Carl is right
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M111
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It's a shame that the UK approach is becoming more like the USA. In the states, the top promoters have for a long time identified the top talents with star potential as early as possible, and then tried to pick the right fights to get them to stardom without taking too much risk. If you have a Ray Leonard or Floyd Mayweather on your hands you can give them real challenges early, if you have a Berlanga then not so much. Even if they have 2 top talents in the same division, they keep them apart in the hopes that both will go on to become stars in the future and then the fight will be worth more. What this means is that it's unusual for them to be in a fight where they aren't a huge favourite, until they challenge for a belt.
Often the UK path is different. We typically produce less Olympians, less freak talents, and so there are less blue-chip prospects, and more reason for promoters to risk their top young guys against each other for the British title. If your prospect is unlikely to ever reach the top of the division, may as well roll the dice on them in a big domestic fight before they lose anyway. Another thing is regional rivalries making for bigger fights. If you have an unbeaten guy from London who sells 2K tickets, and an unbeaten guy from Manchester who sells 2K tickets, you put them against each other and it does good business because the cities are close enough for the fans to travel, and it being 50/50 fight or close to it attracts casual fans. The winner gets the experience of a big fight where a lot of people are picking him to lose and a lot of fans are cheering for the opponent.
Now it's more common to have somebody like Conor Benn who ignores all UK threats to face past-prime and/or obscure Americans, until his profile is big enough for a cash-out PPV fight. For somebody like that, facing the top UK guy in order to win the British title is more risk than reward.
Things started changing more than a decade ago. Once the UK started producing more Olympics medallists, promoters were able to easier work out who they could make money off of and the best way to guide them. I think perhaps Naz going to the US and making big money was also part of it, because UK fighters saw how they could go beyond the UK market and make far more money in the US if they made the right moves. This is different to the years just before Naz, when guys like Benn, Eubank, Watson, Bruno all fought in the US but had their biggest paydays in the UK. I recall Hatton swerving a big domestic fight with Witter, and of course he ended up earning big money at world level. Other fighters took note of that, such as when Fury swerved Price, which also worked well for him. So we've been going in this direction for quite some time.
FinitoxDinamita
Monty Fisto
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[QUOTE=famicommander;n32199848]Sorry, it's a regional belt. Even world belts are meaningless in this day and age. [
It’s the oldest British belt, has been around since 1909, making one of the oldest worldwide, has a long heritage and still held in high regard by many fighters. and fans alike. Unlike the countless belts offered at world level by the numerous corrupt alphabet organisations.
There has only ever been and still is only one British belt.
It’s not a regional belt. It’s a national one.
Mick Higgs
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You are wise my brother. Very close fight but I do think Froch just out worked him. Froch is the only fighter of that era who fought everyone who was anyone. He fought them all. Much respect for the champ.Originally posted by M111 View PostComment
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Dirrel would have got the decision if the fight was in the USA, but he was foolish thinking he could run from Froch and get the win in England. Dirrel also swerved Ward in that tournament, I forgot what his excuse was.Comment
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The Lonsdale belt is without question the classiest one in our sport & to win one is an honour for any British boxer. However it's more than winning it that counts & that's winning it outright. Names along with Froch include such legends as Jimmy Wilde, Jackie Brown, Jim Driscoll, Freddie Welsh, Len Harvey, Jackie Patterson, Johnnie Owen, Paul Hodkinson, Ken Buchanan, Jim Watt, Colin Jones, Kirkland Laing, Lloyd Honeyghuin, Alan Minter, Chris & Kevin Finnegan, Terry Downes, Randolph Turpin, Dennis Andries, Henry Cooper (trice), Lennox Lewis + plenty more have achieved it, while others such as Benny Lynch, Jack "Kid" Berg, John Conteh, John H.Stracey, Maurice Hope, Ricky Hatton & Joe Calzaghe just fell short.
Just take a look at the oversized trashy looking trinkets such as WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, IBO, NABA, NABF & there's no comparison apart from the more up market Ring ****zine belt. Even the gay looking Commonwealth strap & the over sized blue EBU have taken a dive compared with what they were, but the Lord Lonsdale challenge belt has never changed or ever will. It's right up there with the FA Cup, Wimbledon Trophy & the Claret jug. "Pure Class"!!...Comment
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National belts don't matter at all. Continental belts don't matter at all. World titles are handed out like candy and we're supposed to give a rat's ass about a domestic belt? Nope.Originally posted by M111 View PostComment
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Err.. It's National bruv... Britain is a nation, no a region.Originally posted by famicommander View PostComment
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