Boxing batters mixed martial arts at the gate

[VictorCharlie]

I don't know anyone that suggests that even the best MMA card is going to challenge Boxing when it puts its best foot forward; that being said comparing a UFC card that completely lacked much "wow" appeal with one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year proves very little. Kind of like comparing the popularity of a sport with 200+years of tradition with a sport that has been available on PPV in the US for not quite 20 years.

[HattonTheHammer]

I don't know anyone that suggests that even the best MMA card is going to challenge Boxing when it puts its best foot forward; that being said comparing a UFC card that completely lacked much "wow" appeal with one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year proves very little. Kind of like comparing the popularity of a sport with 200+years of tradition with a sport that has been available on PPV in the US for not quite 20 years.

To be fair to UFC what they do do, they do perfectly

Stack the card with your main guys, throw in loud music, sexy women and high pitched commentary. Its WWE esque but it works

With boxing due to the nature of the beast theres always that serious working ethic towards it. Even the biggest PPV fights contain mid to low standard undercard fighters and the crowd present dont get the encore a UFC fight fan will get.

I hope to god the day never comes where we have to sell out the way ufc has done to scantily clad women and firework entrances. But at the same time it would do no harm to see better stacked PPV cards in terms of the fighters on show and more effort put towards the actual night than just the main event!

[Myk_Myk]

I hope to god the day never comes where we have to sell out the way ufc has done to scantily clad women and firework entrances. But at the same time it would do no harm to see better stacked PPV cards in terms of the fighters on show and more effort put towards the actual night than just the main event!

What are you talking about? Boxing has ring girls wearing as little or less, and has had just as extravagant entrances. Besides, what's wrong with scantily clad women? I find myself wishing they'd show more of the ring girls on TV!

[Taeth]

Its not fair to compare UFC's last few cards to the two most popular boxers in the world. Let's see how Kessler-Ward did. I like boxing way more, but overall UFC has had a lot of 800k+ppv buys over the last couple of years while Boxing hasn't. They put a lot more intriguing fights on their cards then even most big boxing events. Boxing honestly needs to start putting a lot of top end prospects in with known, valid stepping stones as undercards because it shines a light on prospects while making the undercard a lot more entertaining, and it builds the future of the sport through the prospects. I thought on the Pacquiao-ODLH undercard they had the right talent against the wrong opposition on the undercard.

[blegit]

Its not fair to compare UFC's last few cards to the two most popular boxers in the world. Let's see how Kessler-Ward did. I like boxing way more, but overall UFC has had a lot of 800k+ppv buys over the last couple of years while Boxing hasn't. They put a lot more intriguing fights on their cards then even most big boxing events. Boxing honestly needs to start putting a lot of top end prospects in with known, valid stepping stones as undercards because it shines a light on prospects while making the undercard a lot more entertaining, and it builds the future of the sport through the prospects. I thought on the Pacquiao-ODLH undercard they had the right talent against the wrong opposition on the undercard.

I agree with a lot of what you say Taeth but to be fair Dana White asked for this feud to continue when he said the UFC PPV would smash PBF/Marquez. And the UFC will always do a better job of putting their better fighters against each other in a card because their fighters are a lot cheaper to pay. The top fighters in boxing get millions. Floyd, Pac, Cotto, DLH, and some others have to get paid more individually to fight in a major fight than a whole UFC card of fighters combined. The payroll in boxing is just too high to compete with the UFC in matching PPV card for card. That is why the UFC can put on a major card every few weeks and have more PPV buys throughout the year. But the best of boxing versus the best of UFC is always going to go to boxing. But the UFC works its quantity angle and will sell more throughout the year. The UFC cards are good for the customer but not good for the fighters. Many of them have been quite outspoken about this.

[Kirkland Laing]

Its not fair to compare UFC's last few cards to the two most popular boxers in the world. Let's see how Kessler-Ward did. I like boxing way more, but overall UFC has had a lot of 800k+ppv buys over the last couple of years while Boxing hasn't. They put a lot more intriguing fights on their cards then even most big boxing events. Boxing honestly needs to start putting a lot of top end prospects in with known, valid stepping stones as undercards because it shines a light on prospects while making the undercard a lot more entertaining, and it builds the future of the sport through the prospects. I thought on the Pacquiao-ODLH undercard they had the right talent against the wrong opposition on the undercard.

I agree with a lot of what you say Taeth but to be fair Dana White asked for this feud to continue when he said the UFC PPV would smash PBF/Marquez. And the UFC will always do a better job of putting their better fighters against each other in a card because their fighters are a lot cheaper to pay. The top fighters in boxing get millions. Floyd, Pac, Cotto, DLH, and some others have to get paid more individually to fight in a major fight than a whole UFC card of fighters combined. The payroll in boxing is just too high to compete with the UFC in matching PPV card for card. That is why the UFC can put on a major card every few weeks and have more PPV buys throughout the year. But the best of boxing versus the best of UFC is always going to go to boxing. But the UFC works its quantity angle and will sell more throughout the year. The UFC cards are good for the customer but not good for the fighters. Many of them have been quite outspoken about this.

Yep, the UFC wins because it controls all the players and can just about pay them and match them how and how often it wants. Boxing has endless rival belts, promoters, managers, who all make a UFC-style card impossible because they're all working for their own interests. For boxing to ever get a UFC-style level of competition on its cards it would have to decline in popularity far more than it has to the point where it's rinky dink promotional outfits running the show paying the top boxers peanuts. That would allow some big money player to come in and buy up all the best boxers. In the long run that would be the best thing that could happen to professional boxing.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Iv'e said it before... I can't understand why someone like the WBC (for example) hasn't taken up promoting thier own sanctioned fights, struck up a deal with a major network and gained a monopoly in this industry.