Hearn fears for boxing's future

[jumpship]

bbc


By Ben Dirs




Barry Hearn says boxing's popularity could dwindle unless it pays heed to the rise of mixed martial arts (MMA).

Hearn, who promoted Lennox Lewis and Naseem Hamed among others, said boxing has "too many mismatches", and "Mickey Mouse titles" were confusing the fans.

"We've got to live with MMA, learn from it and innovate," Hearn told BBC Sport.

"MMA attracts a younger crowd who want fast, physical action delivered in an entertaining style. Boxing promoters can't bury their heads in the sand."

The UFC is the world's foremost brand within the sport of MMA, and competitors combine boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling and other disciplines while fighting in an octagonal 'cage'.

On Saturday, Clitheroe's Michael Bisping headlines the latest UFC show at the Birmingham National Indoor Arena (NIA) which it is set to be a 10,000 sell-out.
The event will be broadcast live by subscription channel Setanta and broadcast in approximately 150 countries.
The show has already broken Amir Khan’s NIA box office record, set for his clash with Michael Gomez in June.



The UFC has also outperformed Khan by some distance at London’s O2 Arena (17,000 v 9,000) and the MEN Arena in
Manchester (16,500 v 8,000).

UFC shows also hold box office records and/or merchandise records at the MEN, the O2, The Odyssey in Belfast and the Newcastle Arena.
The UFC was founded in the United States in 1993 and originally marketed as an ultra-violent entertainment, leading Republican presidential candidate John McCain to label it "human cockfighting".
But in 2001 the UFC was bought for $2m and repackaged as an authentic sport, with weight classes, judges, submissions and five-minute rounds, as well as gloves and gum-shields.

By 2006, UFC was outstripping boxing in the US in terms of pay-per-view, and UFC president Dana White believes it can become as popular with British audiences.

"We're the fastest growing sport there is but we're not even close to where we want to be. We want to be global, worldwide, just like soccer," White, whose UFC has been valued at $1bn by American business publication Forbes, recently said.


"The UK media is getting more education about the UFC. They are realising that if boxing is a sport, then this is too and that they'd sell more newspapers covering us in their pages than bashing us.

"The UK is a much smaller country than America so it will take a whole less convincing to get UFC to be as much part of the UK sports calendar as the FA Cup or next Ricky Hatton fight."
British boxing's most high-profile promoter Frank Warren has repeatedly stated that his sport has nothing to fear from UFC, while fellow promoter Frank Maloney has said it will have "15 minutes of fame".
But Hearn disagrees and recently launched his Prizefighter Series, which involves eight fighters taking part in a knockout tournament in a single night of boxing, in part as a reaction to UFC.
He has already had two successful heavyweight events screened by Sky and the next, involving welterweights, takes place on 24 October.
Britain's Michael Bisping (top) is one of the biggest names in MMA


"It's three-round fights and it's quick action for a younger audience,” said Hearn.


"Twelve-round fights can sometimes be painfully boring and young kids today want a quick adrenaline fix. UFC and Prizefighter give them that and are the future.

"Other than the very big shows, which only happen occasionally and are usually on pay-per-view, boxing's not delivering the ratings, and promoters live and die by ratings.

"Boxing ratings are not giving the broadcasters sufficient value for money.

"Prizefighter's not for the purists, but it delivers as an entertainment. UFC does the same, it's a great night out. "If you rip the fans off by putting poor fights on and over-protecting fighters, they won't come back. Boxing promoters have got to move with the times.
"If you stick your head in the sand and say, 'No, there's nothing like a good old British title fight over 12 rounds', but you don't sell tickets and don't get ratings, then you're doing something wrong. And boxing's been doing something wrong for some time."

Thoughts please

[boozeboxer]

That is bull. If kids are can't stand a "painfully boring" 12 round fight, then let them go to MMA or whatever white trash sport that is in style now.


This is boxing not MTV.

[DaxxKahn]

Sounds to me like this article is and your trying to feel out what kind of boxing fans are ready to jump ship...

Like Booze said If 12 rds of boxing are too painfully boring then go back to the trailer and watch UFC....

We talk BOXING here....want to talk MMA we have a board with 2 or 3 members for that.......

As for Michael Ballbag, Bisbag or what ever the hell his name is......I seen his fight with Matt Hamill when Matt was training at my Gym this spring to improve on his stand up....He lost the fight and was beaten sill by stand up boxing.....He was awarded the win and booed in his homeland....

thats what I would give for the future of MMA in 20 yrs.....

