Has a European Champion Ever Transcended to Stardom in the United States?

[ross]

Naseem Hamed deffinitly was. He was big miney back then and sold tickets.

[Rantcatrat]

Americans never warmed up to the K-Bros. While respected tremendously, Calzaghe was never a star here. His fight against RJJ and Bhop did fine business, but not BIG business. Same with Froch. Well-liked but not a star. Hatton and Hamed were received pretty well for a short period of time.

I just wonder whether guys like GGG and Kovalev, were they to continue to win, would really be marketable in the United States.

[Freedom]

I just wonder whether guys like GGG and Kovalev, were they to continue to win, would really be marketable in the United States.

There will be some who appreciate them, but there will be other fans (and boxing writers and commentators such as Satterfield, Atlas, Farhood, Raskin and Iole) who will never accept them. Golovkin being only half-white will be better accepted than Kovalev.

[holmcall]

I just wonder whether guys like GGG and Kovalev, were they to continue to win, would really be marketable in the United States.

There will be some who appreciate them, but there will be other fans (and boxing writers and commentators such as Satterfield, Atlas, Farhood, Raskin and Iole) who will never accept them. Golovkin being only half-white will be better accepted than Kovalev.

F--k Farhood, Atlas, Iole, etc. These guys are already accepted in the US. GGG is often referred to as the euro-Pacquiao. GGG is the future of boxing. If Kovalev beats Hopkins (which I believe he will do), he too will become a monster star in the US. GGG is very close to PVV status. And who gives a shit what Satterfield or Raskin think.

[Rantcatrat]

I just wonder whether guys like GGG and Kovalev, were they to continue to win, would really be marketable in the United States.

There will be some who appreciate them, but there will be other fans (and boxing writers and commentators such as Satterfield, Atlas, Farhood, Raskin and Iole) who will never accept them. Golovkin being only half-white will be better accepted than Kovalev.

I would like to understand your basis for this statement. It sounds very silly. I don't think the race of the fighter matters to american fans. There is no doubt a favoritism toward American fighters though on US networks, which makes some sense, because it is, American network TV. Steve Bunce is pro-Brit too.