Joshua is more popular amongst moronic casual football fans but Fury is more loved by the hardcore fans because he is a real person and not a fake robot.
That's an exaggeration but he's definitely more popular now than he has ever been. The Wlad win legitimised him for the hardcore fans and his problems during his inactivity helped everyone else see a more vulnerable human side to his nature. Plus he's a funny phucker and pretty down to earth and that always appeals to the Brit sensibility.
Imagine if the yanks came to the UK and tried to take over like a that, be smashed back on the plane before they even go to the fight.
Why wouldn't one boo a classless lowlife who talks about killing people in the ring and comes to a weigh-in wearing a gimp mask?
meh... isnt this fairly common when an american fights a prominent brit? Ever see the weigh ins for Mayweather/Hatton, Hopkins/JC, ect? Pretty standard.
Maybe it is related to his claim of being possessed by some kind of a spirit whenever he fights. I mean, that statement isn't particularly conducive to popularity. It might give some people the idea that he might be in league with the Devil. Even Fury himself was disappointed to hear Wilder say such a thing.
Yes what has happened in the UK over the past decade is nothing short of amazing. It has placed the UK as the current world center of boxing. I would love to see the same model applied elsewhere, especially in the USA. Otherwise for many years to come the Union Jack will remain dominant.