Is Hattons fan base over rated?

OLD-LONDON-RULES · Post by **OLD-LONDON-RULES** » 12 Jan 2007, 12:59

I have thought for some time that possibly Hatton's so called massive fan base was always more exageration and P.R from Fwank, just because Hatton came along on the back end of Hamed and there was no marque British fighter to steak a higher claim.

Someone on another thread mentioned the likes of Benn & Eubanks drawn over 40 thousand at Old Traford yet Hatton and Fwank were always banging on about the 15 thousand or so that used to turn up.

I have been to a few of Hattons fights and i can tell you for a fact that back in the MEN days a lot of boxing fans on Hatton cards were there to support other Manchester fighters like Anthony Farnel, Tommy McDonnah, Micheal Gomez ect,ect.

Notably when i went to the Zoo V Fatton fight we stopped off at a few bars close to the MEN and random people who we spoke to like the didn't even know the fight was happening.

G-man · Post by **G-man** » 12 Jan 2007, 13:07

Those three fighters you named didn't shift that many tickets IMO - the arena was all but empty when Farnell boxed Elcock at the M.E.N.

OLD-LONDON-RULES · Post by **OLD-LONDON-RULES** » 12 Jan 2007, 13:13

G-man wrote:Those three fighters you named didn't shift that many tickets IMO - the arena was all but empty when Farnell boxed Elcock at the M.E.N.

Yeh but that was a bit later on in Farnell's career, i'm sure he had a large number of fans the night he fought Takaloo.

Even if Hatton pulled 15 thousand at the MEN a few times does that make him the mega star he has been made out to be when you compare him with the likes or Benn and Eubank?

Considering this guy tried his best to tap into the Man City Football fans....is he really all that?

I know people are going to use the fact that boxing was on terrestrial T.V back then and had a wider fan base, but that still doesn't change the facts does it.

G-man · Post by **G-man** » 12 Jan 2007, 13:43

OLD-LONDON-RULES wrote:
G-man wrote:Those three fighters you named didn't shift that many tickets IMO - the arena was all but empty when Farnell boxed Elcock at the M.E.N.

Yeh but that was a bit later on in Farnell's career, i'm sure he had a large number of fans the night he fought Takaloo.

Even if Hatton pulled 15 thousand at the MEN a few times does that make him the mega star he has been made out to be when you compare him with the likes or Benn and Eubank?

Considering this guy tried his best to tap into the Man City Football fans....is he really all that?

I know people are going to use the fact that boxing was on terrestrial T.V back then and had a wider fan base, but that still doesn't change the facts does it.

Well Arnie was WBU champ going into the fight and therefore arguably at the peak of his career but even leaving that aside, he often boxed at places like the Wythenshawe Forum which is tiny - i'm just saying that the aforementioned three wouldn't have sold large percentages of any of Hatton's crowds IMO - certainly not thousands.

Surely even if it's exaggerated, Hatton's is still the biggest fanbase in UK
boxing?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 12 Jan 2007, 13:52

Different eras, Hatton has fought almost his entire career on subscription TV, and therefore was never going to be as big a name as Benn and Eubank who benefitted from terrestrial exposure in their early careers.

The newspapers carried stories on both men throughout their careers, and every major newspaper has a dedicated boxing writer or two on their books.

Hatton, for a modern fighter has a large following, there aren't too many fighters who draw a big crowd to a live gate these days, PPV has seen to that, and a lot of people who would regard themsevles as boxing fans, would rather sit and home and watch, and who can blame them, it's more comfortable, you can get pissed while you watch the fight, and nip for shit between rounds without having to queue.

What is undeniable, is that Hatton is internationally known, respected and people enjoy watching him fight, he's one of the few British fighters with crossover appeal in recent years, the first since Naz really. If he beats Castillol, he will become one of the biggest draws in boxing, because his style of fighting appeals to audiences anywhere. What's not to like?

Chesney_Chambers · Post by **Chesney_Chambers** » 12 Jan 2007, 14:33

How many active fighters can fill out a 20,000 seater arena????

glittermonkey · Post by **glittermonkey** » 12 Jan 2007, 14:42

Chesney_Chambers wrote:How many active fighters can fill out a 20,000 seater arena????

That all depends on who the fighter is and where the fight would take place. Even if you have big name fighters, fighting at home, I'd still say that it wouldn't be more than a handful.

rhino222 · Post by **rhino222** » 12 Jan 2007, 14:43

not many i dont think..not nowerdays anyway.

hatton always had a steady fan base but im not sure if they are too good at travelling, hatton v maussa, in sheffield was a bit of a struggle to fill the arena...apparantly.

