Hostile crowds..

[ChuckYoungblood]

I just watched Lacy-Calzaghe again, and it's quite obvious that Lacy is very put off by the aggressive and noisy Calzaghe supporters. During his entrance he stares down at his feet and he looks like he is a kid a long way from home.

I'm not saying that the result would have been any different, if it was fought in Madison Square Garden - Calzaghe was simply invincible that night.

But the brits do make excellent supporters and Calzaghe's status in Wales is second to none, so two things:

- Can you come up with other examples of fights where the spectators played an important role?

- And how much will the crowd be able to affect Kessler-Calzaghe?

[ChuckYoungblood]

Kessler is of course more experienced than Lacy and he has fought Mundine in Australia, and he knows what to expect.

There will also be a lot more Kessler-supporters in Cardiff than Lacy had.

[David UK]

I just watched Lacy-Calzaghe again, and it's quite obvious that Lacy is very put off by the aggressive and noisy Calzaghe supporters. During his entrance he stares down at his feet and he looks like he is a kid a long way from home.

I'm not saying that the result would have been any different, if it was fought in Madison Square Garden - Calzaghe was simply invincible that night.

But the brits do make excellent supporters and Calzaghe's status in Wales is second to none, so two things:

- Can you come up with other examples of fights where the spectators played an important role?

- And how much will the crowd be able to affect Kessler-Calzaghe?

Kessler is half British so probably won't be quite as hostile as for a fully fledged foreigner!! :hey

[David UK]

There will also be a lot more Kessler-supporters in Cardiff than Lacy had.

What are you trying to say? That Americans are too scared to travel and support their fighters in far away lands? :hey

[Brickhaus]

What are you trying to say? That Americans are too scared to travel and support their fighters in far away lands? :hey

Or that it costs about 1/3 as much for Danes to get to the UK as it does for Americans, and thus there will probably be more Danes there...

[ChuckYoungblood]

Or that it costs about 1/3 as much for Danes to get to the UK as it does for Americans, and thus there will probably be more Danes there...

It seemed like Lacy had about 20 supporters. I have no idea, how many danes will come, but I my best guess would be 3-5.000.

The seats are too expensive for me though - 50-550£ - and then comes the travel, beer, hotel etc...

[Brickhaus]

It seemed like Lacy had about 20 supporters. I have no idea, how many danes will come, but I my best guess would be 3-5.000.

The seats are too expensive for me though - 50-550£ - and then comes the travel, beer, hotel etc...

Point is that Americans DO travel 200 miles to see a fight all the time,m just when they travel 200 miles, they're still in the US. I'll be heading up to NYC for Cotto-Mosley, and I live 200 miles away from NYC. Denmark to London just isn't that far, and because of the EEC, Europeans pay about 1/3 as much in tariffs as Americans do to get to Europe, not even mentioning the cost of jet fuel. I'm impressed with the way the Brits follow Hatton, but you're not going to see lots of Americans travelling to see a second or third-tier fighter. If ODLH fought in the UK (not that he ever would - nobody for him to fight there), THEN you'd probably see 3,000 Americans make the trip.

I'm actually seriously considering going to the UK for Calzaghe-Kessler though. I have to imagine the atmosphere would be insane. Unfortunately, I'll be in China just before then, and I doubt I could take the time off of work.

Back to the original question, the crowd rarely should play a role in the fight. If it does, it means the fighter is unprepared and/or mentally weak. If you're in the ring and don't have the crowd blocked out of your head, then your head is in the wrong place.

Kessler fought Mundine in a very hostile environment and soundly whipped him. I suspect he'll be better prepared for the hostile crowd than Lacy was, although it's hard for ANYONE to prepare for a crowd 60,000 strong.

[ThePlugInBabies]

If ODLH fought in the UK (not that he ever would - nobody for him to fight there), THEN you'd probably see 3,000 Americans make the trip.

actually oscar has said in the past that is was one of his dreams to fight in the uk.

[Thread Stealer]

actually oscar has said in the past that is was one of his dreams to fight in the uk.

Oscar's just yapping.

I guarantee it, Oscar ain't fighting in the UK. The rest of his fighting career will take place in Vegas.

[Thread Stealer]

I just watched Lacy-Calzaghe again, and it's quite obvious that Lacy is very put off by the aggressive and noisy Calzaghe supporters. During his entrance he stares down at his feet and he looks like he is a kid a long way from home.

I'm not saying that the result would have been any different, if it was fought in Madison Square Garden - Calzaghe was simply invincible that night.


Nobody is invincible. Calzaghe just looked invincible because he was fighting Jeff Lacy, someone he is way better than. Joe could fight Lacy in Florida and still beat him handily.


Can you come up with other examples of fights where the spectators played an important role?


Maybe Ali-Foreman in Zaire?

McGuigan-Pedroza?

Hagler-Minter. They had an important role in the aftermath.

[ChuckYoungblood]

Hagler-Minter. They had an important role in the aftermath.

Yeah, that's the fight that comes to mind. Nobody wants to fight in front of a crowd that hates you that much.

[Thread Stealer]

I think it's cool when fighters go to another fighter's hometown/country and beat them.

Like Arguello-Escalera 1, Nelson-Fenech 2, Toney-Nunn, Judah-Spinks 2.

Hamed was so obnoxious and arrogant against Robinson, although he was classy afterwards.

[Thread Stealer]

Yeah, that's the fight that comes to mind. Nobody wants to fight in front of a crowd that hates you that much.

Another bad one was Quiroga-Anifowoshe in Texas.

After a great fight in which Quiroga won a decision (kind of a hometown one), Anifowoshe collapses. They carry him out on a stretcher, and some idiots in the crowd chant "DOA, DOA".

Anifowoshe barely survives after a coma and surgery, but never fights again, and dies a couple years later due to "brain injuries".

[marting]

I just watched Lacy-Calzaghe again, and it's quite obvious that Lacy is very put off by the aggressive and noisy Calzaghe supporters. During his entrance he stares down at his feet and he looks like he is a kid a long way from home.

I'm not saying that the result would have been any different, if it was fought in Madison Square Garden - Calzaghe was simply invincible that night.

But the brits do make excellent supporters and Calzaghe's status in Wales is second to none, so two things:

- Can you come up with other examples of fights where the spectators played an important role?

- And how much will the crowd be able to affect Kessler-Calzaghe?

Lacy himself admitted to being intimidated by the hostile crowd. The thing that's probably just as important though is the effect the hometown crowd has on Calzaghe. I think he definitely benefits from it in terms of confidence. So it's really a doubling effect.

Lacy had fought in England before though. Birmingham stated that they wanted him to get used to the extraordinary experience.

The one example of a hostile crowd that I recall vividly was when Carlos Zarate traveled to Puerto Rico to fight Wilfredo Gomez. That crowd was a like a pack of frothing dogs. I think even the referee was scared.

[warrior85]

every fighter says the crowd doesnt matter bcoz theirs just 2 guys in the ring,so i dont think the crowd has ever influenced the outcome of a fight(not if the fighter is a true pro)

[Thread Stealer]

The one example of a hostile crowd that I recall vividly was when Carlos Zarate traveled to Puerto Rico to fight Wilfredo Gomez. That crowd was a like a pack of frothing dogs. I think even the referee was scared.

The ref might've been scared to penalize dirty Gomez, like he should have.

[DamonD]

Can work both ways though. I can think of a couple American fighters easy that seemed to get utterly spooked out by a very big crowd cheering for them...pressure is pressure.

I always felt the rabid support for Bruno in Bruno-McCall helped him cling on for those last couple rounds.