Canelo v Khan - Has it caught fire?

[freddydoesdallas]

We're only a few days away from this fight and i've barely noticed people talking at all about it

Met up with a few mates at the weekend who are normally a good indicator of a big fight and they never mentioned it to me at all. Not even asking if i was watching or what channel it's on.

Are you experiencing the same thing? Has Khan lost the ability to capture the audience in the UK due to being out of the country for so long? Is it down to other fighters replacing him in the spotlight or is it even the fight that isn't capturing the imagination? Or am i just living on a different planet?

I'm sure it's getting decent coverage in the US due to Canelo and his fanbase.

[MightyWarrior]

Yeah no doubt Khan has become a peripheral figure in the UK these days, as most of his fights in last 5 years took place as 4 in morning, followed by a small paragraph reporting it 2 days later. And Canelo is barely know over here either.

Strictly one for the fight game faithful, and it'll be edge of your seat drama while it lasts.

The casuals meanwhile will be concentrating on the fight of the millennium, Joshua v bum of the month 2

[bripez]

Yeah no doubt Khan has become a peripheral figure in the UK these days, as most of his fights in last 5 years took place as 4 in morning, followed by a small paragraph reporting it 2 days later. And Canelo is barely know over here either.

Strictly one for the fight game faithful, and it'll be edge of your seat drama while it lasts.

The casuals meanwhile will be concentrating on the fight of the millennium, Joshua v bum of the month 2

Yep, pretty much agree with you on that (although to be fair, "King" Khan aint exactly humble)

[freddydoesdallas]

I agree with you on that. It's a bit of a strange one in that they are 2 really well known names in boxing but don't really translate into the other fighters market.

Canelo hasn't picked up recognition here and Khan probably isn't that well recognised (as a genuine world class fighter) by the Mexicans. Canelo will sell well as he normally does but this is a hard sell in the UK.

I might actually watch this one live for a change though if it's going to be a 5 am start as i get woken at about that time anyway

[littlekinny]

Its odd. but it simply hasnt. Thought more of a big deal wouldve been made of 'King' Khans 'Ballsy' step up in weights.

[Ketchel]

Its odd. but it simply hasnt. Thought more of a big deal wouldve been made of 'King' Khans 'Ballsy' step up in weights.

The kids got balls no doubt but it is more to do with "Middleweight" champ Canelo's team being afraid to risk the money train by fighting an actual middleweight. People know Khan has been handpicked for slaughter. FFS Khan made Chris Algeri look like the second coming of Joe Frazier! Anyone who thinks Khan has a chance need to stop listening to the prefight hype.

[afcmarshall]

some of the problem is it being on at 4am and on b-o-x-n-a-t-i-o-n so you havent got the constant build up on sky sports news. Its great for fight fans who would of paid the £12 even if this wasnt being shown but for a casual fan they wouldnt have it constantly thrown down there throats from eddie/sky think more would of watched it had it been around midnight and on sky ppv

[Stuarty]

My mates and guys in the work all seem to be talking about it and they're only casual fans of the sport. Not been a lot on TV. Both of them are quite dull so that probably plays a part. Think it will be a good fight though however long it lasts.

[Crazyboy]

yeh its weird, no-one in my office is talking about it at all...but as someone said earlier...when Joshua fights....whoever......its like its cup final day or something???

very strange but I'm personally looking forward to it, good luck to khan, I would love to see him win but I really can't see anything other than a Canelo KO win.

[Roars Like Me]

Not really no - It's a mix of some not knowing Canelo and if they do then thinking Khan has no chance at all.

On another note, Khan was saying that his future could be in MMA. Mmmm a very short future methinks...

[tony1234]

Small pieces in the press, if it was on SKY PPV it would have been treated as a mega fight with all the publicity , seems well under the radar for the 'man on the street'

[lillywhite14]

Few casuals I know commenting on how jacked Khan looks and how seemingly because he now has bigger biceps he will suddenly smash anyone put in front of him

I am looking forward to this one though.

[gilgamesh]

Doubt it. I don't expect it's going to

[Taansend]

When this fight was announced I got a load of comments from mates back in the UK - most of whom are not hard core boxing fans. But haven't heard much since.

