenbeanz on this one. 99 percent of the time Im behind a British fighter regardless of who he's fighting, where and for what.

Audley was always an exception, could care less who smashes him up.

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Maybe sometimes I am drawn to patriotism, but I'm not sure. Martinez/Barker for instance had me drawing more towards Barker. However, I'm not sure if that was patriotism or my automatic inclination towards the underdog. I like Martinez so I shouldn't really have been against him. Just maybe I wanted a long odds fight to be interesting.

Strange as this may seem, I find myself similar to Miles in that I tend to root for the underdog unless its one of my favorite fighters. As to my favorite fighters, only Tim Bradley is American. A corrollary question and perhaps more interesting, is whether between your nation's fighters, do you root for the fighter whom you share race in common? Also, among your nation, do you support the fighter from the same area you are from?

My gut tells me that most posters on here favor their nation's fighters and, specifically, boxers who share their race. VD - Mexican fighters, PSL - Philipino boxers, Erics - British fighters, Finito-Korean fighters etc.

No, it's the same mix for me. I just like who I like. Barrera, Hatton, Calzaghe, Toney, Tyson etc. It doesn't matter what race nor passport colour. Do they excite me as a fan? That's all that matters.

I dont cheer a guy just because he is English.

I obviously don't cheer based on where a fighter is from there are more than a few American fighters I despise.

Patriotism has very little place in boxing other than Joe Louis vs Max Schmelling II THAT was justified

in my case it all depends, obviously there are Puerto Rican fighters who I'm proud to say are from the island and yea a I get a bit patriotic, namely with Cotto, Calderon, Trinidad, Benitez, Gomez, Rosario, and Ortiz, but my favorite fighter is Mexican, and I'm a big fan of plenty fighters that aren't from Puerto Rico

Yes, I tend to root for the latino fighters since I'm half mexican half brasilian. It's not always the case of course like when Trinidad fought Hopkins I'm a huge Hopkins fan so I was rooting for him. If the fighter is mexican I tend to root for him over other latino races but not always another example would be Cotto vs Margarito, both fights I was rooting for Cotto simply because I NEVER have liked Margarito. Something always rubbed me the wrong way about him (no homo). And much to the surprise of some fan boys, I'm a Cotto fan the man is pure class unlike some of his other fans.

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Originally Posted by Greenbeanz

Does a boxer's nationality make a difference to you as a boxing fan? Will you generally support a boxer from your own country if he is fighting a foreigner? Or does it make no difference to you ever? Personally I will nearly always support a British boxer, and in a UK bout an English one, but there are exceptions. I was completely rooting for Cleverley against Bellew because Bellew showed such little class in the run up, and I have always been a Clev fan. I also find myself wishing anyone would just knock Fury out because he gets on my tits. Never a huge fan of Junior Witter either but in 9 fights out of 10 I will get behind the British guy. Where no UK fighters are involved I can relax a little more but investing a stake in one boxer over the other, makes the fight more fun even when neither comes from my country. Your thoughts?

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These days, I'm not "nationalist" when it comes to Pro Boxing, and more than half of my favorite fighters are from other countries. In fact, very few of my favs' are from the U.S. right now.

I know for a fact that people in the black community didn't rally around Lennox Lewis, mainly because he was from England in addition to his accent.

Not at all. Honestly since Evander stopped being worth a shit to watch I can't say I've had any attachment to any fighter. I want to see a good fight period.

Couldn't give a shit..I'm a boxing fan first and foremost. In fact, most of the time I find myself not a fan of the Brit fighter. I love the slick style that not many coaches/fighters teach/have here.

I agree with Miles post, although I find myself not cheering for England for football either..Not sure why..I just always want an underdog country to win the Euro's or the World Cup.

Saying that, I have been drawn a lot closer to my Turkish roots as I've gotten older so if a decent Turkish boxer ever comes up (one that can throw straight punches - Fuck you Selcuk Aydin..) I can probably more accurately answer this question ;)

Most countries (Australia maybe more so) are multicultural these days, patriotism is a sham.

