Anyone else sick of the phony pre-fight garbage???

Did anybody else want to throw up after Cleverly-Bellew finished and they were like a couple of re-united lovers....Happens all the time and it's stomach churning..Nobody buys the pre-fight hate anyway and most people would have more respect if they either didn't make up after the fight..or didn't start with the false hate before it!!!

At least guys like Starling didn't start hugging Honey after their fight..telling him how much he respected him...Now I respect that!!

Be consistent....

As Mr T would say "Show some nuts"

Bellew-Cleverly 2.....err no thanks.....No doubt he'll be "A rat" again...so shove it!!

I agree that it's tiresome, but at the end of the day it's nothing new. I'm surprised that so many people buy in to it; I'd imagine that, in our day to day lives, the high majority of people we come in to contact with we either a) like, or b) are indifferent on. Are we supposed to believe that the boxing profession is part of a different universe where there is a higher percentage of personality clashes?

Bellew has half a point when he says "How can you like someone who you're about to have a punch up with?", but his (and a lot of other people's) over-the-top, aggressive for the sake of being aggressive is what really winds me up.

I'd be all for it if it was genuine and they still hated each other afterwards, but yeah they were a bit too lovey dovey, weren't they?

A lot of it is smoke and mirrors to hide the reality of certain fights, take this weekend truth of the fight is we were being sold a domestic/euro level fight as a world title. Likewise Haye vs Harrison, a world champion fighting the sixth ranked heavy in Britain. Far better to try and get fans to focus on some nonsensical non existent grudge than those realities.

I know fists.. funny thing is they want you to buy into a hate rivalry kind of thing to sell the first fight....and then start kissing after the fight!!!..

We all know it will be..."I was robbed he has no class and he's a rat" etc etc.....if a rematch is set....

Bellew sems to have gained respect on here.....not with me...

Disappointed another guy is full of P**s and wind..

Good point Rowley and agree to a certain extent....but I think Haye was considered more of a Champ than Clev....also think Harrison had name recognition..

Fact remains that was garbage too..

Shame really because this was one rivalry that I actually thought might be genuine..more fool me.

Should have written it better Truss was not questioning Haye's world title claims, was more the fact he was defending his title against a guy who had no business being anywhere near a world title ring, and when all the BS and hype was stripped away that is exactly as it panned out.

Shame Harrison got paid...Funny thing was Haye did a similar job in his next fight.....kind of worried about whether he'd be in good enough condition to spend the money he was getting...!!

Shame In Haye's case as he was a good fighter and achiever......Harrison is a disgrace...

Sad that Haye lacks so much class....He'd feel getting his toe out would gain sympathy when all it did was paint him as classless!!!

After all ten thousand people went to see him......under false circumstances if you would believe him..

Wrote a tribute but must admit he let a lot of people down in Germany... and after with his behaviour..

Yeah I agree. Not particularly bothered if they have 'bad blood' (unless it's Chagaev or Morrison), I just want to see a good matchup.

I dont think its a black and white issue of everything is fake or real. Before a fight there can easily be animousity/aggression between fighters. After all they are going to get and the ring and do battle. Aggression, intimidation, hostility is all part of that. Some fighters need to really dislike their opponent to give them that extra performance or motivation.

After the fight and the two fighters have been through the experience together and the fight is done with then usually they will put that behind them and seek resolution. I dont think it neccessarily means the whole build up was some sham. Bellew was genuinely wound up for my money and I think its part of his mentality to really get himself on edge and dislike his opponent to motivate himself.

I think Bellew explained the emotional rollercoaster that many fighters go through quite well afterwards. Its hard to like, and probably not adviseable to like your opponent before a fight. Respect him, yes by all means but pally stuff like in Pacquiao/Mosely makes you question if the two fighters are really giving it everything and mentally 100%.

Ultimately I think just because there was aggression/antics before a fight and the fighters respected each other after does not mean the aggression was false or all an act. It just means the fighters have put it behind them in many cases and that they accept that kind of thing comes part and parcel with the sport.

We'll see if there is a rematch..what transpires...

I think Cleverly will be a rat agin..

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:We'll see if there is a rematch..what transpires...

I think Cleverly will be a rat agin..

I wouldnt say it will be anything as spicy as the initial encounter. I genuinely think there is mutual repect there now as is often the case betwen fighters after a hard fought encounter. But I would expect a certain level of animousity before the fight again. I think it just comes with the territory in the sport and is a natural human response to before a fight.

Certainly would want you on a jury If I ever go to Court....Manos

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:.Harrison is a disgrace...

Not fair! I've been quite impressed with his performances in spandex thus far.

However you're bang on. I head the 5-live presenters saying how they wished that one day they'd hear a boxer say - yeah, this fight - its big, might be hard. But they never do say that do they? They always hate the other guy as well. Pathetic.

I thought the BBc had given harrison enough money already... under false pretences!!

I thought he said they'd blacklisted him anyway. Hardly blacklisting if they'll put him in their flagship show.