But Boxing will still be here strong as ever

[boozeboxer]

The only reason I opened this is I thought it was about the Hitman......

[DaxxKahn]

The only reason I opened this is I thought it was about the Hitman......

Me Too

[Hulk]

Sounds to me like this article is and your trying to feel out what kind of boxing fans are ready to jump ship...

Like Booze said If 12 rds of boxing are too painfully boring then go back to the trailer and watch UFC....

We talk BOXING here....want to talk MMA we have a board with 2 or 3 members for that.......

As for Michael Ballbag, Bisbag or what ever the hell his name is......I seen his fight with Matt Hamill when Matt was training at my Gym this spring to improve on his stand up....He lost the fight and was beaten sill by stand up boxing.....He was awarded the win and booed in his homeland....

thats what I would give for the future of MMA in 20 yrs.....

But Boxing will still be here strong as ever

haha. "We have a board with 2 or 3 members for that"

Smart ass.

[jumpship]

Sounds to me like this article is and your trying to feel out what kind of boxing fans are ready to jump ship...

Like Booze said If 12 rds of boxing are too painfully boring then go back to the trailer and watch UFC....

We talk BOXING here....want to talk MMA we have a board with 2 or 3 members for that.......

As for Michael Ballbag, Bisbag or what ever the hell his name is......I seen his fight with Matt Hamill when Matt was training at my Gym this spring to improve on his stand up....He lost the fight and was beaten sill by stand up boxing.....He was awarded the win and booed in his homeland....

thats what I would give for the future of MMA in 20 yrs.....

But Boxing will still be here strong as ever

Sorry if you think this was spam . I can assure you it was not intended to be .

This article struck a cord with me - With the "too many mismatches"

I'm not the most knowledge person when it comes to boxing but what i do know is there are a number of fighters in Britain who seem to be protected and i wonder if this was the same all over.
And if so surly this is damaging to boxing.

[Fenster]

Interesting post, Jumpship. Fuck knows why you've been neg repped for this topic.. take no notice

Bisping is doing better numbers than Khan, and the majority of Brit boxers, but Khan isn't the biggest boxing star in Britain - as Bisping is with the UFC.

It doesn't mention Hatton doing 55,000 against a no-name (Lazcano) and Calzaghe-Kessler/Manfredo 50,000 and even Haye-Enzo 20,000 at the 02.

[jumpship]

Interesting post, Jumpship. Fuck knows why you've been neg repped for this topic.. take no notice

Bisping is doing better numbers than Khan, and the majority of Brit boxers, but Khan isn't the biggest boxing star in Britain - as Bisping is with the UFC.

It doesn't mention Hatton doing 55,000 against a no-name (Lazcano) and Calzaghe-Kessler/Manfredo 50,000 and even Haye-Enzo 20,000 at the 02.

Cheers mate .

Yes you are right they haven't taken that in to account . Suppose they are talking about up and coming boxing talent .


British Boxing credibility has taken a battering the last couple of years with the likes of audley harrison and amir Khan . Two fighters who where thought to be World title contenders being shown up to be nothing more than very average domestic boxers.

Thoughts please...

[Mark TKO]

this certainly isn't spam - give him a break. Its the main story on BBC boxing at the moment and I opened it because like jumpship I thought it was about Tommy Hearns.


I know very little about UFC or MMA so can't comment - though am I right in thinking its only available on subscription channels and ppv events ??

are there mismatches in it ?

what are records of dominant fighters like, are there 'megastars' ? once I have seen have had records like 11-5 with KO defeats

I had never heard of Michael Bisping till this morning by the way

[Fenster]

I don't follow MMA but have seen quite a few fights over the past couple of years. And seen just as many boring fights as exciting ones.

If you make competitive 50/50 matches you will get top quality fights. That must surely be the same for both.

Hearn's "prizefighter" was a good idea (although the second one was SHIT compared to the first) but it will never replace genuine championship boxing bouts, will it? When is the last time Barry had a top fighter?

[killersheep]

I find most MMA matches dull, especially when it comes to the ground game. I can appreciate the skill and athleticism, but watching two guys roll around on the ground isn't my taste.

The thing is pro boxing has some phenomenal matches that happen, but more often then not they go under the radar. I do agree that protected fighters are an issue with boxing, but it is without a doubt going to affect the MMA industry more and more in the future as sponsorship increases.