"This ain't boxing, kid. It's politics."

There's an important scene in the movie American Gangster set ringside at Ali v Frazier I. Before this scene Russel Crowe's character, Richie, asks somebody else if they're watching the fight. They say no, they're not really into boxing. Richie: "This ain't boxing, kid. It's politics."

With Ali being the anti-establishment, anti war rebel returning from exile to take back his thrown. Against Frazier; the man who supposedly told president Nixon he'd beat Ali on behalf of the government if they'd just grant him his license. There was far more to this fight than man against man. This was The Empire v The Rebel Alliance, Vader v Skywalker...except I'm 99% sure Frazier didn't turn out to be Ali's father.

In the end, the 15 rounds of brutal action saw Frazier, the establishment's man, pound his way to victory and button the Louisville lip. Of course this was just the beginning and the fire between them would intensify and more personal, racial and religious matters would be fought for between the two of them. Few if any rivalries have produced such genuine and intense animosity for a variety of reasons, which is why it's the best example of the politics becoming the main event.

In the modern game there's more politics than fights. Mayweather v Pacquiao has enough politics for a dozen rivalries but not a single round fought. When a fight has actually happened, though, how many other times has politics become the most important thing in a boxing match?

Schmeling Louis two seems the obvious one, given Schmeling was unfairly portrayed as the poster boy for the Nazi regime and their theories of Aryan Supremacy the fight took on a significance way beyond a title defence or a chance of revenge for Louis, with Louis seen as representing a way of life and carrying a burden and expectation way beyond what maybe any fighter has ever taken into a fight.

Good post John...

I don't know if you could count this in but how about Eubank and Benn 1? You had 2 guys with only slightly different backgrounds but as adults were completely far apart.

Benn, being the underdog, tell it like it is, army background had a fairly big "working class" following. People liked to identify with him because he was one of those gritty, determined and tough guys that would walk through hell.

Eubank, seen as more of the "gent". Despite his overall appearance, had a rough upbringing, moving to Harlem getting involved in crime. Yet had a bigger following with the "pugelistic" fans. Those who preferred brains over brawn.

As I said, despite the fact one was seen as a "working class" hero and the other an "upper class gent" their backgrounds and where they came from as men were ultimately different to how they were coming up to the fight.

I know it hasn't got the same theme as the Mayweather/Pacquiao saga... but class divide was (and still is) an issue in this country.

A mention to Barry McGuigan too I guess for obvious reasons: The pressure on a young Irish fighter to show what good "those darned Irish" can do during a very tough time in the 1980's.

Chavez v Haugan.

Before the fight Haugan angered the whole of Mexico by stating that most Mexicans would not be able to afford tickets for the fight in Mexico.

Over 50,000 roaring Mexicans turned up to watch Haugan get slippity slapped silly by Chavez.

Would also have to give a mention to Johnson vs Jeffries. Johnson looked nigh on unbeatable during his reign, certainly against the white opposition available so the pressure on the retired Jeffries to return and reclaim the crown for the white man was huge particularly as Jeffries was considered nigh on unbeatable in his prime, many thought if Jeff could get back to being even close to the fighter he had been in his prime he would have too much for Johnson, as we all know things did not quite work out like that and when Johnson won riots and racially motivated crimes and murders broke out across the states.

rowley wrote:Schmeling Louis two seems the obvious one, given Schmeling was unfairly portrayed as the poster boy for the Nazi regime and their theories of Aryan Supremacy the fight took on a significance way beyond a title defence or a chance of revenge for Louis, with Louis seen as representing a way of life and carrying a burden and expectation way beyond what maybe any fighter has ever taken into a fight.

Good shout, jeff. I have always felt a bit sorry for Max seeing as he was clearly manipulated by the German regime. It was an unfair representation of his actual feelings and I read that he even went as far as hiding some Jewish kids from the Nazi's in a hotel room before helping them flee the country.

Hopkins v Trinidad would be a more recent one. All Bernard's flag nonsense and the fervent nationalism that he stoked up. Poor old Tito had the entire weight of an angry nation on his shoulders and was beaten before he even stepped in the ring.

Carpentier and Dempsey - WWI ill feeling vs xenophobic distrust led to a mishmash of emotion in the run up to this fight.

I may be wrong

De La Hoya v Vargas

A truely Mexican affair with Vargas taunting Hoya for years about being a fake Mexican. Vargas had many fans divided on this one and it really got to Oscar who had always tried to appease both the American and Mexican fans alkie his whole career. Still the pressure to win over the Mexican fans who are rather picky about their boxing heros exploded in this fight with De La Hoya laying to rest old demons about his Mexican identity.

Hagler V Minter kinda fits the bill for right wing politics, Minter using the ugly phrase of "never losing his title to a black man", the same phrase that Hopkins reverses nearly 30 years later with Calzaghe, and the sporting press being so ignorant to boxing that they couldn't see the link......

Barrera against Morales

Barrera representing the wealthy part of Mexico, with Morales representing the poor.

Holmes v Cooney

A massive fight back in the day. A fight based on a racial agenda as is everything in America. The great white hope against the man who battered Ali.

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:I may be wrong

De La Hoya v Vargas

A truely Mexican affair with Vargas taunting Hoya for years about being a fake Mexican. Vargas had many fans divided on this one and it really got to Oscar who had always tried to appease both the American and Mexican fans alkie his whole career. Still the pressure to win over the Mexican fans who are rather picky about their boxing heros exploded in this fight with De La Hoya laying to rest old demons about his Mexican identity.

Bruno did something similar in his fight against Lennox, I remember some bad things being said between both camps (Lewis calling Bruno something akin to an Uncle Tom). Bruno sporting the "TRUE BRIT" trunks too - telling people in interviews they should get behind him because he is the only Brit in the fight etc. I remember reading somewhere that for a number of years Bruno never forgave Lennox for the Uncle Tom insult.

It really effected Bruno and it was un called for but seemed to rile Bruno up. Bruno was winning that fight as I remember but just got caught with a peach of a left hook. Game over.

Some very good calls here. I think Jeffries v Johnson ultimately takes the crown, I doubt anything can rival the heat they created and that's a good thing.

Also some less obvious picks. I don't think the Bruno v Lewis issues were too serious though, few believed what each man was coming out with other than themselves.