I watched the Klitschko vs. Fury press conference with both amusement and disappointment, witnessing Tyson Fury arriving on the scene in a Batman outfit, resolving the “issue” with The Joker, and then proceeding to express to the world champion how he would be the next foe to be taken out by Batman.
Major boxing press conferences have certainly changed from the old days, when a serious event took place only to be replaced nowadays with comical, over the top extravaganzas in order to have something different, innovative, creative and more importantly the capacity to sell tickets and to hype up an event, and of course to create a media frenzy.
It is true that boxing has evolved from being a night of seven or eight fights, to an “event” that starts months before fight night and ends with the closing press conference after the fight. It is a show spanning several weeks, and no longer just the simple fights on the night. It is a media journey from the announcement of the show to the concluding press conference.
The question then beckons – was Tyson Fury’s “Batman” saga this past week conducive to making the event more memorable and more exciting, and again more importantly better for TV viewership, or did it detract from the beauty of the sport of boxing as we know it?
As old fashioned as I am in boxing, I do agree that it adds something to the event. What exactly and how exactly I’m not really sure, but for certain it made news and in today’s boxing world, news is what counts most! I wish Klitschko all the best for his fight, and look forward to what fury Gotham City’s Batman brings on the night.
Until next time, keep boxing.
Howard Goldberg
PRESIDENT: World Boxing Federation
