With talk of Anthony Joshua potentially fighting in America should he come through his bout with Carlos Takam this weekend Jack Wynne assesses the challenge of British fighters trying to make it in the USA.
When a boxer is establishing themselves in their own country a promoter will spend a great deal of time and effort planning the opponents they will fight, where they will fight and various other factors.
All of these decisions contribute to helping build the most effective brand for that boxer so that he can be a success in the ring as well as out of it.
For example, Joshua has fought all around the country but has been involved in a lot of London bouts because that is where he has the biggest following so the chances of being him more commercially successful are greater.
The beauty of still competing on home soil is that people have had the time to become associated with Joshua for quite some time, by watching him on free-to-air television during the 2012 Olympics.
Before he even took to the professional ranks there was already a significant awareness about who Joshua was and his potential to do great things in the world of boxing.
Suddenly by deciding to start fighting in another country like the US that familiarity is lost and the whole process needs to be set in motion once again.
When a British fighter attempts to make a name for himself in America they also have to remember that boxing is one of many sports adored in the US.
In Britain boxing has long been regarded as one of the most popular sports alongside football, cricket and rugby league.
Over in America there are several other sports which seem to take precedent for most people, including basketball and baseball.
When trying to build a reputation British fighters will always be battling against this problem, clambering for attention in what is such an over-congested sports marketplace.
The other main issue is the marketability of contests. When Brits are looking to compete in America promoters of fellow boxers may not be interested in putting their fighters in the ring with them because of poor awareness.
If the public over there has little knowledge of the Brit they may be unlikely to pay for a ticket for come to the bout which doesn’t make any financial sense for promoters of boxers over in America.
Whilst the potential rewards of leaving Great Britain and flying the nest can be great for boxers there are also many challenges to consider before thinking about making the move across the pond.
