A "Real" Boxing Fan ??

[oliverfennell]

Being a fan has a lot more to do with enjoyment rather than knowledge, the sort of person who puts himself out to follow the sport, puts his hand in his pocket to pay for trips and PPV, the person who will stay in on a Saturday night to watch it.
I find many very knowledgable people on here who don't seem to be fans at all.

Reminds me of a quote from Catch 22.

"He knew everything about literature, except how to enjoy it"

[oliverfennell]

I am not sure I agree Coco, I don't know anyone here who just talks about the sport but doesn't actually watch it - be it live or on TV. I think curcumstances are important also, I know a few people who go to every 6 nations game... but don't even know the rules of the sport, just go for the piss up etc... they can afford it and have the time to do it. Does that make them more fans of Rugby than poster on here (with boxing) who cannot go live.... and as I said I don't know anyone here who hasn't got at least EITHER Setanta or Sky Sports.

Bo Dereck has been to more world title fights than me, does that make her more of a fan?

i would never a judge a boxing fan who doesnt go to see live fights as 90% of the time its an expensive buisness and also a lot of people just like the best seat in the house which is infront of the telly.

Agreed, except then you have those who watch streams/torrents instead of getting a Sky Sports/Setanta subscription. If someone doesn't contribute ANYTHING to the sport - doesn't attend live shows, only watches free broadcasts - but is still passionate and knowledgeable about the sport, are they fans?

[oliverfennell]

when i went to New York to see lewis-grant i couldnt believe how many Brits were so pissed up at the fight, why go all that way and pay all that money to remember nothing?

Mad innit? Especially as most of them are the same feckers who are always moaning about lack of money it beggars belief.

I paid 175 quid for a medium-range tiered seat to watch Lewis-Botha, as well as a solid quality 13-fight undercard. A bunch of pissed-up casuals who'd obviously been interrupted at the bar to be told the main event was due to start arrived and took their seats in the interval between rounds one and two. Half a round later, it was over, and they marched off in a huff because of the perceived lack of value. Granted, that's an expensive ticket, but even more so if you're paying three figures for the privilege of drinking at a bar...

[Lightsoot]

Personally, I take my hat off to those fans who put their hands in their pockets to support boxing at any level. This can take on various forms.

a) Going along to a small hall show to support the local boxers / grass roots shows in your area. It can be great entertainment for relatively low cost. VIP and Oliver Harrison are doing their bit to keep boxing well and truly on the map in the North West and Impact Boxing in Stoke also deserve to be applauded for allowing under-16’s in for a tenner. I took my lad along to one of their shows and he absolutely loved it. Frank Maloney’s shows are also good value which I don’t mind shelling out for and I always go along to each show at the M.E.N Arena and make sure I get their early to watch the entire bill. Warren’s bills might be littered with pull-outs at times but there’s no doubt that he has a fine young stable. I’ve enjoyed getting a glimpse of the likes of Stephen Smith coming through.

b) I also applaud those fans who buy pay-per-views and who accept that, love them or loathe them, they are an established television staple these days. Like watching your local football team each week sometimes you’ll be disappointed and arguably the quality is sometimes indifferent. However, I don’t want television to turn their back on Boxing as I’m mindful that it has become a minority sport. If people stopped buying boxing pay-per-views I’m not necessarily sure that the TV suits would suddenly let the big fights involving the most established stars available for free (yes, I know, SKY and Setanta subscribers already pay a subscription but you know what I mean). I think they’d more than likely wash their hands of Boxing long term and plough their money elsewhere.

I must confess to be really irritated by those who never pay to watch a show, refuse to subscribe to SKY or Setanta or buy pay-per-views and elect to watch a free stream. How they can they be fans? Would they really be posting on Boxrec masquerading as fans if they weren’t bored at work?

c) I think those fans who pay hundreds of pounds to watch British fighters fight abroad and those who save up to watch a major fight in Vegas (as some have done on here) are real supporters.

d) Boxing News and Boxing Monthly subscribers. It’s very important that the sport remains visible on the shelves to attract new readers and maintains a credible voice. You could also support internet sites like BBN and the better Blog’s like David Payne’s who work tirelessly to offer their perspectives as they are both relevant and welcome.

I also applaud those who showed a willingness to pay to watch fights over the internet. Kevin at BBN attempted to go down this route a few years ago and it never really took off. I’d like to think that if he (or anyone else) tried this again that people would support this as I agree it could act as the future.

e) Coming on Boxrec simply isn’t enough unless you do any of a-d, even if you’ve made thousands of posts. It reminds me of those football “supporters” who jam football phone-ins at tea-time on Saturday afternoons to slag their team and manager off before revealing to the presenter that they haven’t been to the match.

[oliverfennell]

Excellent post, Ben.

[terrez]

I see being a fan as getting excited at the prospect of a good match up what ever the level, to understand what the fight could mean in the future for not only the boxers in the ring, but the effect on the division and other boxers around them, the anticipation this rises before a good bout. Boxing is a sport that can make or break a career from one fight to the next. It's a sport were the deserving sometimes get shadowed by most, but respected and watched by a fan.

