Quote Originally Posted by X View Post
I look at it like this.

If you are the heavyweight champion of the WORLD, that means you are the champion of everywhere.

When Joshua was the titleholder .... he was already heavyweight champion of the US and also Mexico (and even Azerbaijan).

Manoevering for home advantage by either guy is just unseemly.

When Ali fought Juergen Blin in Germany, he was heavyweight champion of Germany. When Tyson fought Tony Tubbs in Tokyo he was heavyweight champion of Japan.
What was different in those days to this? Tyson-Tubbs was in Tokyo because they (Don King) was paid absolute fortunes to have the fight there (it was to promote the opening of the Tokyo Dome).

I don't know about Ali's day, but why did he defend his title in the European champions country if it wasn't for the payday?

Both Tubbs and Blin were labeled "bums" by the boxing press.