Media Review: Whatever you think of showboating, Ben Whittaker proves that it has an undeniable effect on audiences

By George Gigney

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Showboating generally is a hot-button subject in boxing. Some will argue that it’s disrespectful and pointless, others will declare there’s nothing mistaken with a bit of flamboyancy if a fighter is feeling comfy sufficient to do it. Light-heavyweight prospect Ben Whittaker is proving that, no matter you think of showboating, it has an undeniable effect on audiences.

During his one-sided stoppage victory over Khalid Graidia final week, Whittaker – who has displayed some type of ‘flashiness’ in all six of his skilled wins to this point – went full Naseem Hamed. He was dancing, dropping his palms, ducking and weaving and totally embarrassing an overmatched Graidia.

There is, clearly, quite a bit to be stated in regards to the degree of opposition – Graidia doesn’t have a successful document, regarded sluggish and continuously attacked whereas sq. on. And Whittaker, an Olympic silver-medallist, was nicely conscious of this. He knew there was a gulf in school and used the chance to not simply notch one other win, however to essentially create some waves in what was in any other case a nondescript match-up.

Clips of Whittaker’s showboating shortly racked up hundreds of thousands of views on social media. Whittaker very properly posted the perfect ones to his personal account and pulled in 100,000 new followers actually in a single day. He was invited onto Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour present, a big platform inside fight sports activities.

So Whittaker achieved precisely what he got down to do; get individuals’s consideration. It’s one thing that Teofimo Lopez, who fought this previous weekend, has additionally managed to take action nicely over the previous few years. It’s not nearly successful, it’s about trying good whereas doing it.

Fair play to Whittaker. As a lot as individuals will moan about him showboating in opposition to journeymen, it’s nonetheless not an straightforward factor to do and you can’t deny the affect it’s had on his profile. He’s now ensured that there shall be a lot extra individuals all in favour of his fights from right here on in.

One gear within the ‘hype’ machine that might do with changing is fighters’ insistence on confronting one another in public, with individuals filming it on their telephones. Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia – who not too long ago confirmed they may struggle one another later this yr – are the most recent duo to play out this overused trope. They went head-to-head, apparently livid with each other, earlier than ultimately being break up aside.

It’s genuinely actually boring. There are extra attention-grabbing methods to promote a struggle. There’s no method they dislike one another a lot that they have to virtually come to blows every time they meet.

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When the information broke that Tyson Fury had suffered a minimize in sparring and his superfight with Oleksandr Usyk was to be postponed, there have been numerous doubters and conspiracy theories. Thanks to footage and dwell video interviews with Fury, it’s been made clear that he was legitimately minimize – it occurs, and it sucks.

But there are nonetheless many who usually are not satisfied Fury will truly struggle Usyk, regardless of the struggle being signed. The likes of Carl Froch, George Groves and Timothy Bradley have all been on video this week talking about their doubts round Fury truly following by means of with the brand new date in opposition to Usyk.

In equity to them, Fury’s monitor document is working in opposition to him right here. There have been situations of him pulling out of fights and he’s infamous for altering his thoughts in an on the spot. But let’s minimize him slack, we could? The minimize on his eye is a nasty one and he wanted a number of stitches for it. He additionally seems to be in terrific form; he’s clearly been working arduous for what’s, on paper, one of the hardest challenges of his profession.

Fury shall be incomes an eye-watering quantity for this struggle – even when he was afraid of shedding to Usyk, as his detractors declare, why would he stroll away from such an astronomical sum?

As a boxing fan, it might be extra smart to maintain your anticipation in examine and never get too excited till each males have walked to the ring, however the place’s the enjoyable in that? Fights of this magnitude and significance don’t come round usually, so this author is selecting to belief all these concerned that it will happen on the brand new date.

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As talked about, super-lightweight Lopez picked up one other win on the weekend, outpointing Jamaine Ortiz in Las Vegas. It was an unconvincing and, finally, slim win for Lopez however the extra alarming half of the present was his post-fight interview. He determined to go on an almost-impossible-to-follow rant that talked about Rosa Parks, pyramids and a homophobic remark directed on the crowd. Not even Lopez’ father, who’s often the one spouting nonsense, appeared to know what was going on.

When thought-about within the context of Lopez’ earlier honesty about his psychological well being and the struggles he’s had outdoors of preventing, his behaviour after this struggle is regarding. In the times main as much as the Ortiz struggle, Bob Arum – Lopez’ promoter – was telling journalists that he had by no means seen Teofimo in such a very good headspace. Those phrases are actually ringing relatively hole.

There’s clearly one thing to be stated about how boxers in all probability shouldn’t be interviewed instantly after they’ve simply fought. And this isn’t the primary time Lopez has gone off the wall in an interview, so it’s arduous to argue this was utterly out of character. But nonetheless, this didn’t precisely come throughout as a person on prime of his demons. Hopefully Lopez is doing no matter he must do outdoors of boxing to be content material and mentally wholesome.

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