EDITOR’S LETTER
Why Twitter and co are among the sport’s leading matchmakers
The power of social media in boxing
AS Huey Lewis and the News may have observed had they been at the peak of their fame today, the power of social media is a curious thing. Make a one man weep, make another man sing. In fact, it’s been a blessing and a curse to pretty much everyone involved.
Take Anthony Joshua, for example. One minute he’s seducing housewives the world over with videos of muscle-pumping gym graft and the next he – or someone claiming to be – is sullying his cleaner than clean public image with a string of foul-mouthed insults. And Amir Khan, currently up to his neck in snakes and rice and beans, will probably delete his accounts when he gets back from his jungle adventure if the current abuse he’s getting continues.
For all media brands, Boxing News included, the power of social media has become a crucial tool in gathering and breaking news while spreading awareness like no other platform can. Indeed, for many outlets, both old and new, social media – the biggest attention-seeking, egoenhancing device of the digital age – has been at the core of some incredible success stories. In that regard, to bemoan it too heartily may seem like a foolhardy move. Because, to get a taste of the sport in 2017, those numerous social media channels will provide cheap and accessible tasters – you don’t need no credit card to ride this train, after all – of pretty much all the latest talking points. Some posts are heartfelt announcements, others witty observations but, and here’s the problem, too many are unfiltered garblings that snowball and create utter mayhem.
Admittedly, various tweets and posts have provided our website with ‘stories’ but we always do our best to ensure they’re the start of the tale rather than the end. However, those redesigning tweets and allowing them to masquerade as news, are guilty of feeding the monster further. And I’d venture that the vast majority of people reading this have fallen for a clickbait headline only to be left deeply disappointed that you have just invested five minutes of your life into the bank of no return.
Take the recent ‘news’ from the heavyweight division. Joshua’s team claimed his Instagram account had been hacked after it was reported by former contender Eddie Chambers that the WBA and IBF champion had been sending him insulting private messages. Someone claiming to be AJ called Chambers a b***h and said he was an insult to the “superior black race”. Firstly, while it’s almost unfathomable that Joshua would waste his time like this, it also seems odd that a hacker, after busting into the treasure trove of Joshua’s social media accounts, would choose to privately target Chambers. Unless it was Chambers himself, of course. Secondly, if it was Joshua, as some suspect, it was exceptionally poor judgement and his management team should have a serious word in his earhole. Finally, whoever sent the private messages, can the rest of us stop talking about it please? All we’re in danger of doing is creating yet another unnecessary matchup born purely from social media ‘beef’ rather than any semblance of worthiness in the ring. While the fans may chuckle and news agencies count the clicks, boxers’ reputations walk a fine line with every post.
Which brings us to the Tony Bellewdavid Haye saga, which initially caught fire on social media. Minutes after it was confirmed that a rematch will not happen this year, Tyson Fury – still growling and overweight and without a boxing licence but thankfully back in training – jumped on social media to demand a fight with Bellew in four weeks’ time, and was soon joined by Dillian Whyte, who is never slow to spot a get-rich-quick opportunity.
Certainly, getting your phone out of your pocket and demanding a fight is easier than earning one in the ring, but there is still something bothersome about contests being created solely because a mountain of retweets has justifed its appeal.
Social media is perhaps the most powerful weapon in the sport today. Not only can it change a hawk to a little white dove, it allowed Conor Mcgregor to secure a showdown with Floyd Mayweather in boxing gloves.
It can make fights, ruin reputations and sway public opinion dramatically. We should all tread carefully out there.