Fans Are Saying the Same Thing About Sydney Sweeney’s Hall of Fame Movement: “WTF Does She Know About Boxing”

Boxing and Sydney Sweeney—now there’s a combo you don’t hear every day. But this Sunday in Canastota, New York, the Emmy-nominated ‘Euphoria’ star somehow found herself in the thick of the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s annual Parade of Champions. Wait, what? Sydney Sweeney at a boxing parade? Yep, you heard that right. So, what exactly was she doing there?

As it turns out, the 27-year-old actress was actually the grand marshal of the IBHOF’s annual parade, rubbing shoulders with boxing legends like Manny Pacquiao and Vinny Paz. Videos and pictures from the charming village show Sweeney beaming and waving to the energetic crowd gathered along Peterboro Street. Now, you must be wondering, what did Sweeney do to land that role? 

Manny Pacquiao leads the Class of 2025

Earlier today, The Ring dropped a clip from the parade that finally answered the big question—what was Sydney Sweeney doing at a boxing event? “Actress Sydney Sweeney will star in an upcoming biopic film based on the life of former boxer Christy Martin,” the post revealed. Mystery solved!

Sweeney was spotted riding in a car alongside Martin herself—and her adorable dog, Champ—down Peterboro Street. Since the film was announced last year, Sweeney has occasionally teased her transformation into the trailblazing boxer on social media. For those unfamiliar, Christy Martin isn’t just a Hall of Famer.

The 56-year-old was the breakout star of women’s boxing. But behind her success was a dark story, which has been detailed in the Netflix documentary ‘Deal With the Devil’ and Martin’s autobiography ‘Fighting for Survival.’ In 2010, Martin survived a brutal attack by her then-husband and manager, Jim Martin, who was later convicted of attempted murder and remains behind bars. 

While Sweeney may not have been part of the official induction ceremony, fans were buzzing not just about her appearance, but also about the boxing royalty present. Chief among them? None other than eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, who led the Class of 2025 during Sunday’s enshrinement at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.

Still, Sweeney’s brief cameo was more than enough to set the comment section of The Ring’s post on fire, as hundreds of comments questioned her presence in the parade.

Sydney Sweeney steps in, and not everyone’s cheering

While the Hollywood star has a loving fanbase across the globe, not a lot of them appear to be from the boxing scene. Since the clip, netizens don’t seem to be happy to see Sweeney among boxing legends. One user acknowledged Sweeney’s work in movies but questioned her relevance in boxing. “I like some of the Sydney Sweeney Movies, wtf does she know about boxing?” the user asked. She was likely invited to add some star power to the ceremony. 

Another user poked fun at Sweeney, sarcastically questioning her knowledge about boxing and the people within it. “Ask her to name 5 current boxers,” the user wrote. However, Sweeney isn’t the first actress to play a boxer in a biopic. Take Claressa Shields, for instance, though Ryan Destiny, who played Shields in ‘The Fire Inside,’ wasn’t invited to the parade. 

Someone else was so offended that they demanded the post be deleted. “Nobody gives af about Sydney Sweeney in the boxing world 😂 take this down 😂😂,” the user wrote. However, fans in the parade seem to appreciate Sweeney’s presence. 

Even the next user echoed similar sentiments. “Who f**kin cares?!?! What does she know about boxing??” the user asked. Filmmakers must be hoping the ratings for the biopic get a better reception.

Meanwhile, this user asked for more of Manny Pacquiao and less of Sydney Sweeney. “More Manny, less Sydney,” the user wrote. If that’s the case, ‘Pac-Man’ is fighting WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19, 2025.

That being said, it appears Sydney Sweeney isn’t as loved in the boxing scene as she might have hoped. Her role as the grand marshal seems to have been overshadowed by the backlash from fans. What are your thoughts on the matter?