I know this sounds like clickbait. But MMA fighters need to stay in their lane.

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

You're perfectly right, i made a mistake. But many of the most popular events were when MMA didn't even exist yet, so it's not really fair.

Anyway, your list is about individual athletes, it's not the same thing. Fighters who fought a lot are also favored (they add all their ppv). My source is about whole events. Also, boxing is more popular, so what ? Joshua vs Jon Jones in the UFC is still one of the most popular event ever, so your argument is pointless.

So when people say Joshua doesn't come in the UFC because he can't be paid it's simply false : do you agree or not ? Simple question. If you don't agree, then you're lying to yourself, because money is not the problem. That being said, the UFC would take a risk too (and they're maybe afraid) because if Joshua wins (which is unlikely but not impossible) their brand would lose a lot of value.

Many of them were before MMA even existed? Only a few of the top selling boxers on the list predate MMA (Ali, Frazier & Foreman). The rest all fought when MMA was around. Technically Ali fought an 'MMA' bout against Inoki but to keep things fair we'll say that MMA didn't establish itself until 1993 at the first UFC event. We simply subtract 3 from 9 and we still have 6 boxers that are top sellers in the modern era (6 compared to just 2 in MMA).

Joshua makes much more money in boxing than he would in MMA. As I said before, he has a multi-million dollar guarantee when he fights. He makes tens of millions per fight. The UFC could afford him but they're cheap so don't expect them to ever pay his fees. This isn't just about events or individuals it's about the highest number of PPV draws in the industry's history. Boxing has several times more than MMA has. It's not hard to understand.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

By the way @Yellowcrab Lesnar shouldn't even be counted. The top PPV sellers list counts draws that sold at least 10 million PPVs. However, in MMA he only sold a little less than 8 million total PPVs. The rest are from him competing in the WWE/WWF.

 

[Mujeriego]

Nice story, too bad it doesn't stick to reality : https://www.tapology.com/search/mma-event-figures/ppv-pay-per-view-buys-buyrate

I do agree that boxing may be more popular, but MMA is popular enough to sell a lot.

Especially because we never saw a top active boxer going in MMA, that's the only reason. People are used to see the contrary, so it's far less exciting to the general public.

Fuckin idiot, you know how many boxing ppvs are missing on that list. Alot.
Mike Tyson never had a PPV? De La Hoya, Hopkins, Roy Jones?
Why dont you post revenue and live gate numbers.
Did you know Canelo-Plant pulled in higher live gate numbers than every MMA event in history?
Why is it that Canelo can pull in more viewers in Mexico than some UFC events do globally?

How is any of that possible if the UFC is bigger?
It's because its not, and it's not even debatable.

 

[Yellowcrab]

The UFC could afford him but they're cheap so don't expect them to ever pay his fees.

And they would still earn money with such a fight.

This isn't just about events or individuals it's about the highest number of PPV draws in the industry's history.

They took fighters and then add all their ppv sales and that's it.

Once again, IT IS NOT THE SAME THING than my list : https://www.tapology.com/search/mma-event-figures/ppv-pay-per-view-buys-buyrate

 

[Mujeriego]

Francis did well against Fury and would do well against 90% of the division. Maybe the top 3-4 guys are too much for him but people are acting like he's got no place at all in boxing.

Who from boxing is capable of hanging in there with the top5 of their weight class in MMA?

The truth is, it's thanks to Ngannou that now the top dogs in heavyweight boxing are considering fighting each other, before that they've just been dodging each other for years. That's the boring part of boxing, it's all about padding records and avoiding the real threats until they're past their prime. At least in MMA and Muay Thai the top guys fight each other all the time and several times.

You dont know what the fuck you're talking about.
Usyk and Joshua fought twice. Fury and Wilder fought 3 times.
AJ-Wilder? Has been derailed multiple times.
Wilder losing to Fury, and AJ to Ruiz and then recently because Wilder lost to Parker.
AJ-Fury?
Aj loses to Usyk twice and that goes out the window. Now it's Fury-Usyk.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

And they would still earn money with such a fight.



They took fighters and then add all their ppv sales and that's it.

Once again, IT IS NOT THE SAME THING than my list : https://www.tapology.com/search/mma-event-figures/ppv-pay-per-view-buys-buyrate

You do realize that Tapology only supports my argument. Right? It doesn't refute anything I've said. It's an MMA site at that. Joshua sells 1+ million PPVs in boxing almost every time he fights and that's just domestically. The UFC has the money to afford him but there's a reason they're referred to as U Fight Cheap. They're crooks. Joshua will stay where the real money is and that's in boxing.

