Is Mayweather starting to realize that popularity is moving to MMA? What does it mean for boxing?

[FootstompShonie]

The biggest star in boxing, Mayweather, had his last PPV sell only 400k buys, a farcry from the 5-million sold in the Pac fight and seeing as the payouts are much more in Boxing it was reported it was likely the promoter LOST money on the fight when it was all said and done.

Then we see him being the one to leak rumors about fighting Conor and saying it's the only fight he'll return to.

Now I see he is talking about promoting MMA fights/events and even talking about going to see Jon Jones down in Albuquerque in a couple weeks to help him train and supposedly try and sign him to the "Money Team".

With PBC boxing a complete flop so far and the biggest star on the horizon Canelo struggling to sell 450k buys in his heavily promoted Khan fight things are not looking up for the sport to say the least. Keep in mind the last-minute main event of Jones-OSP sold about the same maybe a bit less, with a lot more profit margin for each PPV buy.

GGG, Deontay Wilder, and Andre Ward are probably the other future shining stars of the sport yet can't carry PPVs by themselves, hell most get pretty disappointing ratings on free TV or HBO/SHO.

Throughout all this in 2015 the UFC had their greatest PPV year since 2010, it's looking like it'll exceed that number once again in 2016. Especially with Conor and GSP likely coming back to the cage soon.

I know the old saying "People have been saying boxing was dead for hundreds of years, now they are dead and boxing is still alive." and I don't think boxing will ever come close to "dying" but does anyone else think things are falling into place for the UFC/MMA to become the premier combat sport?

The Pac-Mayweather fight really has seemed to sour opinions and there is really no great base of fighters or names coming up, this comes at the worst possible time as the UFC is having one of their greatest years ever in terms of views/buys/profit and attention from media outlets. Now it's normal for ESPN to cover all the major UFC events, they rarely cover boxing the only one that comes to mind is the Canelo-Kahn fight recently.

Thoughts? Honestly right now the UFC has multiple fighters that can sell more PPVs than the biggest boxing star and they all get paid much much less.

 

[mutepoint]

To be honest, I don't think so...(as far as money is moving to MMA). All things considered a far as paydays the money is certainly still lays within the world of boxing.

I do think however he sees as good a chance as he will in his 'career', to make the biggest payday with the biggest MMA star that would fight him. He would get to add it to his resume, he obviously thinks he can win (and he most certainly can, almost a sure thing in my opinion), he gets to let boxing beat the 'best in MMA' (i know Conor is not the best...but public opinion/hype vs reality) and he gets to be a part of a once in a life time spectacle.

And in doing so he can possibly help boxing within the public eye (if it is seen as dead etc). Brings a lot of eyes to the sport.

 

[FootstompShonie]

To be honest, I don't think so...(as far as money is moving to MMA). All things considered a far as paydays the money is certainly still lays within the world of boxing.

I do think however he sees as good a chance as he will in his 'career', to make the biggest payday with the biggest MMA star that would fight him. He would get to add it to his resume, he obviously thinks he can win (and he most certainly can, almost a sure thing in my opinion), he gets to let boxing beat the 'best in MMA' (i know Conor is not the best...but public opinion/hype vs reality) and he gets to be a part of a once in a life time spectacle.

I don't mean the paydays I more mean the overall profit for promoters/organizations as well as public perception, in fact I think the ludicrous paydays of boxing is what is killing the sport in part. When you LOSE money on a card that sells a decently respectable 400,000 buys there's something wrong. The UFC doesn't lose money even if MM headlines.

I guess I should have switched out "money" for "popularity" in my title and it would have been more apt so I'll change it.

 

[Deleted member 429453]

No

 

[BroncoMcKart]

Nah the money is nowhere close to moving to MMA. There is some money to be made in MMA however, especially if Zuffa winds up selling the UFC and Bellator continues to crash and burn. The sport won't be dead but it will be in turmoil. People joke that Mayweather is dumb because he can't read. Whether that is true or not I don't know, but he is a savvy businessman and he's good with money. He could very well partner with MMA fighters and get into the MMA fight promotion business. Regardless, boxing always has been and always will be the bigger money draw.

 

[Ace88]

I think there will be a boxing superstar once every five years at best and aside from that boxing will have its place but will not be able to outshine the UFC (on a PPV level). The UFC has a better avenue to build stars. A proven platform ex. RRR

 

[PRIDE#1]

Where are you from if you don't mind me asking. Reason I ask is cause of your user name. Are you a fan of Bronco's or do you know him?

Boxing is on another level compared to MMA. MMA has a ways to go to catch up with boxing

 

[LouisBolanos]

Mayweather is switching his attention to MMA because he knows all it takes to be an MMA champion is an A level athlete with 6 months training. It's easy money just like the Conor fight. All you gotta do is find someone in the NFL and ask him hey do you have a beta, less athletic bro in your family who can't make it in the NFL? You mind I train him in MMA?

