28.06.06 – By Dino Alvarado: This past Saturday, one of the most highly-touted prospects in the world, Joel Julio, suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Carlos Quintana. After such a poor performance from Julio, it makes people wonder how such a boxer could receive so much buzz. There are plenty of reasons for the misled buildup, starting from the first day he started boxing..
Firstly, a noteworthy amateur background is a must for boxers trying to reach fame the quickest way. For example, take a look at the matchup between Jermain Taylor and Winky Wright. One had Olympic credentials and was able to fight long-time middleweight king Bernard Hopkins at a young age; the other had to develop a reputation all over Europe and get an extremely lucky break (Sugar Shane Mosley) before anyone knew who he was. Only a select few can make it to the top of boxing the way Winky Wright did, so it’s essential to have an impressive amateur record. That brings me back to the original subject, Joel Julio. As an amateur, he was a two-time national champion and had an 85-0 record. Those qualifications will jump out at any promoter or TV network.
Another major factor is the style of the fighter. Mike Tyson will get more recognition than someone like Chris Byrd, and there’s an easy explanation for that; Tyson knocked people out, and Byrd didn’t. If fans find a particular boxer exciting, there’s a far better he’ll get a shot at the title faster than the boring pugilist Entering his fight against Quintana, not only was Joel Julio undefeated, but he also KO’d 24 of his 27 opponents. That’s four more than Chris Byrd and only one less than Winky Wright, who has had nearly twice as many fights.
The last thing that goes behind a fighter’s hype is exactly whose attention he garners. When ESPN named Joel Julio the 2005 Prospect of the Year, it was kind of a big deal in terms of his career. It also doesn’t hurt that Buddy McGirt happens to be his high-profile trainer. That alone made Julio someone many boxing fans had to look for. There’s nothing wrong with being loyal to your original no-name trainer, as long as you’re willing to wait a little longer for prominence.
Those are the three main criteria for a boxer to obtain hype. With all that said, none of those factors guarantee how good the combatant actually is. We as a boxing audience have witnessed Kermit Cintron, Jeff Lacy, Fernando Vargas, and countless others not live up to expectations. Just remember to not believe everything you hear.