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 12 Jan 2007, 16:11

with the right fight i reckon they could get 40,000 at man city football stadium.

he's an arena filler at the men.

plus he sold out the excel centre for the oliveira fight.

virtually sold out sheffield for maussa.

the guy is a big ticket seller.

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 12 Jan 2007, 16:48

Well over 3000 Brits are supposed to be flying to Vegas to watch him fight.

I'd say he has a pretty solid fanbase.

mattyp151 · Post by **mattyp151** » 12 Jan 2007, 16:55

lvlarc_uk wrote:Well over 3000 Brits are supposed to be flying to Vegas to watch him fight.

I'd say he has a pretty solid fanbase.

About 2000 came to Boston, which was 30% of the audience. He only sold like 50% of the Garden.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:10

hitman_hatton1 wrote:with the right fight i reckon they could get 40,000 at man city football stadium.

he's an arena filler at the men.

plus he sold out the excel centre for the oliveira fight.

virtually sold out sheffield for maussa.

the guy is a big ticket seller.

Hatton v Witter would do 30,000+ IMO.

dr_devious · Post by **dr_devious** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:19

Boxing in the UK is now a minority sport, only hardcore boxing fans and sky sports subscribers watch it now. The Benn-Eubank-Watson trilogy captured the publics imagination, and everyone knew about it partly due to the Watson tragedy. The downturn in popularity is because terrestrial TV dumped boxing for 10 years. Fighters like Hatton never got the exposure of the previous fighters and therefore arent as famous. Rickys still got a terrific fan base given the lack of exposure to the public in general

TheRiverCityHippy · Post by **TheRiverCityHippy** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:29

dr_devious wrote:Boxing in the UK is now a minority sport, only hardcore boxing fans and sky sports subscribers watch it now. The Benn-Eubank-Watson trilogy captured the publics imagination, and everyone knew about it partly due to the Watson tragedy. The downturn in popularity is because terrestrial TV dumped boxing for 10 years. Fighters like Hatton never got the exposure of the previous fighters and therefore arent as famous. Rickys still got a terrific fan base given the lack of exposure to the public in general

yeah, it`s sad to think that for probably a century boxing was only second to footy as the most popular sport with the masses in britain.
there`s more than likely more than one reason for boxings dramatic fall from grace but whats certain is that boxing as a sport hasnt helped itself either. people cant be arsed trying to remember 57 champions names.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 12 Jan 2007, 19:27

nickd wrote:
hitman_hatton1 wrote:with the right fight i reckon they could get 40,000 at man city football stadium.

he's an arena filler at the men.

plus he sold out the excel centre for the oliveira fight.

virtually sold out sheffield for maussa.

the guy is a big ticket seller.
Hatton v Witter would do 30,000+ IMO.

Hatton said he wouldn't mind fighting Witter If It was at the Man City football staduim.

OLD-LONDON-RULES · Post by **OLD-LONDON-RULES** » 12 Jan 2007, 19:35

Max Molyneux wrote:
nickd wrote:
hitman_hatton1 wrote:with the right fight i reckon they could get 40,000 at man city football stadium.

he's an arena filler at the men.

plus he sold out the excel centre for the oliveira fight.

virtually sold out sheffield for maussa.

the guy is a big ticket seller.
Hatton v Witter would do 30,000+ IMO.
Hatton said he wouldn't mind fighting Witter If It was at the Man City football staduim.

Fatton contradicts himself all the fackin time, 1 minute he says he don't want to give Witter a pay day, next he wants him infront of 40,000 mwank pi$$heads, 1 minute he only has a few fights left in him then the next he's talking about maybe moving back up to 147 in a couple of years.

Either Fatton never had much brains in the first place of they are getting punched out of him.

m1kee50 · Post by **m1kee50** » 13 Jan 2007, 04:37

Boxing Attendances have fallen all across the board, nothing to do with Hatton.

None of my 'real world' pals and workmates are into boxing. Not one. I swear they look at me like a Dogfighting fan sometimes!

When you look at how many people are into boxing countrywide, Hatton has a massive fan-base in that sense. I'm not surprised people did not know Hatton was fighting Kostya, boxing is not high-profile anymore, in this country it suffered from Watsons and Mclellans injuries, imo