Why does Hatton put more asses in seats than Haye?

Hatton benefitted from an early career with Frank Warren who, for all his faults, really knows how to market fighters. Warren also said once that Hatton would go anywhere and do any kind of PR stuff that he was asked to get himself known - even in between fights. I think Frank was whinging about Calzaghe at the time.

 

Hatton had Frank Warren and capitalised on the football fan factor. Hatton spent years fighting in his hometown building up a fanatical fanbase of supporters. Hatton has been going a lot longer than Haye. Plus Hatton's everyman persona strikes a cord in working class britons.

Haye promoted himself and only very recenly has made a name for himself. Not sure Hatton would have filled the O2 twice by his 22nd fight.

It's all about the promotion. Warren is the king in the UK. He'll make you a star but will rip you off in the process.

 

I don't think its due to any 1 thing but the main factor is that hatton has been around longer and is more established, few casual or non-bonixing fans knew of Haye til after the macc fight.

Hatton has also tapped into the football fans by being so vocal of his support for Manchester City and so a large portion of his fans are these people.

Also Haye's cocky attitude doesn't go down too well with the casual fans here in britain who traditionally like less brash characters like Bruno. - Eubank was never very popular because of his aloofness and superior attitude. Casual fans go for ricky and hi "one of the lads, humble still live round the corner from me mam" routine, whereas as haye is brash and lives in Cyprus half the time.

Don't get me wrong i like Haye but by no means is he a big name outside of boxing fans. For instance you never hear from Haye hardly outside the boxing media, whereas ricky will be on all the chat shows and games shows showing off his humble attitude. May be set to change if Haye can win a world HW title tho!

 

Hatton started of with a regional, football fan based support and its snowballed from there. Haye is from London and while he's tried to "connect" himself with Millwall FC in the past its harder for a cockney to pull off that type of support (plus the fact Haye has never come across as a "real" football fan like Hatton has).

Hatton has also beem around a lot longer than Haye to build up the support.

 

Simple reason: Hatton has had 46 fights and Haye has had half as many.

Hatton's crowds at a similar stage of his career were comparable to Haye's, and that's only if we disregard Haye v Maccarinelli which drew 22000 in a past midnight time slot. Hatton didn't completely sell out the MEN until he fought Tszyu iirc.

 

Maybe thats it, its hard to support a male model!!

 

Hatton is a one off phenomenon with unrivalled support. Haye is doing OK and people make too much of a big deal that he didnt sell out the huge O2 arena.

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Seen from a non-british perspective, Hatton is one of very few british fighters who seems like a likeable guy who doesn't take himself too serious. And he has faced top competition since 2005 (and was quite successfull too), and is without a doubt one of the top fighters at light welterweight/welterweight, both very strong divisions.

Haye acts like an arrogant drama-queen but at the same time he has not faced anyone besides a faded Mormeck. And now he acts like he's the second coming of Muhammad Ali. Don't even start about Maccarinelli or Fragomeni, all second-tiers. Ok he may be (superficially) exciting, but this guy is so overhyped, it's ridiculous. Of course he's gonna face the best HW out there in his next fight now and that's a good thing, if he indeed KOs Wlad like he's bragging all day long he might get more respect from non-british boxing fans, but I highly doubt he can do that.

 

Before moving up to HW Haye was very 'humble' and not brash and loud at all.

Hatton is more popular because during the WBU days he fought mainly at the MEN in Manchester and built a loyal fanbase. He had nearly 40 fights before he fought Tzsyu and once he moved into world class his following has grown and grown. Hatton seems like a normal lad who's also a world class fighter.

Haye has had just 22 fights and is already the former undisputed CW champ and is challenging the no.1 HW in the world next. He hasn't had time to builld a loyal following.

Hatton benefitted from been promoted by Frank Warren, the no.1 promoter in Britain whereas Haye has had a few promoters and now promotes himself. Until the Maccarinelli fight Haye had only fought in small arenas. If Haye beats Wlad I guess his popularity will rise massively in the UK.

 

In all fairness Haye has put more arses in seats for his 23(?) fight than Hatton did!

 

IMHO Haye has put on this persona to get himself a shortcut to a title shot, he knows he may not survive a long campaign at HW and wants his chance in the fewest fights possible.

 

That's what I think as well. Before the Mormeck, Macca fights (and earlier in his career) he came across really well.

Once he moved up he started the shittalking and I think that was all done to get the Wlad fight. If he hadn't run his mouth off he would have had to work his way up the HW ladder and take on a few tricky fights before getting a shot. His plan has worked .