Is Boxing a couple years away from a huge decline?

BTW, I remember reading that the UFC numbers are only verified by the UFC themselves and that the public records are not released like say HBO's on PPV numbers. So the numbers right there may be fudged up a little bit.

MMA in my eyes is like comparing the NFL to the EPL. The NFL while being hugely popular in America and a few neighboring countries like Canada isn't on par with the EPL which is hugely popular everywhere else. And that's how I view MMA compared to boxing.

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

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Originally Posted by kheserthorpe

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Originally Posted by boozeboxer

Why does boxing still have a stronghold then on PPV sales? Because the people that like MMA don't have the money to plop down 50 on a fight. Demographically, by the numbers I think they are young uneducated people.

The MMA people are trying to figure out a way to get more of this money, but they are competing with landlords, tattoo shops, and value meals.

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Pac vs. Mayweather would outsell anything the UFC puts together, but the UFC is putting up consistent solid PPV numbers.

That said, that is 'UFC' _not_ MMA. MMA events by other promoters featuring top fighters haven't pulled anywhere near these numbers.

I don't think its that boxing is losing popularity to MMA so much as it is that the single promoter 'brand name' model is a lot easier to sell to casual fans. There are things to like and dislike, but its easier for casual fans to simply say 'oh, its UFC'. Much like people can be a casual fan of the NFL, the NBA, NASCAR while only knowing a few participants. People who like MMA can easily watch UFC ppvs, which promote following UFC PPVs, and showcase on the card up and coming UFC sponsored fighters who may be fighting in future title bouts, etc. By contrast, one of my co-workers likes boxing, started taking lessons, his favourite fighter is PWill and I have to let him know when he's fighting because he wouldn't know otherwise.

Being aware of up and coming boxers takes considerable effort relative to learning about up and coming MMA fighters.

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This post is very interesting, and concerning I feel.

If you look at that you HAVE to be worried for boxing as the premier combat sport.

I mean the year's biggest superfight, the welterweight showdown between Mayweather and Mosley takes less PPV's than the Lesnar Mir showdown :o

That's alarming frankly and when Manny and Floyd leave I can't see any of the current lot getting over 450,000 buys.

Meanwhile MMA is going from strength to strength and guys like Lesnar, St Pierre and Silva are only going to increase in popularity.

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UFC might be pushing the PPV cards too much, my brother follows MMA & he said even some of their fans are wondering why certain cards are PPV. Dana might eventually cause a backlash with too many PPV cards. I've read that even MMA fans get a little bored with the style of St. Pierre, they said his fight over Hardy was effective but not all that interesting to them. Also with Silva, Dana White was so upset over his last fight, he said he might kick him out of UFC if he fights like that again & it's not the 1st time he's been critical of his fighting style. Silva's an ATG MMA fighter & the head of UFC has verbally attacked him on a # of occasions now.

with guys like

Adamek
Dawson
Pascal
Bute
Ward
Williams
Angulo
Berto
Alvarez
basically 140 lb division
Funeka
Mitchell
Guerrero
Gamboa
Lopez
Rocky Martinez
etc.
still around there are plenty of HUGE fights available and i doubt very much that boxing will be declining any time soon

Nah. I don't think it will ever go silent. There are too many guy's just popping out of the woodwork with one solid performance. Then boom a couple good fight's and they are a superstar. Some good talent coming from Philly as well. Someone mentioned Hank Lundy,Mike Jones,Danny Garcia. I've met all of these guy's and they are very dedicated to the sport.It doesn't look as if they will be leaving anytime soon.

now time changed lets see

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

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Originally Posted by ICB

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

It may seem absurd right now to suggest this as boxing is the hottest it's been in a long time.

But look at the ages of the combatant's involved.

Hopkins will be gone in 12 months, as will Mosely almost certainly.

J M Marquez, his brother Raphael and Israel Vasquez will all likely be retired within a couple years.

I'd imagine Floyd and Manny are maybe two fights each away from retirement.

Roy Jones will be gone.

The heavyweight divsion will most likely be in a piss poor state as the challenge of David Haye will most probably have been vanquished.

I'm trying to think who the big stars will be in two years time and I'm guessing it will be Dawson, Ward, Gamboa.

Do you think boxing will go through a quiet spell, a noticable dip for a couple of years until these guys establish themselves as household names?

I'm thinking between 2011 to the end of 2012. I wonder what the state of the sport will be like then.

Who do you think the breakout stars will be, and will Manny, Floyd et al be long gone?

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Jeez Bilbo your such a kill joy, but seriously i don't think anyone at the moment. Will be superstars like Pacquiao or Mayweather, we still have.

Andre Berto
Chad Dawson
Tavoris Cloud
Roman Gonzalez
Koki Kameda
Amir Khan
Timothy Bradley
Devon Alexander
Paul Williams
Lucian Bute
Andre Dirrell
Andre Ward
Kevin Mitchell
Abner Mares
Yohnny Perez
Nonito Donaire
Yuriorkis Gamboa
Juan Manuel Lopez

ETC.

But yes i agree no one in that list really looks to be superstar material.

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I just think take away Manny, Floyd and Oscar, and you'll struggle to get over 350,000 buys on virtually any card.

Haye Klitschko is probably the only big fight not involving those guys and with that probably taking place within the next year, and Floyd and Manny most likely not that much longer in the sport I can see boxing taking a bit of a commercial nose dive.

I think it's possible that in 2012 MMA PPV's will kick boxing's ass. I reckon the UFC could get 3 or 4 one million buys a year from now on with the right matchups, and outside of Manny and Floyd I can't see boxing having one.

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No way! You have to understand demographics and the demographic the UFC has control 21-35 aren't the demographic who stay at home and watch Pay Per View, they go to Hooters or out drinking. There is a peak with that age group rather then a plateau like you get with older people. People who are grown up and want to watch the fight, those are the guys who consistently order PPVs more.

Also those numbers you post are extremely skewed as UFC does many more PPVs then HBO. 2007 was the first year they overtook HBO in PPV sales, That's worked so far but there's still a big question as whether or not that's sustainable. That's the big question and the constant fight for the UFC. It's also why they don't disclose all their PPV buys. 4 million is absurd Bilbo you're out of your mind boxing nor MMA will never do that.

If you want to predict the future, you dont look at the here and now in the pro ranks at to top of the ratings chart, you look at the young
boxers that have turned pro in the last two or three years and
young warriors like Billy Joe Saunders, Ashley Sexton, Joe Murray
and many others.

If you want to predict the future, you look at womens amateur boxing
and the results of womens boxing in the Pan Am Games and the
results of the 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS. From the 2012 Olympics
will come a new wave of young boxers ready for action.

Attempting to compare MMA and UFC with Professional Boxing
for number of hits of a PPV is a pointless game of mumbo jumbo.