Nice to see Billions of export dollars pour back into your country through sporting people though,also bands.

I want the underdog to win my eyes always fall to the one in trouble seeing if he has the answers or it in him to turn it around.

Im not even close to Patriotic...thankfully all the best fighters are always Mexican so it just works out ;)

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Originally Posted by onix

im not even close to patriotic...thankfully all the best fighters are always mexican so it just works out ;)

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lmfao!

No, in fact I would just prefer a good show.

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Originally Posted by ElTerribleMorales

in my case it all depends, obviously there are Puerto Rican fighters who I'm proud to say are from the island and yea a I get a bit patriotic, namely with Cotto, Calderon, Trinidad, Benitez, Gomez, Rosario, and Ortiz, but my favorite fighter is Mexican, and I'm a big fan of plenty fighters that aren't from Puerto Rico

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Who's that?

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Originally Posted by Althugz

Couldn't give a shit..I'm a boxing fan first and foremost. In fact, most of the time I find myself not a fan of the Brit fighter. I love the slick style that not many coaches/fighters teach/have here.

I agree with Miles post, although I find myself not cheering for England for football either..Not sure why..I just always want an underdog country to win the Euro's or the World Cup.

Saying that, I have been drawn a lot closer to my Turkish roots as I've gotten older so if a decent Turkish boxer ever comes up (one that can throw straight punches - Fuck you Selcuk Aydin..) I can probably more accurately answer this question ;)

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I hope you've never had to go to a Turkish prison, if you ever do and drop the soap while taking a shower, don't bend over to pick it up. :-X

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

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Originally Posted by ElTerribleMorales

in my case it all depends, obviously there are Puerto Rican fighters who I'm proud to say are from the island and yea a I get a bit patriotic, namely with Cotto, Calderon, Trinidad, Benitez, Gomez, Rosario, and Ortiz, but my favorite fighter is Mexican, and I'm a big fan of plenty fighters that aren't from Puerto Rico

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Who's that?

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Just a wild fucking guess Rant-cat, but perhaps Erik Morales?

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Originally Posted by Onix

Im not even close to Patriotic...thankfully all the best fighters are always Mexican so it just works out ;)

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Let me guess, you hate Pacquiao, right? ;)

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Originally Posted by Mars_ax

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Originally Posted by Onix

Im not even close to Patriotic...thankfully all the best fighters are always Mexican so it just works out ;)

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Let me guess, you hate Pacquiao, right? ;)

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Haha of course not, Manny is exciting as hell to watch fight regardless of his Ethnicity, I also believe he did enough to win the last Marquez fight, but I know Floyd will destroy him. I wanted Margarito to win not because he's Mexican but rather because I wanted him to redeem himself but I also believe he was guilty of evertyhing he's been accused of, so I would say I am pretty down the middle.

This is their thread, wheres all the Filipinos? ;D

I think that being English means that I have often followed a fighters progression from a name on the undercard in a smaller bill thru winning a British Lonsdale belt, and sometimes defending that three times to win it outright, along with a Commonwealth and European fight. By the time the fighter is at Commonwealth or European level I may have seen him in several fights and so the fact that he is British almost guarantees I will have invested more time and emotional involvement in him as well as being proud that as a fighter he does to an extent represent the country in which I live and love. Then if that fighter fights at international level the stakes jump up again because now he is already defying the odds often just to have arrived at this chance, and the Patriotic element is more about pride that someone you have followed is now at another crossroads. It adds a sense of jeopardy in which, not only can the fighter you have followed be exposed as just falling short, but also your countries pride has a chance to be embellished or tarnished. These are all generalities and maybe explains why a lot of Brits are so vocal and passionate when following their fighters abroad. I think it helps sustain some fighters too and I love hearing Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, etc getting equally vocal behind their own. It is Entertainment as well as Sport and i think it adds colour to the spectacle. I like the flags, but could do without the Anthems. In Football the Anthem is crucial because the Fans and teams seem somehow more directly connected. That extra yard is often run with more urgency when 30 000 people are screaming their team on but in the ring I think the outcome is much more hard to influence. Pre and post fight though, a crowd of your compatriots must help in preparing your resolve and celebrating your victory.

