Marketing Of British Bouts

There is an emerging trend of British bouts being sold based on the premise both fighters have a seething hatred of one another:

Fury vs Chisora
Cleverly vs Bellew
Saunders vs Eubank Jr.
A potential bout between Khan and Brook.

This comes on the back of "hatefests" such as:

Haye vs Chisora
Froch vs Groves
Groves vs DeGale

Obviously, boxing is a pain game and grudge matches have always been part of the business -- it would be ridiculous to expect fighters to be fond of one another -- however, is there now a lack of respect for one another?

If not (fighters tend to show respect for one another after the bout's culmination) what does it say about the domestic game if fights are being sold in this manner? And is that setting the sport up for a fall (should someone end up seriously injured)?

I always find the hatred a little wrestlemania like, the fighters hate each other, say nasty things about each other, push and shove each other, fight. Then man hug the crap out of each other and say how much they respect each other.

I think it the case such as benn eubank the tension and hate is real however in most cases it doesnt seem genuine to me

Not sure if there's any hatred in those fights mentioned. I think Froch Groves was a personality clash more than anything and the perceived friction between them sold the fight. Hostilities certainly seemed to cool as the second fight approached and it was obvious that they were making each other millionaires.

So to answer the question, I think a 'grudge match' is an important tool to sell a domestic fight. It's not every day that two evenly matched talents in the same weight division, from the same country come around at the same time. So if they do, and one is more popular or talented than the other, a perceived level of hostility levels the playing field for the buying public. Haye fought two mismatches in Chisora and Audley Harrison but the public lapped it up because there was a score to settle and dislike between the fighters (even if I thought it was all a bit naff and false).

So, is this the way fights will be marketed going forward? What happens to fighters who can't play the game (in pretending to have "beef")?

Well, it's nothing new is it? But those who can't play the game can indeed be left behind. Boxing isn't like other sports where the best always face the best, you need a unique selling point to get ahead. Hatton wasn't a trash talker but was seen as an 'Everyman' that people could relate to.

Always helps if you have a natural rival, someone to bounce off.

I've never known there be as many fights sold as grudge fights, especially domestically. It's always happened but of late, it seems every big fight HAS to include this element.

Agreed. Maybe it's indicative of the society we live in, with social media people aren't exactly as shy and retiring as they once were. You see fighters, trainers, promoters getting into the 'my Dad's harder than your Dad'. Brought us closer together so inevitable that it gets personal. That's obviously just one part of it but I think sport in general has become a bit more hostile in recent times.

I guess it works. I dont have a problem with it as long as it delivers in the ring.

I find the Bellew/Cleverly thing pretty sorry ass. A never ending build up as if this fight is something special. Bellew especially could do with less of the mouth when he doesnt deliver on it.

Bellew's terrible for it. Totally agree he talks the biggest fight in boxing and then never delivers. Although I will say, like Froch, he's another one of those I enjoy listening to when he isn't talking about himself.