Who started Trash Talking in Boxing really ?

It would be too easy to say Ali. However, I do believe Jack Sharkey started the staredown. The story goes that he got in Dempsey's face during instructions (or maybe just grimacing) and it caught Dempsey unawares to the point he said to a cornerman, "What's he doing?"

 

As we know it, Galento.

 

It’s been around forever to quote Freud society was built when one man threw an insult instead of a rock.

 

Probably Sullivan

 

Trash talk is older than boxing

 

John L Sullivans exact catchphrase was "My name's John L. Sullivan and I can lick any son-of-a-***** alive" he said this while introducing himself to people in public. Belittling other people with insults and claiming your superiority over them is pretty much trash talking 101. Then there's the fact that John was a mean drunk, I'm sure a man of his character was no stranger at hurling insults wherever he went.

 

I have to imagine the bare knuckle fighters were quite adept at talking trash. Maybe it goes back to antiquity? I feel like the eastern martial arts are more about showing respect and reverence to your opponent than western fighters are. Maybe that's related to Buddhism? Muay Thai fighters don't trash talk each other.

 

I’ve always loved Dempsey’s reactive “What’s he doing?”

And nearly 100 years after that fact, with the concept and motives behind stare downs well established, we had AJ inexplicably asking Helenius WHY he kept staring at AJ at the weigh in.

One flew East and one flew West…

 

Bombastic John L def. qualifies as a trash talker.

Corbett spoke his fair share also - and very much cowardly so in Reno when Jack fought Jeff.

I would include Jack Johnson without hesitation and say that he was far better at it than his predecessors and also a lot better than many wannabes are today.

Johnson in Reno - “I devoutly hope that punch didn’t hurt you Mr Jeff” or words very close to that effect.

 

He did - such irony that they prefaced Corbett to be a “Gentleman”.