Is/was MMA ever bigger than boxing?

[Willek]

One of the Charlo brothers fought last week and no one gave a shit.

 

[avenue94]

As for barriers of entry, starting boxing requires a pair of $20 gloves and boxing gyms cost 50-75% less than mma, as well as significantly less time in. People from piss poor countries can regularly box and be seen in high level boxing, but exceptionally rare to see them in mma.

In that sense yes, but to get anywhere in boxing requires far more ability than mma right now, just for the plain reason boxing has a much deeper talent pool at the moment.

 

[Street Samurai]

I wouldn’t be shocked if a lot of this was driven by the relatively high share of Hispanics/Latinos in the younger generations, particularly Mexican-Americans. The Hispanic/Latino viewer base is the bedrock of boxing viewership, and it’s something MMA has had a difficult time breaking into.

For sure this has a lot to do. I also think it's driven by young african american and hip hop culture. Tank for example is well known in hip hop circles, and so is Haney to a lesser extent. I don't think any mma fighters made any waves in that subculture

 

[Carrotman23]

I love MMA more then boxing but a lot of you are deslusional lol . Boxing has been and probably always will be bigger then MMA overall , and I understand why. Big deal boxing fights are fun events with MASSIVE crowds and feel like an epic and important event . The UFC just doesn't have that , Dana White hates fun and theater in combat sports and because of that MMA' biggest promotion won't come close in terms of numbers and the cultural impact of a boxing super fight .

 

[The Chosen]

For sure this has a lot to do. I also think it's driven by young african american and hip hop culture. Tank for example is well known in hip hop circles, and so is Haney to a lesser extent. I don't think any mma fighters made any waves in that subculture

Same with us Mexicanos, a lot of young people know Ryan Garcia and Canelo of course

 

[codfather]

Take the US and UK out of the picture and who does boxing have?
Pacquiao and Golovkin are on the verge of retirement.
Chavez Jr, Usyk and Loma might be reasonably young, but they're shopworn.
Inoue is probably too small to ever be a megastar.
Is international boxing just going to rely on Canelo + meme fights?

 

[Street Samurai]

Take the US and UK out of the picture and who does boxing have?
Pacquiao and Golovkin are on the verge of retirement.
Chavez Jr, Usyk and Loma might be reasonably young, but they're shopworn.
Is international boxing just going to rely on Canelo + meme fights?

Boxing and also MMA always manage to find new stars once the old guard retires

 

[Corrado Soprano]

Guess there wasn't much to say about Canalo waiting, that's cool.

No it doesn't lol. Paul barely made 3.5 mill in the Floyd fight. And the other guy didn't get paid that big either. But these are exhibitions, it's entertainment. Kind of sad that the face of boxing now is two youtubers. Perhaps you could have gone with AJ, Fury or Canalo for pay. But then again, popularity of a sport doesn't have much to do with fighter pay.

LOL you trying to make Canelo allowing fan to enjoy both main events sound like a bad thing

 

[SithJiuJitsu]

MMA has been the rising sport and has been several times, and is currently bigger then boxing, especially after running fights every single weekend in 2020. There were no sports that got hype throughout that year that generated more Buzz than the UFC. I would assume that since Floyd Mayweather became Boxing’s biggest star is around the same time MMA became the more influential sports. It was just Pacquiao and Floyd, compared to a whole new sport that is filled with interesting personalities and the follow up punches on a dropped opponent make people cringe more than boxing ever could. Regardless of people’s opinion on MMA, they do know about it and more people alive today then not are aware of our favorite sport.

 

[avenue94]

Take the US and UK out of the picture and who does boxing have?
Pacquiao and Golovkin are on the verge of retirement.
Chavez Jr, Usyk and Loma might be reasonably young, but they're shopworn.
Is international boxing just going to rely on Canelo + meme fights?

Ryan Garcia has the potential for serious drawing power. Chavez JR was never star potential so dunno why you're mentioning him. It more sounds like you don't follow boxing much. You're acting like the UFC has a bunch of future mainstream stars waiting in the wings.

 

[Vanzanto]

My first ever post

I will speak for Australia in regards to answering this question.

Boxing was very big in the 80s / 90s. This was due to two factors.....Mike Tyson and the rise of Australian boxers in that period (Jeff Fenech /Kostya Tsyzu). As a result of their popularity, people would also go to see ppv's of other boxers in the pub (Naseem Hamed, De La Hoya). Extremely popular....Mike Tyson fights would pack every venue it was shown at....electric atmosphere.

These days....boxing in Australia (particularly boxing internationally) is very dead. Boxing on a domestic scale (believe it or not) has more popularity than a fight in the US. If I went out to my local supermarket and ask people who Terence Crawford is, I'd be lucky if 1 in 50 people know. The only boxing ppv's shown in this country are if there is a big domestic fight, an Australian on the world stage (rare that it would even be shown) or a heavyweight superfight. Even a guy like Canelo does not get fights shown in Australian hotels. I was shocked as to how many people showed up to the Fury v Wilder superfight.

