The Hard Core v The Casual...
If you’re excited for the Joshua v Klitschko fight next weekend, keep it to yourself!
Once again opinions amongst boxing fans have been split into two camps, on one side you have the ‘hard core’ and on the other the ‘casual’.
These classifications of boxing fandom aren’t official by the way; primarily they are assigned by self-proclaimed ‘hard cores’. If you view yourself as a ‘hard-core’ then it means you can shout it out as loud as you want, your opinion on boxing is gospel and anyone that you view as a ‘casual’ will be branded such for life!
The ‘hard-core’ tends to be those who have a penchant for old school boxing, like the good old days. Or at least that’s what their twitter profiles suggest; irony is simply too much for some.
The casuals on the other hand dip in and out of boxing fandom, maybe when their favourite boxer fights and don’t even know what ‘small hall show’ means let alone have ever attended one. Or at least that’s what the hard core would have you believe.
The divide has always interested me. When I attend boxing shows (which is as often as I can but only when finances allow) I tend to find myself looking down my nose at those who only arrive for the main event just before 10pm whilst giving a gentle nod of appreciation to those that have stuck it out through dozens of 4 and 6 rounders, a couple of half decent domestic level scraps and the chief support since doors opened at 5. Does that make me a hard core?
What makes it even more interesting is the volume of ‘hard cores’ that take to the very modern platform of Twitter to share their detest for all things modern in boxing and the hankering for the days of Leonard, Hagler, Eubank and Benn- anyone else noticed it’s only ever those fighters that are mentioned when reminiscing?
My betting is that the majority of the ‘hard core’ who long for those days, aren’t even old enough to have seen these fights when they actually happened and their only chance of seeing them has been on YouTube…
Boxing, by many people’s admissions is a sport that is enjoying a sort of rebirth. It spent many years hidden away in the darkness with a lack of viable promoters, TV coverage and a lack of appeal for whatever reason to mass sport viewing audience.
In recent times an increase in good quality television coverage, competition between promoters and progression in terms of the quality of the product being delivered at events has seen a rise in the popularity of boxing. Attendances and television viewing figures that would normally only be associated with football matches coupled with an abundance of British world champions should be celebrated and not criticised.
I am in my late 20’s, I am too young to remember Eubank v Benn, I wasn’t around to witness Hagler, Hearns and Leonard in the flesh but I enjoy watching boxing.
In terms of respect for sportsman I place boxers at the very top of the tree. The sacrifices they make when in camp, the limits they push their bodies to only to then climb into a ring on their own and have some other bloke try to punch their head off- that deserves the utmost respect.
I don’t only watch boxing when certain fighters are on, but I don’t subscribe to Box Nation as I can’t afford it- does this make me a Matchroom hype train casual (that’s a whole different breed of casual I believe) or does it just make a boxing fan who has become a victim to the money men regardless of what side they sit on?
I probably know more about the sport than some do, but I wouldn’t profess to having Spencer Fearon-esque knowledge of the game- be it historical or present day fighters.
For anyone that enjoys watching a sport, do simply that- enjoy! Embrace others that also enjoy it regardless of their commitment to it or their knowledge of the most obscure pieces of trivia.
Leave off of the petty criticisms on social media, ignore the bloke that arrives at the arena clad in memorabilia for the main event (no matter how much of a prat he may look) and enjoy the sport because you want to, it could very well disappear out of the spotlight again and then we’d be left scrabbling around for YouTube clips of Dave Ryan v John Wayne Hibbert to reminisce about the good old times when boxing was on TV almost every weekend and in front of packed out arenas.
If anyone wants to argue this article, we can do it the old school way (whatever that is? Pigeon or something) or you can simply find me on Twitter @ILoveYorkHallBecauseIt’sBoxingDoneProper!
Only joking @Deano4x8 or @TheBoxingBanter