**** it was a pleasure to watch him. the clubs use to be full, standing romm only. nearly every person i knew use to go and watch his fights. the place would go nuts if he ko'd the other bloke. how long before we get another like him? too long.
imo he had a similar following to that of a Mike Tyson, rarely do fighters like this appear on the scene and when they do boxing fans pay attention. I miss fighter like Mike Tyson and Kostya
these were people that knew nothing about boxing at all. they just wanted to watch a STAR. it didn't matter what sport it was, they just supported the aussie.
Kostya is certainly missed, as are the likes of Lester Ellis and Jeff Fenech. The interest generated by these guys penetrated way beyond just the boxing fans, and the media got milage out of them too - a win/win that hasn't been in evidence in boxing for some time.
If the ****en Oz media would give fighters like Kats, Zappa & Wild Will some decent coverage & exposure than we could build them like the Fenechs & Kostya's. Of course they all have to reach their max potential but whilst the media continue to concentrate on Mandy & Green's so called illustrious career's that are on the rise at 35 & 37 yrs of age, it simply won't happen.
Fair points Roscoe. The newspaper media's focus is solely on selling more newspapers, nothing else matters to them. Likewise, the television execs focus on ratings, nothing else matters. The only way TV stations and newspapers will get behind boxing is if they clearly see something in it for THEM, and the only way that will happen is if there's a groundswell of support for boxing that drives the media to think they can ride the wave too.
thats why i said a while back, and don't laugh, alex leapai should go to germany and go on one of their reality shows to get known, cause the germans would worship him the way he fights and they r proven to follow the heavies. have u stopped laughing yet?
Alex is good but he dont have that freak of nature good about him like Kostya and Tyson did, i think its that side of it that draws the non boxing fans to the sport, they are amazed at what these guys can do its almost superman like, their dominance over fighters as bever mentions i rekon helped a tone towards that superman type image. Couldnt agree with you more roscoe, i think if Katsidis was bowling them over like KT was the media would follow, because KT was co promoted by Bill Mordey he really got his name out there and it was done quite well , pretty much fenech style imo , he had the people backing him etc. Its as much about bussines as it is about preforming and i dont think Katsidis people have done much to build him up in Australia bussiness wise, i think they are waiting for him to win a world title and then sell him to the local audience back here in australia. cumdine and green have the media in the palm of their hands, a catch 22 for boxers like Katsidis who must prove themselfs first before the media will follow. I think he has proven himself more than cumdine and green but he needs to win that world title in doing so not just take on the best fighters in the world, the same type of fighters Green and Cumdine duck time and time again.
