Re: 4 World Champions; 1 future hall of famer couldn't draw a crowd of more than 5,00
Thats what happens in Vegas, people are more inclined to buy the ppv. Also I dont think alot of people gave Kats a good chance of winning. Not to mention the pricing for decent seats in Vegas is way too high. If your up in the outer areas, you might as well be watching it on PPV.
Re: 4 World Champions; 1 future hall of famer couldn't draw a crowd of more than 5,00
To me it's all about the media hype.
lets be really clear here. The hardcore boxing fans are a dying breed, and don't make a huge difference on revenue, what matters now is making it the "in" thing, and what makes you want to flock to it. It isnt just being on HBO that makes you special, you have to be hyped and talked about on ESPN, on other channels, you need to reach out in the media, you need to have crossover appeal. It's just like wrestling when certain people wouldn't get a push to the title because they didn't have crossover appeal. It's the same in boxing, where even if you have a title if you have no crossover appeal or a country behind you(and that has to be hyped) then you don't draw flies.
Boxing fans try to say that a blood and guts warrior etc is gonna get the fans respect and draw crowds. In reality, the fan's respect nowadays outside of the hardcore fans, is just what they see on ESPN that makes them want to tune in.
The reason why UFC is drawing so much so often and boxing isn't is because UFC is everywhere, its on every TV station being talked about, they have a reality show on a cable channel, they also have events that are non PPV on that channel on the end of weekdays, and are constantly putting new faces in front of you to get used to, and fighters on the up and coming even, they have countdown shows to showcase their best fights from years ago to now even and things like that every week or so there is some kind of MMA event on TV and every month or two there is a PPV and there is big hype around it. They put a lot of effort into getting the hype out there for people to be interested in seeing it. That is why it's successful.
Compare that to boxing, where you rarely hear names not "Pacquiao" or "Mayweather" on ESPN or any other channels for the most part. It comes on every 3 or 4 months or so, and sometimes its people you never heard of. Boxing doesn't take the time to put itself on TV like that, and build fighters in front of you every week, they don't have a steady show to keep interest in the sport, they don't put boxing out there like they care if you watch it or not. Boxing relies on it's "spectacle" aspect, like the old guard, they PROMOTE themselves like the old guard, there is nothing about boxing they make scream "HEY, this is interesting! Watch this! And keep up with it!" And fans don't respond to that, especially with the younger fans nowadays that are looking for that big thing to keep them interested. And boxing really doesn't make an effort to make you care.
Don't believe me?
Alright lets go to the Andre Berto vs Freddy Hernandez fight. They was talking about how Freddy was doing so great coming into the Berto fight and how Berto should do against a puncher and Berto is a champion, so alright the average fan is interested in seeing that, and he may have seen the Hernandez guy on showtime building himself up.
Alright then berto knocks out hernandez and the average fan is excited and may see Berto as the real deal or is at least impressed. Jim Lampley even starts some build up with "Hey! You wanted to see an impressive Andre Berto victory?" which can start to build interest right there..
But then what does the other announcer do.. an announcer none other then LARRY MERCHANT... he condescends the victory and says "I'm sorry when a fight comes that easy that ain't him its the other guy" which basically will translate to "Berto is nothing special, and the guy was a bum." now how does that translate to the average fan? They are either going to listen to that and lose interest right then and there, or think well dang they don't even back their younger fighters. it's gonna turn more people off to what they see and get rid of the little interest they may have had. It basically makes them feel like what they just saw was pointless, so why get behind it. Sad part is, had it been an already established name, you would not hear the end of the kudos for beating a dangerous fighter.
THAT right there is a prime example of what boxing doesn't need.
There is only so much two people on their feet can do, and not every fight can be a barn burner because of the different styles, there is no "spark" in boxing right now outside of the names Mayweather and Pacquiao and that's sad.
Like I said boxing needs to make their own crossover success, because as it is, you have to be a lucky sob to make it, and even when you've made it, you still havent "made it" and that's a shame.
