International Boxing Fans:The Boxing World's Necessary Evil

Real boxing fans, particularly American boxing fans, know good fights when they see them. They know who they want to see, and which boxers can sell out a stadium.

But a lot of them (not all) see the sport in what I consider to be a "Professional Sports" point of view. Which is the reason why it does not make sense to them how a Manny Pacquiao fight can carry even a bigger purse and sell more tickets than a Floyd Mayweather fight.

To them, whoever is the better boxer will sell more tickets. And honestly, that makes a lot of sense.

Enter the Pacquiao fans.

They are some of the most annoying fans the boxing world has ever seen. On top of it all, they are probably the least knowledgeable boxing fans in the world.

Yet a lot of them claim to know something about the sport. They are definitely not someone you can have an educated and objective debate with. They simply buy their tickets and cheer blindly for their idol.

I bet half of them don't even know who the opponent is.

Some so called purists believe this is an embarrassment to the sport.

What is blatantly obvious, yet a lot of American boxing fans seem to fail to understand is that Pacquiao fans are Filipinos. They don't see things in a "Professional Sports" point of view.

Filipinos see Pacquiao as someone who can bring a little pride to a small impoverished nation.

But Pacquiao is not alone.

Almost every international boxer who comes to the United States is seen as someone who has the chance to bring pride to their country; which basically equates to a lot of fans who really don't know anything about the sport buying tickets for the fight and ordering those pay-per-views.

When Manny Pacquiao fights, it is the Philippines fighting.

When Ricky Hatton fights, it is Great Britain who is fighting.

When Miguel Cotto fights, it is Puerto Rico who is fighting.

When any great Mexican fights, it is Mexico fighting.

Catch my point?

How many Americans outside of boxing fans even know about the Super Six Super Middleweight tournament going on?

How many Americans know about Andre Ward's great victory over Mikkel Kessler?

I'm willing to bet more Danish people know.

How many American girlfriends or wives will know who Roy Jones Jr. is?

I bet it won't be as much as Filipino women who know who Pacquiao is.

American boxing fans have to realize these international fans who know nothing about the sport bring in a lot of money. They are a necessary evil and are a significant part of what is keeping the sport they love afloat.