Do you prefer boxers who talk no bull/ always respect opponents and act gentlemanly?

Dick Tiger was like that, and he's one of my favourites. Burley, he's my very favourite, and he wouldn't even bad mouth the guys that ducked him, never mind the guys he's fought.

Now fighters are almost expected to curse each other out so guys like Cotto are refreshing, classy.

But I have to be honest and anser "no". I like men who are true to themselves and what's within them. Hopkins is genuinely the man he portrays, so is Ricky Hatton. Even though they are different, I respect them equally.

What I dislike is a fighter pretending to be something he's not for the camera, talking BS and acting all threatening because "That's the done thing". That's the only thing that tires me out.

 

Honestly though, it's whatever is best for the fighter himself. Of course, as a general rule a young fighter should be encouraged to act with what you or I might call class but if that class spills over into passivity pre-fight that can create a problem for a fighter. The psyche can be a delicate thing. If an fighter is easily rattled by a physical confrontation that calls for a different attitude again.

I'm afraid in this business a fighter has to be encouraged to take upon himself whatever attitude would help him get the job done. Hopkins rattled Wright ahead of their fight. That helped him to win. No question.

 

In tandem with my original answer about honesty, that's probably about right. I've no objection to a fighter shouting and screaming the odds (Ali, Hopkins) if it's natural and reasoned. Of course there is a limit. Ali's raning about Gorrila's ahead of the Frazier match is a ****ing disgrace. But the fighter is bound by common decency only.

"You're in there, you're risking your health...you're not in there to dance...whatever you can do within the rules to give yourself that edge [is acceptable]."

A young Mike Tyson to Harry Carpenter.