Which Classic Fighter Had The Most Fanatical Fanbase?

John L Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Roberto Duran, JCC and Barry McGuigan.

 

In my opinion Muhammad Ali.

 

Larry Holmes. You'd swear he never lost a round, got knocked down, or struggled with supposedly inferior fighters. He gets defended on here like he's barely a shade under Ali's greatness at the GOAT. It's delusional, really.

 

I dont know if it was fanatical support but if you are talking about being loved then look no further than Frank Bruno

 

Duran's fans were pretty fanatical. He was so popular at one point that the Panamanian government said he no longer had to pay taxes.

Then he quit against Leonard, and the venom of those fans got dangerous. (Of course, the government rescinded its no-taxes gift, too.)

Sometimes you don't know how fanatical fans are until the fighter disappoints them.

 

Mike Tyson (well, you said the criteria was pre-1990). He has fanatical fans that weren't even alive when Tyson was champion and undefeated (until the age of 23, that is).

 

Julio Cesar Chavez

 

Ricky Hatton deserves a mention.

In revisionism, it has to be Marciano hands down.

 

I'll do my best to top it but this will probably be the wrongest post on the thread anyway.

 

Duran and Holmes were mentioned. Marciano, Dempsey, and Tyson. All very exciting fighters to watch whose fans get a bit carried away.

 

Mike Tyson and roberto Duran.

 

Julio César Chávez more than any heavyweight champ. May have been other Hispanic fighter greater popularity but not sure however Chavez was a god to Mexicans and other Hispanics.