Mayweather/De La Hoya fight - interest?

[Lonhro]

Being from (and in) Australia, it's obvious that we have less interest over here in this than the States, or wherever the hell De La Hoya is from. However, it's getting quite a bit of advertisment over here in the past 6 or so weeks, and there's a ton of it in the past few days.

So - is it really this big over there? I'm talking like as big as is portrayed in those old Simpsons episodes where everyone turns up to Homer's joint to watch the fight? Or back in the days when John Goodman held boxing night on "Roseanne"?

FWIW I never used to be a boxing fan but over the past couple of years I have really gotten into it, and reading up/watching a lot of the aforementioned's fights has got me really psyched to watch this fight on the weekend. He's arrogant as, but go Mayweather. I think he's something special, a champion of the generation. Hopefully I'm right.

[Yeti]

http://x.go.com/cgi/x.pl?name=SEARCH_esp...=simmons/070425

[daryn]

it's pretty big, in that i am not even a huge boxing fan and i want to order it and watch with my dad

[Blarg]

Boxing is still big over here, but it has died as a mainstream sport with typical press coverage. Write ups are either minimal or non-existent for virtually every fight, and even the big ones might get only a quick prefight Friday write-up and then an article on Sunday after the fight.

That being said, this fight is very big, and Oscar especially is a huge earner on pay per view. I'm looking forward to this one a lot, and have three of the four pre-fight specials being run. I will see the fight and have been looking for it for a long time. I have their entire careers so far.

[Blarg]

I also agree that Mayweather is really something special. I like Oscar a lot, especially that he both uses his jab a lot and that it is an incredibly good jab. He's also got a fantastic liver shot. He's a good bit older now, though, and probably not at this best. Being that Mayweather is at his best, and Mayweather's best is truly great, I don't predict a win for Oscar.

The only thing is that Mayweather has fought a lot of tomato cans, and Oscar has fought a much higher percentage of truly solid fighters. And, Oscar at his best gets better under pressure, which of course Mayweather will apply. I'd just hate to see Oscar go out ridiculed in typical Mayweather fashion.

[JayA]

There's talk that this could be the last "big" fight in boxing for a while. Also, it helps that Mayweather says he's the best fighter to ever live a la ESPN The Magazine cover.

[absoludicrous]

Mayweather > Ali

[MyNameIsSamSnead]

Yes this fight is huge and is momentarily breathing new life into the sport. But after this weekend is over, PPV and HBO will go back to airing fights with sub-par contenders that no one cares about and boxing will succumb to the impenetrable force that is UFC.

And Mayweather will dominate.

[Blarg]

Yes, but we must blame Mayweather for his choice of opponents. Unfortunately, boxing has become a sport where you can still make a ton of money, if you're one of the top men, fighting people who barely provide a challenge. This is one reason Mayweather doesn't make anywhere near the money he could, and is not really a big earner in boxing. He usually doesn't fight anyone worth paying to see fight, and then completely dominates them. But hey, if it were my face being punched, I'd probably do the same thing.

[RichGangi]

[ QUOTE ]
So - is it really this big over there? I'm talking like as big as is portrayed in those old Simpsons episodes where everyone turns up to Homer's joint to watch the fight? Or back in the days when John Goodman held boxing night on "Roseanne"?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes. Biggest/best fight in a long time IMO. One can only hope it lives up to the hype. FWIW, Im betting Mayweather big. I dont see him losing to De la Hoya here.