I haven't heard anyone talk about it over here but boxing is very much a minority sport in the US. Maybe if I was still living in San Diego I'd be chatting with my Mexican mates about it but the Crackers of Florida don't give a toss. In fact, given the amount of Trump supporters around here I'd say a fight between a Mexican & a Muslim doesn't rank very highly on their agenda

It's on at a bar in downtown Sarasota so I'll be popping down there after work to cheer Amir on (although I'm also a fan of World Heavy-Light-Middleweight Champion Canelo too)

[Bodyshot3]

'Smouldering'....which is weird because it should be a fight of note.

Amir's decision to leave the UK scene and stay Stateside seems odd in light of the fact that we have a booming scene, filling massive stadiums ain't a problem either.

He's seems to be doing the whole "I absolutely must crack America to be true high-roller gig" when actually he does not have to do that at all. He's inadvertently on the wrong side of history.

Fight Kell Brook and you get a bigger turnout than an Alvarez fight - huge money - and the fight itself is far from being a sideshow.

Maybe he likes the States and doing the whole Vegas nonsense.

[jamesmcdonnell]

It's a shame that this is going to probably be a really good fight, and is quite a big deal for Khan, but few people will even watch it.

[nitro5912]

I don't think it has for numerous reasons.

Firstly canelo hasn't really broken the occasional fan market. Mayweather needed Hatton to do that. Canelo needs Khan to do it.

Secondly Khan has lost lots of fans for fighting in America constantly, I can't remember the last time I saw him fight live and not recorded or off YouTube. So brits don't really want stay up all the time for fights v algeri or alexander.

Thirdly he fights on allegedly, which doesn't publicise it's fights well and is a PPV channel. If he had sky backing him he would be all over the news

Lastly he has called out Floyd & manny chasing the money but refuses probably his career payday in a backed bramell lane or reebok stadium facing brook

[Coco]

I see it being a great fight

[TeddyL]

Without the SkySports platform it won't be publicised enough

SkySports won't make an event like that a 4am PPV due to other commitments so it was obvious that the other channel would take it

[Sklar]

I'm convinced that this will be an epic encounter, Amir's speed will cause enough problems for Alvarez to ensure it won't be one way traffic.

Casuals only have enough space in their lives for a loose handful of fighters. The ones fighting at 5am will struggle to get a look in. Plenty of interest in the US though.

[SamWise72]

It's a bit like Honeyghan-Curry. Nobody is expecting the upset, and neither fighter has big profile either. If it was on the Beeb, you'd be seeing their sports news page bigging it up, and things would be different.

[freddydoesdallas]

I'm convinced that this will be an epic encounter, Amir's speed will cause enough problems for Alvarez to ensure it won't be one way traffic.

Casuals only have enough space in their lives for a loose handful of fighters. The ones fighting at 5am will struggle to get a look in. Plenty of interest in the US though.

Is there general American interest in the fight or is it Mexican American interest in Canelo? Is there anything focussed on Khan or is he just a complete 'b' side?

[Taansend]

I'm convinced that this will be an epic encounter, Amir's speed will cause enough problems for Alvarez to ensure it won't be one way traffic.

Casuals only have enough space in their lives for a loose handful of fighters. The ones fighting at 5am will struggle to get a look in. Plenty of interest in the US though.

Is there general American interest in the fight or is it Mexican American interest in Canelo? Is there anything focussed on Khan or is he just a complete 'b' side?

I haven't noticed "plenty of interest".

Mexican-Americans will watch Canelo v anyone but no one else cares. They're more into the basketball at the moment.

[Syntax Error]

We're only a few days away from this fight and i've barely noticed people talking at all about it

Met up with a few mates at the weekend who are normally a good indicator of a big fight and they never mentioned it to me at all. Not even asking if i was watching or what channel it's on.

Are you experiencing the same thing? Has Khan lost the ability to capture the audience in the UK due to being out of the country for so long? Is it down to other fighters replacing him in the spotlight or is it even the fight that isn't capturing the imagination? Or am i just living on a different planet?

I'm sure it's getting decent coverage in the US due to Canelo and his fanbase.

Agreed, it's quite bizarre as it is a massive fight for Khan & Canelo is a genuine world class operator, in spite of taking catchweight fights to new heights.

I think part of the problem is Khan's idleness: he's spent so long on the sidelines talking & not actually fighting that folk just can't be bothered with him anymore.

Had he kept busy & maybe fought & beaten the likes of Kell Brook, he might be a massive deal right now.

[PredatorHayds]

Huge fight for the boxing fraternity.

It hasn't crossed over to mass appeal for the simple reason neither are controversial and BN don't have the media firepower Sky do.

If this was on Sky it would be a unavoidable media frenzy.