Being mean keeps them keen!

After reading about the lovely gesture Wladimir Klitschko paid towards a former opponent I wondered what you're views are on the following? A few years ago Mikkel Kessler wrote a letter and made it public. In this letter he vented his frustration at not finding the big fights his talents deserve. Kessler called the "VIKING WARRIOR" talked about how he had been nothing but a gentlmen in his career never taking a swipe at any fellow fighter and never trash talking. Sounds just like the Klitschkos who although more successful have suffered from their gentlmen of the sport persona.

I wonder how the brothers would be viewed had they employed a more meaner attitude or persona even if it was a put on. Lets be honest almost every heavyweight boxing champion that we remember fondly to this day had some sort of edge to them with the exception of say Marciano. Having such a persona never hurt Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Muhummad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, etc and it was also good for the game as the public each time responded to it. Boxing fans love a little drama and entertainment value for our well earned money and although we may slate the trash talking exploits of some fighters we at least secretly love it.

I think the likes of Kessler and the Klitschkos should trash talk a little. In Kessler's case I think he should speak out and show a little balls before the fight. Yeah its good that he is a good role model but in boxing it never hurts to have a little needle. The klitschkos to their credit could have employed such tactic a long time ago as they have been in the game for some time but as they are viewed as boring by most I think they missed the boat on this one.

Joe Louis, Joe Frazier, Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, Gene Tunney, Sugar Ray Robinson, Benny Leonard, as well as the aforementioned Marciano, never needed the mean persona, and thrived in all respects while they were fighting. I would question whether Dempsey ever really had one, and at least with Ali, it was obviously tongue in cheek most of the time.

The genuinely mean sobs, like Ketchel, Monzon, Duran, Liston and so on were doing what came naturally to them. The modern phenomenon that is someone like Haye talking about gang r*pe and wearing T-shirts with severed heads is simply a product of his time. We're a bit less shockable today, but you can still have a quiet persona and make a ton of cash out of the sport, providing you're good enough.

Think for the heavyweights for some reason a bit of an edge to their persona or controversy does seem to chime with the public. However would take issue with a couple of your examples. Johnson was slaughtered for his personality, prosecuted for the Mann act and forced into earning peanuts in exile fighting the likes of Jim Johnson.

Likewise Liston's out of ring reputation and criminal record provided the pretence for D'amato to shut him out of the title picture for a good few years something the ruling powers sat on their hands and watched happen.

Manny Pacquaio, anyone? He won't be short of a few bob.

Fists of Fury wrote:Manny Pacquaio, anyone? He won't be short of a few bob.

Rumour has it that he is broke.

Vitali should have never spoke in public his whole career and played to the robot image more, would be real intimitading to fight someone like that who just means business.

bellchees wrote:Vitali should have never spoke in public his whole career and played to the robot image more, would be real intimitading to fight someone like that who just means business.

I would have liked to have seen that, Ivan Drago style.

Tyson stating that he was the "baddest man on the planet" has stuck with him to this day. I think boxing fans expect a little more from heavyweight champs then just the let the best man win approach.

The genius of PBF wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:Manny Pacquaio, anyone? He won't be short of a few bob.

Rumour has it that he is broke.

For real?

Dazstarr wrote:

The genius of PBF wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:Manny Pacquaio, anyone? He won't be short of a few bob.

Rumour has it that he is broke.

For real?

Not in the way you mean. Rumours abound that D4 finally caught Manny and had his wicked way with him. Manny is rarely seen sitting down these days. Claims he is "too busy to stand" are met with scorn and childish sniggering

DAVE667 wrote:

Dazstarr wrote:

The genius of PBF wrote:

Fists of Fury wrote:Manny Pacquaio, anyone? He won't be short of a few bob.

Rumour has it that he is broke.

For real?

Not in the way you mean. Rumours abound that D4 finally caught Manny and had his wicked way with him. Manny is rarely seen sitting down these days. Claims he is "too busy to stand" are met with scorn and childish sniggering

Vitali seems mean enough