MMA has definitely taken over boxing here. Whittaker, Adensya, and Conor will always draw people to a pub here. Conor is the closest to Mike Tyson in terms for drawing people to see a fight.

In saying that, while MMA is more popular than boxing here, I don't think it is more popular than boxing was back in the 80s and 90s. A lot of casual Australian fans would not know many current MMA fighters outside of Conor, Adensya and Whittaker.

Combat sports in general has probably dipped over the years in Australia.

 

[SherdogFan23]

Boxing had a big advantage in the past. There was a time where TV was king and boxing was on prime time for professional fights and Olympics. MMA wasn't even on the map at that time. Anything else close like martial arts or wrestling in the Olympics was barely visible except in movies and fake wrestling. The big name fighters like Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Foreman, etc. had huge fan bases. Once the internet era arrived things started to change. Many of the people who were fans of boxing in the TV era are aging which means a transition could occur once this generation is gone.

 

[Franklin U.]

I wish I could say mma could overtake boxing. How ??
Boxing has been around forever and itll be around forever.

I can't say the same for MMA( as we knew it/ know it). MMA hit the 180 mark 3-4 years ago and now making its circle back to 360.

Of course my personal preference
MMA > Boxing... but that's a pipe dream.I really dont think people understand( at all) the gravity of such verbiage.

 

[wolfss]

Never was, Never will be despite Mcg being popular and giving enough relevancy.

Boxing is coming along nicely and there's some nice matchups like Pac vs Spence and Fury vs Wilder and Usyk vs AJ, MMA is still very niche and in some countries isn't even known or has the same popularity as boxing. i am saying ths as someone who lives in a non mma country, boxing is more known.

bullshiet!!!! Boxing died with the end of the carees of Chaves Márquez de la hoya pacquiao

 

[Street Samurai]

My first ever post

I will speak for Australia in regards to answering this question.

Boxing was very big in the 80s / 90s. This was due to two factors.....Mike Tyson and the rise of Australian boxers in that period (Jeff Fenech /Kostya Tsyzu). As a result of their popularity, people would also go to see ppv's of other boxers in the pub (Naseem Hamed, De La Hoya). Extremely popular....Mike Tyson fights would pack every venue it was shown at....electric atmosphere.

These days....boxing in Australia (particularly boxing internationally) is very dead. Boxing on a domestic scale (believe it or not) has more popularity than a fight in the US. If I went out to my local supermarket and ask people who Terence Crawford is, I'd be lucky if 1 in 50 people know. The only boxing ppv's shown in this country are if there is a big domestic fight, an Australian on the world stage (rare that it would even be shown) or a heavyweight superfight. Even a guy like Canelo does not get fights shown in Australian hotels. I was shocked as to how many people showed up to the Fury v Wilder superfight.

MMA has definitely taken over boxing here. Whittaker, Adensya, and Conor will always draw people to a pub here. Conor is the closest to Mike Tyson in terms for drawing people to see a fight.

In saying that, while MMA is more popular than boxing here, I don't think it is more popular than boxing was back in the 80s and 90s. A lot of casual Australian fans would not know many current MMA fighters outside of Conor, Adensya and Whittaker.

Combat sports in general has probably dipped over the years in Australia.

I would have thought that Crawford is known in Australia since he destroyed Horn, who is fairly well known over there. But what do i know

 

[JKS]

LOL you trying to make Canelo allowing fan to enjoy both main events sound like a bad thing

Yes, that's it. lol

 

[Irabbs]

Take the US and UK out of the picture and who does boxing have?
Pacquiao and Golovkin are on the verge of retirement.
Chavez Jr, Usyk and Loma might be reasonably young, but they're shopworn.
Is international boxing just going to rely on Canelo + meme fights?

Why are u dropping chavez jnr name there lol when he hasn't been relevant in years.

 

[Irabbs]

Take the US and UK out of the picture and who does boxing have?
Pacquiao and Golovkin are on the verge of retirement.
Chavez Jr, Usyk and Loma might be reasonably young, but they're shopworn.
Is international boxing just going to rely on Canelo + meme fights?

Boxing has always produced stars at a greater rate though, I mean the likes of manny pac for example literally came from nowhere and became a massive star. I honestly think the ufc declines or has started to already especially after conor retires. Then hopefully the ufc can find another star but no one will be close to what conor did to bring the sport where it is.

 

[Irabbs]

Boxing had a big advantage in the past. There was a time where TV was king and boxing was on prime time for professional fights and Olympics. MMA wasn't even on the map at that time. Anything else close like martial arts or wrestling in the Olympics was barely visible except in movies and fake wrestling. The big name fighters like Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Foreman, etc. had huge fan bases. Once the internet era arrived things started to change. Many of the people who were fans of boxing in the TV era are aging which means a transition could occur once this generation is gone.

Alot of the oldies passed it on to their kids though but yeh the newer gen it's closer between ufc and boxing in certain parts in the world but majority boxing rules even though its in a massive decline itself.

 

[Corrado Soprano]

Yes, that's it. lol

weak response but it’s hard to defend MMA being better than Boxing