Just asking on the 800 lb gorilla in the room...but how much has Mayweather being 'the face' of American boxing until recently helped or hurt the sports popularity here. I've never heard a single casual I come across say a good thing about him, matches or style. Not once. Also sports in the U.S are very regional and run deep. Even High School football in some States is treated like a religion. Also boxing takes an attention span and patience to see a guy bare out of not, an established following per individual or favorite. There was certainly a time when fighters abroad 'needed' to crash the shores to make a massive breakout in the sport but mass media changes have a lot to do with it. After mid 90's the gates flew wide open as far as international exposure and communications and lots of business could be done from comforts of home.