 

[Yellowcrab]

By the way @Yellowcrab Lesnar shouldn't even be counted. The top PPV sellers list counts draws that sold at least 10 million PPVs. However, in MMA he only sold a little less than 8 million total PPVs. The rest are from him competing in the WWE/WWF.

After closer examination, my source is unreliable anyway. I watched quickly at first, but too big names are missing such as Mike Tyson. It's not a reliable source.

Maybe they have other criteria to define what's a ppv.

 

[Dr Fong]

What are you talking about? McGregor is 5 places higher on the list than Lesnar. Yes, it's a reliable list. It's not 'my' list. Those are the top PPV sellers of all time and there's only 2 MMA fighters on it. Boxing is the PPV king. Look at the top PPV markets in the world by revenue—US, UK & Japan. We control those key markets. MMA doesn't.

Lol at referring to boxing as 'we'.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

Lol at referring to boxing as 'we'.

K

 

[Yellowcrab]

You do realize that Tapology only supports my argument. Right?

I don't dispute that boxing is more popular and i don't care. Tapology doesn't support your argument that boxing is more popular on average. According to tapology boxing performs the best at the highest but not on average.

But Tapology is unreliable to me after closer examination anyway. I don't know what methodology was used, because not seeing a name such as Mike Tyson is completely unreliable.

Anyway, Joshua will get all the money he wants in the UFC and UFC would still earns money in the process. He doesn't come in the UFC because he's already full of money + it's way too risky. It's insane that you can't accept such a simple fact.

Joshua is not superman, he's still a human.

I always accept legit arguments. It's the same for Jon Jones, he could lose against Joshua and i have absolutely no problem admiting it (but it's unlikely). Yet you can't even accept that Joshua doesn't want to take the risk to come in the UFC. Jon Jones doesn't want to go in boxing (despite the money) because he would get embarassed. Money is not a problem if the buzz is there.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

I don't dispute that boxing is more popular and i don't care. Tapology doesn't support your argument that boxing is more popular on average. According to tapology boxing performs the best at the highest but not on average.

But Tapology is unreliable to me after closer examination anyway. I don't know what methodology was used, because not seeing a name such as Mike Tyson is completely unreliable.

Anyway, Joshua will get all the money he wants in the UFC and UFC would still earns money in the process. He doesn't come in the UFC because he's already full of money + it's way too risky. It's insane that you can't accept such a simple fact.

Joshua is not superman, he's still a human.

I always accept legit arguments. It's the same for Jon Jones, he could lose against Joshua and i have absolutely no problem admiting it (but it's unlikely). Yet you can't even accept that Joshua doesn't want to take the risk to come in the UFC. Jon Jones doesn't want to go in boxing (despite the money) because he would get embarassed. Money is not a problem if the buzz is there.

Where did I say AJ was superman? Would you risk your image by going into a different sport, and having to learn a bunch of new skills, just to make less money? Of course not. It's illogical. AJ can continue doing what he's been doing. There's nothing new to learn and he's making more money there.

I'll say it again. The UFC can afford AJ. However, they won't make him a bigger offer than he'd get in boxing. Allegedly they already tried to buy Floyd in 2017 and it didn't work. He said Dana White made him a $1 billion offer ($250 million per fight for 4 fights). That's the only enormous offer I've ever heard of that involves bringing a boxing superstar to the UFC. For all we know it wasn't even a real offer.

 

[nonoob]

That is a great fight for WIlder, since after his last horrid performance he desperately needs a get well fight.
Not so good for Francis though, back to back devastating KO's would be the end of him.That fight can absolutely get made, but I just don't know who would fund it.

MMA would be the only smart move for Francis, NO Boxer will beat him in the cage.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

MMA would be the only smart move for Francis, NO Boxer will beat him in the cage.

I think Francis would rather box. In just a couple fights in boxing he's already made several times more than he ever did in his entire MMA career. Unless the PFL, which he's signed to now, can match or exceed that pay per fight then he's better off boxing. Just not against Top 5 guys. Give him a lower Top 15 guy that isn't too dangerous and let him rebound.

 

[Dr Fong]

I think Francis would rather box. In just a couple fights in boxing he's already made several times more than he ever did in his entire MMA career. Unless the PFL, which he's signed to now, can match or exceed that pay per fight then he's better off boxing. Just not against Top 5 guys. Give him a lower Top 15 guy that isn't too dangerous and let him rebound.

Not sure if the Saudis would go for it, but you have to wonder if they might be interested in doing a mixed event to try and get some more return on Big Frank.

Throw a million at an old HW like Chisora or Pulev or whoever to convince them to take an MMA fight and try to build Francis back up. Keep the MMA-boxing crossover nonsense appeal alive that way rather than risking the defensively shite Big Frank in another boxing match.

