So who's the next "great American hope" in boxing?

[Fenster]

Look, I have been following this sport for over 40 years and Tito has a point. Of course in my early fan days I would tune in because I loved the sport at an early age but I also wanted to see Ali's head get knocked off by Chuvalo. I never liked Ali and a big part of attention to the sport was at the time seeing his demise. I remember the feeling in the theatre 48 miles from the American border and able to watch Frasier/Ali 1 for about 5 bucks.

I never liked Tyson but certain fights made me pay money to watch prior to streams in the hopes of seeing him cold cocked. And I'm no casual fan.

Same with Floyd and Hopkins whom I hated for years. I have not ordered a ppv in several years because of streams but seeing these two lose did effect the time spent on finding a feed as well as a fundamental love of the sport.

No doubt in my mind that many ppv purchases are made with a desired loser in mind.

Anyone who denies "want" as a condition to following the sport is lapse in judgment.

You're a hardcore fan that doesn't buy PPVs, like the majority of boxing forum posters. So where do the millions of PPV buys come from? Obviously casual fans. These aren't people spending everyday scouring forums, they are fans that buy into "stars"... which Mayweather is clearly the biggest. So when he fights they want to see him.

For sure lots will buy his fights to root against him. Anyone that popular has that. But you don't become the biggest star in boxing because the majority don't like you. That's just ridiculous.

[IamInuit]

Look, I have been following this sport for over 40 years and Tito has a point. Of course in my early fan days I would tune in because I loved the sport at an early age but I also wanted to see Ali's head get knocked off by Chuvalo. I never liked Ali and a big part of attention to the sport was at the time seeing his demise. I remember the feeling in the theatre 48 miles from the American border and able to watch Frasier/Ali 1 for about 5 bucks.

I never liked Tyson but certain fights made me pay money to watch prior to streams in the hopes of seeing him cold cocked. And I'm no casual fan.

Same with Floyd and Hopkins whom I hated for years. I have not ordered a ppv in several years because of streams but seeing these two lose did effect the time spent on finding a feed as well as a fundamental love of the sport.

No doubt in my mind that many ppv purchases are made with a desired loser in mind.

Anyone who denies "want" as a condition to following the sport is lapse in judgment.

You're a hardcore fan that doesn't buy PPVs, like the majority of boxing forum posters. So where do the millions of PPV buys come from? Obviously casual fans. These aren't people spending everyday scouring forums, they are fans that buy into "stars"... which Mayweather is clearly the biggest. So when he fights they want to see him.

For sure lots will buy his fights to root against him. Anyone that popular has that. But you don't become the biggest star in boxing because the majority don't like you. That's just ridiculous.

Two sides. Just as many people hated Ali and Tyson that liked him so I'm not sure disdain can be counted out. And you can go as far back as Jack Johnson and find the same thing from live gates.
Dislike imo plays pretty heavily in the viewing of many fights and fighters and is a factor in their stardom.

[TitoFan]

Look, I have been following this sport for over 40 years and Tito has a point. Of course in my early fan days I would tune in because I loved the sport at an early age but I also wanted to see Ali's head get knocked off by Chuvalo. I never liked Ali and a big part of attention to the sport was at the time seeing his demise. I remember the feeling in the theatre 48 miles from the American border and able to watch Frasier/Ali 1 for about 5 bucks.

I never liked Tyson but certain fights made me pay money to watch prior to streams in the hopes of seeing him cold cocked. And I'm no casual fan.

Same with Floyd and Hopkins whom I hated for years. I have not ordered a ppv in several years because of streams but seeing these two lose did effect the time spent on finding a feed as well as a fundamental love of the sport.

No doubt in my mind that many ppv purchases are made with a desired loser in mind.

Anyone who denies "want" as a condition to following the sport is lapse in judgment.

You're a hardcore fan that doesn't buy PPVs, like the majority of boxing forum posters. So where do the millions of PPV buys come from? Obviously casual fans. These aren't people spending everyday scouring forums, they are fans that buy into "stars"... which Mayweather is clearly the biggest. So when he fights they want to see him.

For sure lots will buy his fights to root against him. Anyone that popular has that. But you don't become the biggest star in boxing because the majority don't like you. That's just ridiculous.

Two sides. Just as many people hated Ali and Tyson that liked him so I'm not sure disdain can be counted out. And you can go as far back as Jack Johnson and find the same thing from live gates.
Dislike imo plays pretty heavily in the viewing of many fights and fighters and is a factor in their stardom.

Exactly. Tyson at his peak was as watched as any heavyweight. But you'd never put him in the same category as say... a Sugar Ray Leonard. Strictly based on like/dislike. Same with Floyd. There's a definite line between a mega-star boxer who has a good or at least neutral image outside the ring..... and a mega-star who's in and out of jail, convicted of rape, spouse abuse, etc.

[Fenster]

Look, I have been following this sport for over 40 years and Tito has a point. Of course in my early fan days I would tune in because I loved the sport at an early age but I also wanted to see Ali's head get knocked off by Chuvalo. I never liked Ali and a big part of attention to the sport was at the time seeing his demise. I remember the feeling in the theatre 48 miles from the American border and able to watch Frasier/Ali 1 for about 5 bucks.

I never liked Tyson but certain fights made me pay money to watch prior to streams in the hopes of seeing him cold cocked. And I'm no casual fan.

Same with Floyd and Hopkins whom I hated for years. I have not ordered a ppv in several years because of streams but seeing these two lose did effect the time spent on finding a feed as well as a fundamental love of the sport.

No doubt in my mind that many ppv purchases are made with a desired loser in mind.

Anyone who denies "want" as a condition to following the sport is lapse in judgment.

You're a hardcore fan that doesn't buy PPVs, like the majority of boxing forum posters. So where do the millions of PPV buys come from? Obviously casual fans. These aren't people spending everyday scouring forums, they are fans that buy into "stars"... which Mayweather is clearly the biggest. So when he fights they want to see him.

For sure lots will buy his fights to root against him. Anyone that popular has that. But you don't become the biggest star in boxing because the majority don't like you. That's just ridiculous.

Two sides. Just as many people hated Ali and Tyson that liked him so I'm not sure disdain can be counted out. And you can go as far back as Jack Johnson and find the same thing from live gates.
Dislike imo plays pretty heavily in the viewing of many fights and fighters and is a factor in their stardom.

Yes I agree, that's pretty obvious, I have already made this point too. However, I think there's a big difference between what "hardcore" boxing fans percieve and the casual sports fan.

The more popular you are the more haters/fans you'll have. That goes for just about any walk of life.