Does the Idea of the "Great White Hope" Still Exist?

Well none of the hw champs are black. So no.

 

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I think the concept became prety redundant when all the belts fell into the Klitschko household.

There is perhaps a search for an American hope.

 

No, besides boxing isn't as big of a sport than in Jack Johnson's era. And the boxing audience isn't as racist.

 

The really ridiculous thing about Tommy is that his mother is an Arapaho... Something was never played up, not even in his epic battle with Blackfoot Joe Hipp.

 

As a marketing tool, definitely. White fighters can be pushed along with that angle, and they just sell more tickets.

On the grand scheme, though, no, not really. All races are incredibly well represented in boxing nowadays at the top level, and the Klitschko's, white Europeans, dominate the heavyweight division. So it's not really a necessary marketing tactic at the very top level, and the racial overtones of desperately needing to prove white people are superior doesn't exist much anymore beyond the welfare, shanty-town south. We aren't in a post-racial world, but I think we've come far enough to be, by and large, beyond that relic.

Most I've heard of it is seeing some regional kid being pushed as a white hope in hopes of making him more money.

 

The funny thing is that most European heritage people dont use the word White, skin color can be described by a fruit or a vegetable, olive skinned, yellow skinned, mustard colored, orange,eggplant, peach, rusty,dark, etc and its not an offensive phrase just descriptive.

The first Whites in America were of English decent and were from a cold region and were of pale flesh

The early years of boxing was a mix of the hungry both color was divided into sides like the rest of the USA. When Jack Johnson won the title he did much for the world of hate for most to want it not to happen again and the USA, but I think the term White hope started in his era and kind of stuck

White fighters dominated most of boxing until Joe Louis who was a positive force and his image opened the gates for blacks in boxing although not so fast, Charles and Walcott were champions until a dominant heavyweight American of Italian decent took the title and then only a flash INGO took the title from Patterson and gave it back until the next white champions was a South African Coetzee and he and Holmes did never unify, his reign was short.


back in the 60-70's when the American were in the market you did get a rare white fighter, Quarry, Chuvalo and a few but they were not as prevalent as the blacks from the USA the reason being that Boxing was a very rough sport and the hunger level had to be high and amateur boxing as a foundation was not as common as today

The 80's saw a minority of white Africans Dutch and English dominate African heavyweight boxing and Gerrie Coetzee was also a force in the USA and world boxing. America had Gerry Cooney a NY amateur star golden glove middleweight champ but he was rushed to a title fight without ever fighting beyond 8 rounds, I think he was fragile for a big guy but had one of the best left hooks to the head and body but a one-handed fighter.

These days the opening of the former Soviet Union and deep amateur talent from the east changed the whole parameter of Boxing and allowed fighters that were always competitive with USA fighters to compete and grow as professional fighters. White Fighters from Europe and now were allowed to compete professionally and the Poles,Ukrainians, Italians, other Soviet country's made there mark from the amateur competition into the pro ranks.

I think today the Americans may be looking for an American hope and whether he is brown, white, olive skinned, tan, high yalla, he will do.

As far as the Klitschko's some will call them white but they came up tough though regimented, they had there slums and plenty of tough hoods but had shelter and a military father so they were not poor.

I think the hard core prejudiced may be looking for a black hope if they are black and a white hope if they are white and the patriotic American or English are looking for a champ despite color from there soil but the term White hope is something from a day past

 

it was always the Great White american Hope and it still is, i doubt alan minter had alot of american fans when he was fighting or henry cooper

 

That's why Rocky is so popular.

 

No.

The "White Hope" was a product of a time of extreme racial prejudice: the American Caucasian was peddled as superior in every way to the black man, so the aberration of a dominant Negro champion had to end. This type of mainstream distortion is thankfully buried in the annals of history.

Today, the wait is for a great heavyweight champion, black or white. But if he were white, it would be even better for the still sizable and wealthier white public, but just for natural reasons of identification, nothing like the--now only fringe--sinister doctrine of "supremacy".

 

What are Valuev fans hoping for?

 

Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and you will have eternal life.

 

I use cocaine.