Haye v Klit - Negotiations underway confirms IBF

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

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.

Kind of hard to miss Haye.

[rjj tszyu]

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.

This is my point.

[JazMerkin]

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.

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.

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.

(Don't forget they are not German though )

Neither are the two most endorsed athletes in Germany right now, Arjen Robben & Edin Dzeko (I can feel people going 'who?')

[rjj tszyu]

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.

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.

(Don't forget they are not German though )

Neither are the two most endorsed athletes in Germany right now, Arjen Robben & Edin Dzeko (I can feel people going 'who?')

No but both Wolfsburg and Bayern are. Ronaldo is not as big here now he is not here.

[boxingbantz]

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.

Whoever told you that were either:

a) drunk
b) on drugs
c) lying
d) all of the above.

Wayne Rooney is the biggest sports star in the UK. People who don't watch football would even know who he is and that can't be said about Haye if people arent interested in boxing.

[paddy448]

Come on now we all no that audley Harrison is the biggest sports star from the uk.








Job biscuit (all u have to do is close ur eyes and u can see it)

[Chrislfc17]

I think Ali has to go down as the biggest and most famous sports star ever. I think some of that has to go down to what he did outside of the ring as much as what he achieved in it. His converting to Sunni Islam and subsequent name change, his refusal to fight in the vietnam war...etc...The list could go on. He's not just a sporting icon but an icon to those who don't follow boxing or sport in general.

I'm a huge football fan too and Pele is without doubt the biggest football player ever and comes a close 2nd to Ali for me. I don't think that really applies today though between boxing and football. There's no doubt players like Rooney, Terry, Gerrard and Lampard are bigger and more well known than someone like Haye. Lets not forget Haye could have walked down most streets in England two years ago and probably go unnoticed by most people.

Lets not forget that Haye only has a couple of fights a year so that will also increase interest as and when he does fight. If Man.U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea only played football twice a year then I'm sure the figures would be higher than what Haye would ever get.

England in the World Cup Final would piss all over a Haye fight in terms of viewing and national interest. Football will always be the biggest sport in England and ultimately everything else comes 2nd.

On the Lewis-Gazza & Cooper - Charlton debate I have to say that Gazza and Charlton are more famous than either boxer. Again Gazza probably more so for his antics off the field than his anything else. Lewis was a lot less controversial and for that I think Gazza is probably more well known (difficult not to be bias here and say Lewis as he's one of my favourite boxers). Charlton is England's record goal scorer and won the World Cup. Not to mention he was in the Munich plane disaster so I think that alone makes him more famous. How many young people would really know who Cooper is? I think he's more a generation ago. A lot of older people would know our 'enry but I'm sure if you asked younger people they might ask, who? It's all subjective really and I'm just talking a load of bollocks!!

[Kev]

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.

Whoever told you that were either:

a) drunk
b) on drugs
c) lying
d) all of the above.

Wayne Rooney is the biggest sports star in the UK. People who don't watch football would even know who he is and that can't be said about Haye if people arent interested in boxing.

I think this is probably true. It's also important to mention that until the Valuev fight virtually nobody outside the hardcore boxing fans had any idea who David Haye was.

I actually imagine Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Amir Khan are all still more famous than David Haye in terms of numbers of people who have heard of him.

But, I have to completely disagree with Jaz about Floyd and Manny being better known over here that's absurd.

When Haye beat Valuev he went on every chat show going. I don't recall Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquaio every going on the Jonathon Ross show or Alan Carrs' Chatty Man for that matter.

He's CLEARLY more well known in the UK than Floyd and Manny combined.

The under 25 sporty Londoners demographic is hardly a fair poll of the UK population as a whole.


Also General Bulldog and the Superbowl being bigger than Tyson Lewis. I really doubt it worldwide. I couldn't tell you who contested any of the superbowls of the last 100 years, I believe the San Francisco 49'ers are meant to good bu that's the limit of my knowledge, and I expect that holds true for most of Europe, Australia and Asia.

In all seriousness I imagine the world table tennis championships get more viewers than the superbowl seeing as that's all the Chinese ever seem to watch and they have about half the world population over there

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Alan Carrs' Chatty Man

Is that real? If so, that sounds so gay!

