Can you watch a fight as a TRUE neutral?

[lefthook82]

I can't

I must root for somebody if I'm to mantain any kind of interest. If I dont care who wins then I dont care to watch. The puncher, the one in better condition, the prospect, etc etc, has to be something

How about you guys? Can you remain totally neutral when watching a fight

Examples of recent bouts where you couldnt give a toss who wins would be welcomed

[Adamj1987]

yes, i can sit there and judge neutrally if i choose too, it helps if i dont know the bxoers (as in never seen them) as i cant route for anyone if i dont know what they are like

[banjo]

Very rarely, I never rooted for either fighter in the Morales v Pacquiao bouts because I'm a big fan of both.

[bobmee]

If I'm working, yes, absolutely. I can detach myself easily and concentrate on what I'm watching. I don't get close to boxers (or promoters or managers or referees for that matter), so in the end if you're watching, you don't give a damn one way or the other who wins. The perspective of what it means to someone is always there, and you might be pleased for them, and sad for someone else, but it's a question of concentration. You aim to see what happens, not what you think you're going to see, and you don't assume that if a pattern's emerging, that it's set for the rest of the fight. Things change. People adapt, get tired, mess up. At ringside, in the working seats, it's much easier. If you're further back, surrounded by fans, it's more difficult to see precisely and to concentrate. It's a question of why you go, as well. If you're supporting somebody, I think it's much harder to be neutral and maybe you don't need to be, you're just there to have a good night. Hope that goes some way towards an answer.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

I'm fairly neutral in I can see whos winning although i root for 1 guy none the less and maybe prefer 1 guys style

[iwz678]

before a fight I'll be very much in the corner of a specific fighter but when it comes to the first bell I'm just hoping it's a good fight and concentrate equally on the two fighters.

Obviously I've got my favourites but I'm just someone who can watch Boxing all day.

[whicker]

Part of the problem with boxing for me- most of the problem- is that I'm neutral for many fights.

It's much much more fun when I really want someone to win- In the days of Benn, for example, i really really cheered him on.

Last fight when I was really supporting one guy over the other was Small V Hall. (Small)

I normally cheer for the underdog, but don't care much.

[alexpaterson]

No, if it's 2 fighter's i've never heard of I go for the fighter who is smaller I dont know why or the underdog

[Gazmac81]

Yea i find myself doning that too

or if a fighter is taking a pasting and then mounts a comeback i cheer for him.

Like Carl Thompson against Haye

As much as i like Haye i found myself going for the old war horse agaionst the New Star.

No, if it's 2 fighter's i've never heard of I go for the fighter who is smaller I dont know why or the underdog

[Spud]

Good thread this one!!

The answer for me is - as much as I try I get influenced by something or another!!!

Take the Froch v Dirrell fight - this time the commentators got to me!!!

[bigjack]

I can't

I must root for somebody if I'm to mantain any kind of interest. If I dont care who wins then I dont care to watch. The puncher, the one in better condition, the prospect, etc etc, has to be something

How about you guys? Can you remain totally neutral when watching a fight

Examples of recent bouts where you couldnt give a toss who wins would be welcomed

I usually cheer for the one who doesn't get an easy route to a title shot or a big fight ,someone who really has come up the hard way, i suppose you can tell from my answer who i don't cheer for.

[Spiker]

I try to but Jim watt repeating the same thing over and over again does not help.
Its like a form of brainwashing :x

[Londonirish]

I try to but Jim watt repeating the same thing over and over again does not help.
Its like a form of brainwashing :x

Jim Watt

[damianhucker1]

i reckon that generally if your watching a fight , you would be watching it cos you like one of the fighters so in that sense it would be harder to be completely neutral but if you dont know them and your at a show you might watch anyway , an example for this was at froch fight , i thought that jack perry looked good but id never heard of him , was a good ko punch too , in fact he was probably the only one on the whole card who looked good , oh and scriven but of course i already knew about him