AJ has got himself in to a position where he can do this but he didn't have to.. so you have to tip your hat to him. And let's have it right here, AJ shouldn't have had to do this, this Government has tossed money up the wall, given friends of friends bumper contracts for all sorts of stuff recently, handed out millions to sports like F1 and yet boxing is ignored. Yet these same people in government and parliament that will get a spot on Question Time and rattle on about stopping knife crime, violence, street crime and say youth need focus and places to go and things to do. We've had Marcus Rashford getting free school meals for children, this shouldn't be the responsibility of sports men and women, this should be taken care of by the people we have put in government and parliament. Anyway, How many more stories of young men who were going down a bad road and turned their lives around through boxing do the need before they start investing in boxing clubs? AJ has put his money where his mouth is and you have to respect that even if you dislike him. Nobody is below praise and nobody above criticism, so let's praise him for a very generous action and hope this prompts a real conversation
I'm not sure you've quite understood my point. I haven't knocked Joshua nor have I suggested it was for PR from his point of view. My only gripe was Sky pushing it themselves as it detracts a bit from the act and will make some people see it as contrived. Better to let it leak organically. As above though, it may have been pushed from Sky in an attempt to pressurise Government into contributing which is far more understandable. I don't agree RE: Fowler. If you have followed the whole context, Fowler has broadcast it when he didn't need to. He could still have done a good deed but gone about it quietly. He could have arranged it via DM to the man in question, instead he made a choice to broadcast it to his 75000 followers. Some will say it's to 'raise awareness' and get the followers to contribute too - but seeing what Fowler is like, it was so clearly for validation and 'pats on the back'.
I’d quite like to see Sky broadcast amateur tournaments- it’s good solid content which would allow for narrative building if Matchroom sign any fighter to a professional deal. Fair play to Joshua for this contribution and will keep clubs going in the short term.
I dont really see the problem. Fowlers done a good deed...good on him...even if it was solely just to make himself look and feel good. Essentially the needy are still getting what they need. I reckon we should stop all this you can only give secretely thing. A good deed should be rewarded. There should never be any negativity towards giving imo. The guy that rewards should be made to feel good. Thats how its always worked. We,ve just got so busy becoming negative....we,ve even managed to turn giving into a negative thing. I say good on fowler regardless of his motivation. Plus people see that and it encourages others. Their maybe not in the same priveleged position as some are...but the majority of us can all give something back in our own way...and its allright to tell others about it and feel good about ourselves while we do it imo. Who cares the motivation. People are stepping up...and should be rewarded for it imo anyway.
Haha just rewatched a little of that. Fowler with his fake smile, his fake laugh, his fake bravado. Everything about him is so transparent. Then you've got the fact that he was trained by that little weasel Penfold. Two massive prats. After the final bell you also had the Adam Smith chiming in with "and there's the respect". There's no respect between them at all!
Tories don't even pretend much to care about helping working class or deprived inner city areas though, to be fair. That's what Tory is, look out for the rich and the toffs and total contempt for working class, especially the inner cities and the north. **** the poor, that's the Tory philosophy. But modern British people, even many of the working class, prefer Tory to Labour and often because they know Labour will "spend too much" on "social" programmes. People don't want their taxes going towards other people. That's the bottom line. So, realistically, national and local grass roots amateur boxing programmes will rely on cash donations from people who have made it big like Anthony Joshua and other stars of the professional game, as well as help from local charitable groups. Government will not help much ever. It's probably best for boxing to look after itself because I can't see anything changing. The problem is, the amateur game becomes too reliant on the money from the professional game, and before we know it, professional stars and managers like Joshua, Hearn, Fury, Warren, Haye, whoever .... become the known patrons of amateur boxing, and there's a slight conflict of interest, as the officials who run the amateur game will look to make the amateur system profitable to certain donors who make their business in the pro game. Although that's much much better than the alternative, where on one hand boxing dies out and on the other a lot of those kids who could have been saved by boxing end up in gangs and prisons.
I think you make some good points, and I can completely see your side. I don't agree at all though, I think it detracts from the good dead if the motivations are primarily about yourself. I am not going to agree with you on this as it's something I feel very strong about. I think you make a strong case but I won't budge on this so we should probably leave it there to save clogging up the thread. Good discussion anyway, made me think about it. Hope you have a great Christmas
Yeah no one has the right set of answers or opinions to it all mate...we,ve just got our own answers or opinions and there right to us. Have a good christmas buddy.
I'm from North London and my local ABC has been doing JustGiving and asking for donations left, right and centre. AJ has always shown love to the amateur game. He's dropped by the gym on numerous occasions and donated things for our dinner show raffles. Despite what's been said about him on here in various threads, he's a straight-up guy.
Joshua's PR team definitely haunt this place. Gets criticism for not calling Fury out after the fight, appears on IFL claiming he will knock him out a week later. Gets criticism for insisting on a higher PPV price point, publicises donations to amateur boxing a week later. Nice chunk of the marketing budget well spent by his brand manger. AJ knows how to earn even when it seems like he is giving.
To be fair to Coyle, he does **** loads of charities and his local community. I saw someone ask why he filmed the homeless thing (among other stuff he had done) and his stance was that it was nice to see something nice, which is fair enough. Most do it for clout but I think he's sincere
Ye, if agree with that bud. He's known as a real hard worker who puts a lot into his community. I was just casting my mind back and it was funny at the time