[paddy448]

I think Ali has to go down as the biggest and most famous sports star ever. I think some of that has to go down to what he did outside of the ring as much as what he achieved in it. His converting to Sunni Islam and subsequent name change, his refusal to fight in the vietnam war...etc...The list could go on. He's not just a sporting icon but an icon to those who don't follow boxing or sport in general.

I'm a huge football fan too and Pele is without doubt the biggest football player ever and comes a close 2nd to Ali for me. I don't think that really applies today though between boxing and football. There's no doubt players like Rooney, Terry, Gerrard and Lampard are bigger and more well known than someone like Haye. Lets not forget Haye could have walked down most streets in England two years ago and probably go unnoticed by most people.

Lets not forget that Haye only has a couple of fights a year so that will also increase interest as and when he does fight. If Man.U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea only played football twice a year then I'm sure the figures would be higher than what Haye would ever get.

England in the World Cup Final would piss all over a Haye fight in terms of viewing and national interest. Football will always be the biggest sport in England and ultimately everything else comes 2nd.

On the Lewis-Gazza & Cooper - Charlton debate I have to say that Gazza and Charlton are more famous than either boxer. Again Gazza probably more so for his antics off the field than his anything else. Lewis was a lot less controversial and for that I think Gazza is probably more well known (difficult not to be bias here and say Lewis as he's one of my favourite boxers). Charlton is England's record goal scorer and won the World Cup. Not to mention he was in the Munich plane disaster so I think that alone makes him more famous. How many young people would really know who Cooper is? I think he's more a generation ago. A lot of older people would know our 'enry but I'm sure if you asked younger people they might ask, who? It's all subjective really and I'm just talking a load of bollocks!!

i have to agree,anyone who can sell the rights to their name for 50 million dollars has to be right up there







job biscuit (cheese is definately my favourite sandwich filling,it ranks right up their with tuna+mayo, god dam,how i love a good sandwich.QUOTE: luis collazo.2005)

[generalbulldog]

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.

Whoever told you that were either:

a) drunk
b) on drugs
c) lying
d) all of the above.

Wayne Rooney is the biggest sports star in the UK. People who don't watch football would even know who he is and that can't be said about Haye if people arent interested in boxing.

I think this is probably true. It's also important to mention that until the Valuev fight virtually nobody outside the hardcore boxing fans had any idea who David Haye was.

I actually imagine Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Amir Khan are all still more famous than David Haye in terms of numbers of people who have heard of him.

But, I have to completely disagree with Jaz about Floyd and Manny being better known over here that's absurd.

When Haye beat Valuev he went on every chat show going. I don't recall Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquaio every going on the Jonathon Ross show or Alan Carrs' Chatty Man for that matter.

He's CLEARLY more well known in the UK than Floyd and Manny combined.

The under 25 sporty Londoners demographic is hardly a fair poll of the UK population as a whole.


Also General Bulldog and the Superbowl being bigger than Tyson Lewis. I really doubt it worldwide. I couldn't tell you who contested any of the superbowls of the last 100 years, I believe the San Francisco 49'ers are meant to good bu that's the limit of my knowledge, and I expect that holds true for most of Europe, Australia and Asia.

In all seriousness I imagine the world table tennis championships get more viewers than the superbowl seeing as that's all the Chinese ever seem to watch and they have about half the world population over there

Read my post again. It was first a response for the HW championship being the most prized sport possession. Most Americans don't care for the HW championship for decades already. And the rest of the world probably don't care for it compared to lets say their country winning the World Cup in soccer. So overall the HW championship in boxing has lost it's considerable luster worldwide.

Sure Americans love to see a good HW fight, but it being the most prized possession? Not anymore. And rjjtszyu asked if the Tyson-Lewis fight was bigger or more well known than say the Superbowl in '02 in America. The key words being in America. And I said no. The Superbowl has been the most watched event in America for about 4 decades already. Again in AMerica, because someone asked our perception of the Lewis-Tyson fight and compared it to the Superbowl that year.