I'm just not sold on the idea of pre-fight hype - because I don't think casual fans turn on to it. Don't get me wrong - they don't necessarily like the idea of 2 friends punching each other in the face. But a few well placed youtube highlight reels will go 10 times as far as a fake interview where 2 people who don't really know each other pretend to hate each other.

Geez Ladies calm down!

Perhaps there was genuine animosity between them before the fight. Think why Bellew might hate Cleverly? Clev is the touted star, the one who gets the headlines, he's younger and he has it all on a plate. While Bellew is older and in the shadows, not regarded as highly, so Bellew is resentful. Then they fight and throw their all at each other, with Clev just about coming out on top in a very tough fight. Afterwards the hatred subsides and all that is left is mutual respect.

Thought about it like that? ......okay I guess not then!

Can anyone actually remember any recent fights where the fighters actually did dislike eachother?

Only recent ones I can think of where they didn't look like they wanted to move in with eachother and take long moonlit strolls along the beach after the fight is DeLaHoya Vargas and Morales Barrera.

Margarito vs Cotto coming up. Cotto can't be his biggest fan.

Sells tickets unfortunately I don't like it one bit either.

Look at Mayweather without all the garbage that comes out of his mouth he wouldn't be earning anywhere near as much money as he does, as good as he is, he is an un exciting fighter like Whitaker was, Floyd has the mouth it was a shame Whitaker didn't as he deserved some bigger pay days.

Fists of Fury wrote:Margarito vs Cotto coming up. Cotto can't be his biggest fan.

Yep. There should be genuine dislike there.

I've posted suggesting boycotting the fight on moral grounds.

However - both guys skills have declined - but there is genuine edge. It could be like 2 pensioners fighting each other.

I'll be honest, the whole 24/7 and Fight Camp 360 shows are in some ways just as bad. It's a different natured hype but nonetheless is responsible for building fights up to be more than they will ever deliver.

I love pre fight hype, its what its all about. Remember Tyson v Rudduck

TYSON: "I cant wait till the 28th Im gonna make you my girlfriend"

RUDDUCK: "Ders 1 ting you cyant buy and dats class, an you aint got nun of dat"

TYSON: "Ah you're sweet, Im gonna make sure you kiss me with those big lips"

Tyson was a bit different, it doesn't matter if it's that entertaining.

manos de piedra wrote:I dont think its a black and white issue of everything is fake or real. Before a fight there can easily be animousity/aggression between fighters. After all they are going to get and the ring and do battle. Aggression, intimidation, hostility is all part of that. Some fighters need to really dislike their opponent to give them that extra performance or motivation.

After the fight and the two fighters have been through the experience together and the fight is done with then usually they will put that behind them and seek resolution. I dont think it neccessarily means the whole build up was some sham. Bellew was genuinely wound up for my money and I think its part of his mentality to really get himself on edge and dislike his opponent to motivate himself.

I think Bellew explained the emotional rollercoaster that many fighters go through quite well afterwards. Its hard to like, and probably not adviseable to like your opponent before a fight. Respect him, yes by all means but pally stuff like in Pacquiao/Mosely makes you question if the two fighters are really giving it everything and mentally 100%.

Ultimately I think just because there was aggression/antics before a fight and the fighters respected each other after does not mean the aggression was false or all an act. It just means the fighters have put it behind them in many cases and that they accept that kind of thing comes part and parcel with the sport.

Think you are bang on there Manos, coming through a tough fight is like any traumatic experience, and one that is shared with only one other person -your opponent, once through it you have a bond, which is at it's strongest in the immediate aftermath. obviously it weakens with time, and in boxing by the time a rematch is signed it's pretty much forgotten and the fighters can do it all again. Emotions are always running high at the end of these things. It's the trying to get under your opponents skin that I find tiresome- Hayes carrying on like a prat, or the daft head butting by Bellows, it's only ever interesting when there is genuine dislike, but even then it can be regretful- Watching a tearful Eubank apologising to Watson, and bitterly stating his anger at the media for helping fuel the bad feeling between them prior to there second fight is something I won't forget. Best just to keep a respectful indifference to your opponent until hostilites in the ring.

Truss you should take your rose tinted glasses off mate, you constantly hark on about a previous genertaion of fighters.

Perhaps back then, when there wasnt untold streams of media, and sports, all vying for attention you didnt need gimmicks to sel lit. But the truth is todays markets need hye, need something to watch for.

The general public care very little for a technically beautiful boxing match, rather a good old punch up with genuine spice.

and at the end of the day, they are fighting each other, would you not question a fighters desire to win at all costs if they were all lovey dovey before hand?

Plenty of fighters have been okay with eachother before a fight and had desire.....

As for rose tinted glasses....I'm one of the guys who think modern boxers deserve more credit..

Trouble is, everyone these days wants to be a James Toney or Ricardo Mayorga and it doesn't always work...

For all his faults in the ring, which I put down to a desire to win what ever it takes, Matt Skelton has always been the perfect sportsman outside of the ring when it comes to showing the proper respect for his opponents. Probably why I have so much time for him

Fair enough!