Whatever the definition, if you enjoy boxing an understand the conciquences a fight could have on the scene and the division, thats what keeps boxing alive. Good on you!

[Captain Hook]

Like you boys and girls, I just love boxing.

No other sport gives you that thrill........been following it since I was a little lad and will forever.

Some great posts.

[Poncey]

when i went to New York to see lewis-grant i couldnt believe how many Brits were so pissed up at the fight, why go all that way and pay all that money to remember nothing?

Mad innit? Especially as most of them are the same feckers who are always moaning about lack of money it beggars belief.

i went to a Warren show at the Excel where it was Audley-Williams 2 and Amir Khan but not a bad undercard which of course i watched with next to nobody. Before the two main events on Nicky Cook had a fight against a change of opponent (he was meant to be fighting Scott Harrison) and a group of lads infront of me were just moaning because this "shit" was eating into the time they were going to get to spend at the Spearmint rhino, if i remember correctly they all left half way throught the Khan fight and must of seen no more than 14 rounds of boxing all night

I can go one better. At Hatton v Tszyu the lad in front of me was so pissed he fell asleep on his chair when Darren Morgan fought and didn't wake up until Ricky had left the ring.

YOu sure it wasn't their first fight Mark? I was there for it at the Excel and also had lads in front of me discussing going to Spearmint Rhino because of the lasses in the ring.

[EddieShredder]

I enjoy boxing, I watch a lot, I talk about it a lot, and I put money into the sport through tv/tickets/etc etc...

If that makes me a "real" fan, then cool... but to be honest I couldn't give a sh1t about a label... I enjoy the sport, that's good enough for me.

[Fatsam]

I see a boxing fan as someone who can watch a fight without knowing anything about either fighter prior to the fight (sounds contradictory i know). There seems to be alot of people who just like to follow the big fighters who are getting results like hatton/calzaghe/haye and most of it is through patriotism.

If i chat to someone who watches a fight involving 2 boxers from a country that they have no affilliation with its usually a good sign

[Poncey]

That is a weird coincidence. Also, the card we went to was pish so you're probably right.

[stujones]

Agree with the post Ben, although to be honest I don't think there are many here who do not forkout in some capacity, and would like to think that the reason they don't would be financial or circumstances (e.g. "out voted" by family members).

I wouldn't see the point of maybe thousands of posts on a dedicated boxing site on a sport that you just have a passing interest in - unless the posts are mainly in the "other sports" section... plenty of other sites they could post on, something more dedicated to their main interest. Yes, I am sure there are some who are "bored at work" etc, but I would think in the minority - not as some have suggested in earlier posts.

Regarding a "Boxing Man".... I think that is someone who has had Boxing installed in him from birth, often something past on from generations. Usually I would class a "boxing man" for people who boxed (not necessarily to a decent level) and then moved onto something else whether it is coaching, cuts man, referee, journo or whatever - however, this is not always the case - could have just gone to a gym at a young age and worked as a second straight off. I think there are alot of distinguished people in the fight game who I don't consider "boxing men"... I've mentioned, in another forum years ago, Enzo Calzaghe not being one. Enzo took up boxing training to help his son, if Joe didn't take an interest - would Enzo be in the sport? Its a bit different to the Mayweathers... they were born boxers.

[stujones]

I think it all depends on circumstances also. Yes, I admire those who go to Vegas to watch Ricky - but I consider bigger fans of the sport... those who are there during the undercard and stay till the end - regardless if they are not from the UK. I would consider those who fill the arena when Ricky is on as big fans of Ricky, but not necessarily of the sport.... but again, if its a weekend trip and their first time in Vegas - then Vegas must be experienced also.

I am sure those who have experienced a big fight in the UK and watch all the undercard fights from the cheap seats - feel a little bit aggrivated when people come just for the main event at ringside and then piss off to the clubs when (often) a decent fight is on the undercard after. Are these true fans, or just minted and just class it a "night out".

[TerribleTerry]

Spare a thought for complete mugs like me who have Sky, Setanta and kill their Internet allowance by downloading the, huge, gaps left by these two TV giants. I will not watch a stream, though, as they are generally crap.

I know many of the snide web streams can be ropey to say the least; similar to watching a fight through a TV smeared in an inch of vaseline, but I wouldn't rule out streams altogether - when you get a reliable, high quality one it can be well worth the effort.

My grandad used to get up at 3am in rural Ireland to listen to crackly radio programmes from America covering the heavyweight championship fights of Marciano, Patterson and Liston.

He passed on his love of boxing to me.

I can see parallels between fight fans from bygone eras listening to faint radio programmes and modern fans watching streams that give them live access to fights they would otherwise miss.

I have watched loads of fights on the legitimate RTE and various German channel feeds and they can be far more enjoyable than you might think.

Watching Dunne v Cordoba live on the RTE stream was a great experience and a fantastic fight - I really got a feel for the atmosphere and excitement in the hall that night