I'm the same. I will only support a fighter (want them to win) if I think they are a good guy, regardless of their fighting abilities or nationality. They are few and far between but Crolla, Joseph Parker, Dave Allen and big Pricey come to mind.
Nobody is asking you to support a twat from round the corner. Plenty of Irish boxers have behaved badly... Disgracing themselves and their country. For example Michael o Reilly at Rio Olympics... John Joe Nevin in the pros etc. But even those guys don't get stick like Benn. We mainly just ignore them. Poor Conor Benn has done nothing near as bad as those guys and he is getting hammered all the time!
This 100% my father is Irish and I’ve spent some time there. It’s not just boxing either, year after year the kids get better exam results, in Ireland they would celebrate it, in the UK we say the exams are getting easier. Anyway back to boxing the problem is with Benn is his surname for a boxer who hasn’t had 20 fights pro or am he’s actually not doing a bad job it’s just his development is going to be in the public eye he doesn’t have the opportunity to have the **** fight that all amateurs (even the best) have where they go away and learn or play around with the weight to see what he can do.
He had more AM fights than David Allen did, difference being Allen seems happy to take on challenges, whereas Benn walked away from an English title eliminator to fight a guy from Luxembourg. If he needs more time to develop, then fine, but do it out of the spotlight instead of high slots on Sky shows fighting guys who can't afford to be full time boxers. If you're willing to take the fame and paycheck that his surname can generate for him then you have to take the expectations and critiques as well.
And Dave Allen get plenty of stick for doing so (which I disagree with) but we can discuss Dave Allen if you want but I don’t see the point in comparing them ? You make a fair point about Benn doing he’s developing in the spotlight so can expect criticism but to be fair I’ve never heard Benn complain about the abuse he tends to just ignore it. Honestly though if you were in his position would you turn a matchroom offer down ?
It's relevant as Benn gets more of a pass for not being very good than Allen does by some (mostly Sky commentary team but folk on here too). Besides, Allen mostly gets stick for not bothering to get in proper shape and then saying "well if I trained properly" etc. Actually, Benn always seems in good shape, which is something I will credit him for. By no means suggesting he should have turned the Matchroom offer down but the OP wants to go into why Benn gets stick and I'm trying to elucidate as to why
I'd have to say Garton. Benn has looked pretty poor in his last two fights, he's fought roofers, personal trainers and ex kickboxers who are just having a go at boxing, and journeymen, and he hasn't particularly dazzled in any of his fights, the only highlight for me was when he tripped himself up trying to do an Ali shuffle. He's had undeserved exposure because of his name but has failed to capitalise on it. Garton has worked harder to get where is, he possesses more power and is a better all around boxer.