Quote Originally Posted by Spicoli View Post
Tons of different variables with fighting abroad and there are times when a guy can cocoon into a local market and familiarity. Guys run up numbers in a comfort zone regardless of locale, in Mexico how many turned pro in mid teens. The glossy home brew numbers of Campas are what got him to the dance and let him co main Whitaker and Holyfield cards within 8 months. Be it a State or Country a solid fan base while holding gold and right promotion means you dictate some terms. If you can import co champs and contenders it's a no brainer. With Gushiken it's hard to find fault when you're basically the inaugural Lt fly champion in a division no one respected, knew and the major boxing rags and networks at the time didn't even list or recognize. Consequently it's the fans loss. From what I see in Japan gyms can be directly tied to high end media contracts and promotion and an equally rabid fanbase. Really nothing better than some obscure fighter coming into a champs ring and upsetting the program.


Some locales are more prominent at this type of thing than others, though. You mentioned Mexico. Be it for whatever reason, Mexican fighters seem to do this disproportionally more than other fighters. There seem to be more 40-0 and 50-0 fighters from Mexico that, upon further review, have amassed their 40 or 50 wins within a 5-block radius of their neighborhood. Only then do they venture out to Vegas, with a fat record and a whole nation behind them.