Put Big Frank vs Chisora/Pulev/whoever in an MMA fight as the co-main of another Joshua fight or something. We are already in a freakshow so they might as well go full-bearded lady.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

Not sure if the Saudis would go for it, but you have to wonder if they might be interested in doing a mixed event to try and get some more return on Big Frank.

Throw a million at an old HW like Chisora or Pulev or whoever to convince them to take an MMA fight and try to build Francis back up. Keep the MMA-boxing crossover nonsense appeal alive that way rather than risking the defensively shite Big Frank in another boxing match.

Put Big Frank vs Chisora/Pulev/whoever in an MMA fight as the co-main of another Joshua fight or something. We are already in a freakshow so they might as well go full-bearded lady.

That's who I'd match Francis up with next. An old warhorse like Chisora would make for a fun fight or even Lerena. The latter would be an African showdown: Central African (Francis) vs South African (Lerena). Both should be winnable fights for him.

 

[Tayski]

You dont know what the fuck you're talking about.
Usyk and Joshua fought twice. Fury and Wilder fought 3 times.
AJ-Wilder? Has been derailed multiple times.
Wilder losing to Fury, and AJ to Ruiz and then recently because Wilder lost to Parker.
AJ-Fury?
Aj loses to Usyk twice and that goes out the window. Now it's Fury-Usyk.

You just proved my point.

Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury
Wilder vs Anthony Joshua

Fights that should have been made for years but they were just dodging each other, until something happens so the fight isn't relevant anymore.

They keep you fans waiting for years before the match-ups happen, similar to how Mayweather only fought Pacquio when out of prime.

 

[Kovalev's "Man Bag"]

You just proved my point.

Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury
Wilder vs Anthony Joshua

Fights that should have been made for years but they were just dodging each other, until something happens so the fight isn't relevant anymore.

They keep you fans waiting for years before the match-ups happen, similar to how Mayweather only fought Pacquio when out of prime.

Fury vs Joshua was signed. The reason we didn't get it is because Fury had to give Wilder a third fight. A judge who did the arbitration decided that. Fury was contractually obligated to oblige. We were supposed to finally get Wilder vs Joshua as well. All Wilder had to do was beat Parker. Well, he lost, so Wilder vs Joshua was off.

I agree that we have to wait entirely too long for these big fights to be made though. With the Saudis now involved it won't take years to make them. They'll just shower both sides with money. That's how they'll be made.

 

[ferrisjso]

I think Francis would rather box. In just a couple fights in boxing he's already made several times more than he ever did in his entire MMA career. Unless the PFL, which he's signed to now, can match or exceed that pay per fight then he's better off boxing. Just not against Top 5 guys. Give him a lower Top 15 guy that isn't too dangerous and let him rebound.

I think he'd rather box but if he was ok with what you just described he wouldn't have fought AJ in the first place and would have fought a top 10 guy to get a win under his belt. I think Francis was "belt or bust". He fought the lineal champ then went straight to a title elim. I don't think he has interest in boxing for boxings sake. I think he prefers boxing to MMA but hes fighting for titles in MMA and isn't going to abandon that to be a HW gatekeeper.

Maybe he fights one more time for the money. But hes 0-2 now and not a contender I think that really pops the money baloon. People are going to expect him to get clapped again whether thats fair or not. I don't think people are going to huddle around the TV wondering if he can beat Derek Chisora.

 

[CatchnShoot]

I think he'd rather box but if he was ok with what you just described he wouldn't have fought AJ in the first place and would have fought a top 10 guy to get a win under his belt. I think Francis was "belt or bust". He fought the lineal champ then went straight to a title elim. I don't think he has interest in boxing for boxings sake. I think he prefers boxing to MMA but hes fighting for titles in MMA and isn't going to abandon that to be a HW gatekeeper.

Maybe he fights one more time for the money. But hes 0-2 now and not a contender I think that really pops the money baloon. People are going to expect him to get clapped again whether thats fair or not. I don't think people are going to huddle around the TV wondering if he can beat Derek Chisora.

Well, he may have preferred Boxing to MMA, or Boxing Money to MMA, but after AJ khtfo does he still? Moreover is the money still there?

He got top level opponents, so he got top level money. I'd have to think the payday for Chisora for example would be considerably less.

 

[ferrisjso]

Well, he may have preferred Boxing to MMA, or Boxing Money to MMA, but after AJ khtfo does he still? Moreover is the money still there?

He got top level opponents, so he got top level money. I'd have to think the payday for Chisora for example would be considerably less.

He said as a child he dreamed of winning the HW belt. I think he was trying to parlay his MMA success into that.

I agree.


I suspect the the PFL folds before Francis quits on them tbh. I don't believe in what they are doing but I believe Francis will try his dambnest to do right by them for believing in him. I just have a "feeling" thats how this story is going to end.