I seem to cheer on alot of British fighters as the better boxers we get here the better boxing could be here in Britian. I do love an underdog but most british fighters are underdogs. Theres a difference to being to passionate about british fighters i mean I wanted David Haye and Amir Khan to win but when they are losing you got to accept it and give the other person the credit. I do want British boxers getting better and making an impact on the world scene we would get big fights here more which would be fantastic for this country aswell.

I mean you get high hopes for boxers and people like Kel Brook and the rest will bring boxing back good in Britian... I must say as much as I want Khan to win i think he is a prick for the way he acts and his attitude is quite annoying.

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Originally Posted by Rantcatrat

Strange as this may seem, I find myself similar to Miles in that I tend to root for the underdog unless its one of my favorite fighters. As to my favorite fighters, only Tim Bradley is American. A corrollary question and perhaps more interesting, is whether between your nation's fighters, do you root for the fighter whom you share race in common? Also, among your nation, do you support the fighter from the same area you are from?

My gut tells me that most posters on here favor their nation's fighters and, specifically, boxers who share their race. VD - Mexican fighters, PSL - Filipino boxers, Erics - British fighters, Finito-Korean fighters etc.

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Damn right. Tomato can or superstar, 'gotta cheer for my countrymen.

There's nothing wrong with being bias imo.

Lemme get something clear though. I cheer for them. Not blindly nuthug them. There's difference.

I don't make excuses if any of them loses. I never have. 'Hopefully I never will.

I just care about styles and mentality. My top 3 favorite fighters are Marquez, Nonito, and Linares... A Mexican, Filipino, and a Venezuelan lol so Rant's assumption is a little off..

I may support certain Korean fighters just because they come in a few but I know their ceiling. I wouldnt go nuthuggin them and make outrageous claims..

Any fighter who's a well schooled Boxer-puncher with high ring IQ is cool with me..

I wrote a great report once on American patriotism, and how it manifested itself in the sporting world.

When I finished, I pointed at at and shouted "You essay, you essay, you essay"

Not really. Stevenson and Jean Pascal are Canadian and I root for Kovalev over both those guys.

I think my country brings down the quality of life for other countries to raise quality of life for its own people so I definitely don't support it. And our people are ignorant to what is really happening. How much war we cause over greed, how much death, how much suffering and displacement. We're generally evil and that is why I am not in my country now, I am doing what I can to help those that my people don't even know are suffering because of us. So do I support a fighter because he is from my country, no.

I don't want to take this subject to a place it need not be but when a boxer gets hit with a devastating punch members of the nation backing him do not feel the punch. Some may feel sympathy and say, "Man that looks like it hurts." It never mattered to me when I started as a five-year old fan where a guy comes from, its his style and movement that counts. If he did his homework and boxed when he should have boxed or he picked himself up off the ground to win a decision or by a spectacular KO, he did what he was supposed to do, win and look good doing it. All that nationality stuff is just added pressure and sometimes undirected hate no one needs.

Doesn't matter that much to me, but I'm more familiar with the US fighters and find myself pulling for them until I'm convinced otherwise.
I would have to say that I expect more from Mexican fighters, as I grew up watching a steady parade of them come across the border to fight in Southern California and they hardly ever disappointed.
I usually find it hard to support any fighter who does too much trash talking, I don't care if it's about hyping the fight or not. I just don't like disrespectful fighters no matter where they come from, I can't help it.
The fact that great fighters are coming from all parts of the world on a steady basis is a good thing, in my opinion.