British greats worldwide respect?

On the boxing is dying thread, someone mentioned the greats of years gone by and how there is no-one of that class coming through.

Its also been mentioned a lot recently, about certain promoters protecting their British fighters.

So taking those two thoughts on board, it got me thinking back to the days of Eubank and Benn.

These guys, above all others at the time, were the top dogs in the UK collective consciousness. And what I mean by that is that should you have asked the man on the street (or woman for that matter as they were that famous) to name a boxer, there was a high probability that they would name one of these two.

Even now, if you were to ask some people to name a boxer, some would plump for the stars of the 80s/90s.

So my question is - how were these seemingly "superstars" perceived elsewhere in the world?

Would todays international stars have looked up the British crop, or were they just that - British stars for the British public?

Bruno wasn't really heralded in other countries that I know of, he was known but his popularity was nothing like it was here.

Naz was very well known across the pond, he did fight there many times though and his outrageous personality caught on with the Americans, HBO pushed him as hard as they could as well.

Benn was relatively well known after the McLellan fight but I don't really think he was all that well known before that in America.

Lewis obviously our most well known one.

Eubank, I'm not all that sure how well he was known, same with Calzaghe I don't think he was all that well known and it doesn't sound as though he carried the financial clout to interest RJJ, Hatton was very well known however.

Those guys fought on terrestial TV. But now imagine a good Warren boxer fighting a good matchroom boxer. Would that fight happen on Boxnation, sky of C5? It will add more complications.

But as for future stars, look for Eubank Jnr. He looks the part and has more media savvy than his dad.

AlexHuckerby wrote:Bruno wasn't really heralded in other countries that I know of, he was known but his popularity was nothing like it was here.

Naz was very well known across the pond, he did fight there many times though and his outrageous personality caught on with the Americans, HBO pushed him as hard as they could as well.

Benn was relatively well known after the McLellan fight but I don't really think he was all that well known before that in America.

Lewis obviously our most well known one.

Eubank, I'm not all that sure how well he was known, same with Calzaghe I don't think he was all that well known and it doesn't sound as though he carried the financial clout to interest RJJ, Hatton was very well known however.

Benn was known for his exciting fights in USA against Doug DeWitt and his one round war with Iran Barkley.

AlexHuckerby wrote:....same with Calzaghe I don't think he was all that well known.....

Especially after 95% of boxing experts over there thought Lacy was going to spank him

alma wrote:

azania wrote:Those guys fought on terrestial TV. But now imagine a good Warren boxer fighting a good matchroom boxer. Would that fight happen on Boxnation, sky of C5? It will add more complications.

But as for future stars, look for Eubank Jnr. He looks the part and has more media savvy than his dad.

I find that hard to believe. Eubank Snr had a very carefully cultivated image!

Jnr seems more natural with all the social media outlets and his propensity for self promotion is on par with his dad. He has charisma is bucketloads and when he becomes more established watch his mouth run amok. It helps that it seem he also has the talent to back it up.

azania wrote:Jnr seems more natural with all the social media outlets

Such things didn't exist when Snr was plying his trade.

Union Cane wrote:

azania wrote:Jnr seems more natural with all the social media outlets

Such things didn't exist when Snr was plying his trade.

Yeah. Well at this stage of his career, he is still very media savvy.

alma wrote:

Union Cane wrote:

azania wrote:Jnr seems more natural with all the social media outlets

Such things didn't exist when Snr was plying his trade.

Exactly. No internet and yet Snr was a household name (in the UK). Partly down to being on ITV every few months. Jnr will only be really well known because he is Snr's son. Boxing simply doesn't reach that mass a market in the UK anymore.

Not partly down to ITV, but 90% down to ITV. Yes his name helps Jnr get more column inches but in time Jnr will carve out his own niche and get his name out there. He's not as eccentric as Sny (who was) but he has the tools to make a name for himself and cross-over.

He may well be 'media savvy', I wouldn't know, but as alma says it is all built on his name at the moment.

His debut was mightily impressive, but he needs to build up a reputation for himself with more performances like that rather than being good at Twitbook and Faceplant and all that rubbish.

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

AlexHuckerby wrote:....same with Calzaghe I don't think he was all that well known.....

Especially after 95% of boxing experts over there thought Lacy was going to spank him

Yeah I suppose after that they must have respected him a lot more fair point.

Union Cane wrote:He may well be 'media savvy', I wouldn't know, but as alma says it is all built on his name at the moment.

His debut was mightily impressive, but he needs to build up a reputation for himself with more performances like that rather than being good at Twitbook and Faceplant and all that rubbish.

Well of course its built on his name so far. He's only had one pro fight. His interview was equally impressive. And to build a name for himself that reaches outside a boxing fan's front room he has to be able to talk the talk and walk the walk.

He will trade on his dad's name....use the same entrance song.....vault the ropes etc. But he is articulate and very self confident which shows.