Why do the USA's top boxers rarely fight outside their country?

[Freedom2013]

Mayweather, Ward, Hopkins, Wilder, etc.

Seems only the fringe contenders and the old and faded are willing to venture into foreign countries, even when there's an opportunity to make more money.

Hatton-Mayweather would have filled a stadium in the UK. Ward-Abraham or Ward-Kessler would likely have made more money in Europe. Calzaghe-Hopkins would probably have been more lucrative in the UK.

Right now, Wilder-Joshua would make more money in the UK in 2017, but I can't imagine Deontay being willing to fight a good opponent like Joshua in England (he'd only travel for a guaranteed win over a faded old man like Harrison).

[littlepug]

Wilder fought here once but I get your point, fighters should really take notice of hotspots for their division, the middles/supermiddles can always make money in uk as can the heavies, and the little guys should be heading east for better opportunities, although we have a few world class superflies in uk that could kickstart the division over here

[Badhusker]

Probably because fans like Freedom constantly cry and make excuses about not getting a fair shake from the ref and judges.

[Freedom2013]

Probably because fans like Freedom constantly cry and make excuses about not getting a fair shake from the ref and judges.

People cry and make excuses about Mayweather not winning gold with neutral fair judges in the Olympics.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

They make more money here. The pbc should definitely try and work with UK promoters to keep guys busy.

[hurricanemitch14]

Probably because fans like Freedom constantly cry and make excuses about not getting a fair shake from the ref and judges.

People cry and make excuses about Mayweather not winning gold with neutral fair judges in the Olympics.

Ask Roy Jones how his Olympics went.

Plus any fighter that goes to Russia and wins has pretty good chance of pissing "dirty".

[crusader]

Shitt judging happens all the time in the US. Americans aren't any more justified in whining about poor judging abroad than foreign fighters are in whining about judging in the US.

Americans and Brits are self-centered when it comes to criticizing foriegn fighters for not travelling (even when its more lucrative for those fighters to stay at home), while saying nothing when their countrymen repeatedly do the same. In fact, often the attitude is to laud the promoter for securing a home fight.

[JCS]

Another typical thread from the anti-American.

[Freedom2013]

Another typical thread from the anti-American.

It's a response to this one:

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=205850

[jockpunk]

The answer is simple. They make more money here. When they can make more money by traveling, they do. Like when Wilder traveled to Europe only to have the garbage Russian ruin the fight by testing positive for a banned substance.

[davie]

Another point worth noting, is that many fighters want to go to the US.

GGG, Kovalev, Chocolatito and half of Cuba go there because 1. there is money to be made and 2. They want to have experienced Vegas/MSG etc.

I do accept the counter argument however, why don't Americans want to go to UK or Germany and fill a football stadium. Atmosphere's in Europe at major sporting event's are something to be experienced. But just look at how Bute's arse collapsed when he walked to the ring in the Froch bout.
The atmosphere may be electric but when it's directed at you, it takes a strong character to stand up to it.

I wouldn't like to fight Frampton in NI for instance, talk about intimidating....

[greg]

there's nothing like comfort of your own home and support of your own fans + nice paycheck

[marvelous marv]

Most fighters will fight domestically until reaching world title or at least contender status. Then they maximise their profits as long as possible.

[Crease]

Why do the USA's top boxers rarely fight outside their country?

Why should they? They can make a truck-load of money fighting in the States?
If you're American and you're good enough, you'll not be broke... Look at the likes of Mayweather & Ward, they really make some serious cash.

[T w_savage]

TV networks are the biggest reason..

More control for the promoter and command over things that impact the various brand values involved is another...

[ValMar]

Most fighters will fight domestically until reaching world title or at least contender status. Then they maximise their profits as long as possible.

Yes !

[boxing_rocks]

Fighters from Mexico, Eastern Europe, Sweden, France, etc. also prefer to fight in the U.S. when they can, because here is where they can get publicity and more money.

With everything else equal (which is never the case), boxers from ANY country would prefer to fight at home to avoid robberies.

[lefty]

I'd imagine that to a large extent it's because that's their market.

[asdfjkl]

Because of the drugstests and because of the better opponents.

[expe]

They make more money here. The pbc should definitely try and work with UK promoters to keep guys busy.

There's no one to work with over here, no promoter would take any realistic interest because they'd lose money. There's a shortage of TV dates here anyway and they're not going to hand them out to some unknown Americans that will sell no tickets without significant financial incentives.

[JMac]

DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley from Washington DC will fight anywhere and has fought everywhere. 47-27-1

[caldo2025]

Las Vegas is the promised land and capitol city for world class boxing. There's are kid right now slapping at a heavy bag with ripped gloves somewhere dreaming about being good enough to fight there. It took Sergio Martinez many years to be good enough to fight on American soil and even though he got knocked out the first time he made it here, it was a goal satisfied.

Then there's the matter of home cooking. It's a lot easier for boxers to fight at home without the time difference not to mention cultural differences with food, training and logistics of a foreign country.

[klitoris]

Crawford fought once in the UK.
Thurman once fought in Canada.
Danny Garcia has fought once in Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Jacobs fought once in Puerto Rico and Canada.
Tim Bradley fought once in Canada.
Ward fought once in the Cayman Islands and St. Lucia.
Errol Spence fought once in Canada.
Jessie Vargas fought once in Macau.
Wilder has fought 3 times in Mexico, once in the UK, and once in Puerto Rico.
Jason Sosa has fought 3 times in Puero Rico, once in China, and is going to fight in Monaco.
Broner fought once in Mexico.

So fairly rare, but it doesn't make sense for American boxers to fight somewhere else. The US market is still probably the biggest in the world for boxing.