1 year later BOOM, Jon Jones V2.0

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Just because your question kinda referenced MMA doesn't mean it belongs in the UFC discussion, especially when the question is about the future of boxing....

 

[FootstompShonie]

Where are you from if you don't mind me asking. Reason I ask is cause of your user name. Are you a fan of Bronco's or do you know him?

Boxing is on another level compared to MMA. MMA has a ways to go to catch up with boxing

I'm from Seattle my username is a reference to Matt Serra yelling "footstomp him Shonie!!!" to Shonie Carter literally like 50-times in a row on TUF 4 lmao.

 

[mutepoint]

I don't mean the paydays I more mean the overall profit for promoters/organizations as well as public perception, in fact I think the ludicrous paydays of boxing is what is killing the sport in part. When you LOSE money on a card that sells a decently respectable 400,000 buys there's something wrong. The UFC doesn't lose money even if MM headlines.

I guess I should have switched out "money" for "popularity" in my title and it would have been more apt so I'll change it.

Hm...i don't even know if I believe popularity is moving that direction. It's such a massive sport because of the money that is involved (though i do agree the massive paydays also probably injure the sport as a whole).

I feel that boxing is the old blood of popular combat sports right now, but it's not waning in its elder years. It doesn't have the star power it once did certainly, but millions are still willing to throw down huge amounts of cash to see a good main event (name v name) and a card full of question marks.

I don't know how popular MMA is ....as in if its more or less popular than it was 5 years ago. If Conor and Jones left tmrw, would ppl stick around? Certainly many would, but a huge amount of that is the current star power...and so many casuals would say 'meh' and move on to watching reality tv and eating nuts'n'bolts.

i don't know, i could be compleately wrong, I feel like more ppl were talking about MMA 5 years ago, and more ppl are talking about people within MMA now (Conor, Rousey, Jones etc)...but as a sport...I'm not sure...

 

[FootstompShonie]

Just because your question kinda referenced MMA doesn't mean it belongs in the UFC discussion, especially when the question is about the future of boxing....

In my mind the future of boxing is directly correlated with the future of MMA.

 

[MMAFan232]

He will never fight in mma because he is smart and knows that that is not his game. He called out McGregor to box because number 1. He will make more money off of that fight than any other potetial boxing matchup right now by far and 2. It is a lot less risky than fighting some of the new top boxing talent for a fraction of the money

 

[Actualized174]

I think MMA is a lot closer to boxing in terms of recognition and popularity in the United States than most detractors would think.

Do I think boxing will "die", absolutely not. But can I see MMA becoming the premier combat sport within the next decade? It's definitely possible.

P.S. Mayweather has previously mentioned that one of his sons does MMA.

 

[mutepoint]

Just because your question kinda referenced MMA doesn't mean it belongs in the UFC discussion, especially when the question is about the future of boxing....

Considering it uses Mayweather and his theoretical fight with Conor as it's foundation I think it's pretty fine where it is.

 

[PRIDE#1]

I'm from Seattle my username is a reference to Matt Serra yelling "footstomp him Shonie!!!" to Shonie Carter literally like 50-times in a row on TUF 4 lmao.

I'm sorry I asked the wrong person. I meant to ask Bronco McKart that. Reason being cause I personally know Bronco.

LMAO at your username!

 

[Kaffebaggel]

The biggest star in boxing, Mayweather, had his last PPV sell only 400k buys, a farcry from the 5-million sold in the Pac fight

I keep hearing this being brought up as an example and yet those fights were 4 months apart and Floyd-Pac was just barely a year ago. Biggest PPV ever. Mayweather is using the mainstream hype around MMA to raise his public profile further though and there's nothing odd about that.

 

[FootstompShonie]

Mayweather is switching his attention to MMA because he knows all it takes to be an MMA champion is an A level athlete with 6 months training. It's easy money just like the Conor fight. All you gotta do is find someone in the NFL and ask him hey do you have a beta, less athletic bro in your family who can't make it in the NFL? You mind I train him in MMA?

1 year later BOOM, Jon Jones V2.0

Yeah, that's why A-level athletes like Marcus Jones who was a first round pick and started in the NFL for like 6 seasons is the champ of MMA now.

Oh nevermind he sucked and fought this guy and got KO'd in one minute lmao:

 

[Paradigm]

I think MMA is a lot closer to boxing in terms of recognition and popularity in the United States than most detractors would think.

Do I think boxing will "die", absolutely not. But can I see MMA becoming the premier combat sport within the next decade? It's definitely possible.

The US isn't the entire world though.

Plus, many people are too squeamish to watch MMA still.

 

[Pls Respond]

He is starting to see that Zuffa is weak as fuck.

Mayweather sees a power play and thinks he can control MMA and save us and the fighters from Zuffa.

I mean Zuffa is screwing over fighters with shitty pay and the reebok deal....not that hard for anyone competent to take advantage