Media Kubrat Pulev broke Frank Mirs neck

[Paul E Gensinger]

With all due respect, Mir had no business fighting anyone after all the damage he had sustained over his long and storied career. By the time he faced Pulev, Frank was 2 years retired from competition, having made his MMA debut 20 years prior. I hope he makes a full recovery and stays retired this time.

Mir is like most: an intelligent guy who is a moron when it comes to himself. He kept fighting way beyond his shelf life. Think about it, he got torched by Bellator Fedor.

 

[HaulParris]

Mir is like most: an intelligent guy who is a moron when it comes to himself. He kept fighting way beyond his shelf life. Think about it, he got torched by Bellator Fedor.

You have to wonder how much of his decision to take the Pulev fight was his competitive spirit and how much it was because he needed the money. I realize Frank made more money than most fighters (Spencer Fisher comes to mind), and I don't know his motivation - it just sucks that there are promoters / commissions who have no qualms about putting on fights with dudes that (for their own good) should not be allowed to fight (like Bigfoot Silva).

 

[JKS]

Maybe not in your local suburb where people go into MMA because the training is easier. But there are more boxers than MMA fighters. By a good margin too.
And it doesn't seem easier on the body. Frank Mir got his neck broken and was one punch away from never walking again.
Tim Hague went into boxing and died in the ring.

LOL, I live in a city with over 3 million people. There are way more mma gyms and people into the sport than boxing. Worldwide, mma is just a more popular sport. It has grown immensely over the last decade.

And yes, training and doing mma is harder on the body than boxing. The same can happen in reverse. You don't think a boxer can suddenly die in mma fight from excessive strikes to the head?

 

[Cariñito]

LOL, I live in a city with over 3 million people. There are way more mma gyms and people into the sport than boxing. Worldwide, mma is just a more popular sport. It has grown immensely over the last decade.

And yes, training and doing mma is harder on the body than boxing. The same can happen in reverse. You don't think a boxer can suddenly die in mma fight from excessive strikes to the head?

Worldwide?
Why isn't MMA doing stadium shows like boxing on a consistent basis? Where's the 90k at Wembley?
Who brings in 20m-30m viewers in a single country on a consistent basis like Canelo does? No one in MMA is doing that. Canelo gets more viewers in Mexico than almost all UFC cards so globally.

Also depending on what stats you use. There's between 15,000-20,000 active boxers in the world.
MMA fighters is around 1,000-2,000.

And everyone knows boxing's the harder sport. If it was so easy, Conor, Francis, Lewis, Gustafson, Silva, etc..would all be boxing like they initially tried to do.

 

[JKS]

Worldwide?
Why isn't MMA doing stadium shows like boxing on a consistent basis? Where's the 90k at Wembley?
Who brings in 20m-30m viewers in a single country on a consistent basis like Canelo does? No one in MMA is doing that. Canelo gets more viewers in Mexico than almost all UFC cards so globally.

Also depending on what stats you use. There's between 15,000-20,000 active boxers in the world.
MMA fighters is around 1,000-2,000.

And everyone knows boxing's the harder sport. If it was so easy, Conor, Francis, Lewis, Gustafson, Silva, etc..would all be boxing like they initially tried to do.

Well, perhaps you don't know your history so well, but MMA has been doing stadium shows for over two decades. Pride regularly had 50,000 in attendance, biggest show was 80,000. The UFC has done stadium shows in Canada, Brazil, Australia, with 55K+. KSW does shows in Poland with 50K+. Boxing has done a handful full of shows that have done huge attendance, but like I said, there is 4 or 5 of those. It's very top heavy and revolves around mega stars in boxing. If you look through the biggest attendance in combat sports history, take the top 100 shows in attendance, boxing only has 16 while MMA has 84. Boxing has 3 shows that did massive numbers 80K + at Wembley, Canalo in Texas which did 70K. But beyond that it falls off drastically, there were a few fights that did 40K-50K. MMA doesn't have the 80K shows, but they have about 10x more in the 40-50K range. And way more in the 20-40K range. Having a few massive shows in Engalnd, doesn't outweigh consistency over 20 years. Like I said, 16 boxing vs 84 mma. And in the 101-200 biggest attendance it continues heavily in favor of mma.

What you're talking about is Canalo who's among the biggest starts in boxing vs free UFC shows on Cable. But you had Khabib pulling in 15 million viewers for his fights. Canalos fights were broadcasted on a national network. Once again, it revolves around one fighter who's a national hero but doesn't speak about the popularity and consistency of the sport and viewership. But if you're talking about viewership, it's not even comparable between MMA and boxing. The UFC does far better than boxing on TV for the past 15 years. And when talking PPV, take the top 20 shows all time, MMA has 11 vs Boxing 9. But then take the next 30, MMA has 26 while boxing only 4. So in the top 50 PPVs all time, MMA has 37 vs Boxing 13. And if you from the 51 to 100, it heavily favors MMA, it's not even comparable.

LOL, those stats are bogus. I know you just googled it and got the first hit. Why don't you actually do some research. The UFC has nearly 600 fighters on its roster, while Bellator has around 300. So you're at around 1000 already. Never mind even going into all the other bigger promotions like and then all the smaller regional ones all over the world.

 

[goOb]

Ahh the Trigon rears it's ugly head... Is something wrong with Mir's arm? He looks like he primarily jacks his meat with his left hand right now. No definition to the right one whatsoever.

 

[Cariñito]

Well, perhaps you don't know your history so well, but MMA has been doing stadium shows for over two decades. Pride regularly had 50,000 in attendance, biggest show was 80,000. The UFC has done stadium shows in Canada, Brazil, Australia, with 55K+. KSW does shows in Poland with 50K+. Boxing has done a handful full of shows that have done huge attendance, but like I said, there is 4 or 5 of those. It's very top heavy and revolves around mega stars in boxing. If you look through the biggest attendance in combat sports history, take the top 100 shows in attendance, boxing only has 16 while MMA has 84. Boxing has 3 shows that did massive numbers 80K + at Wembley, Canalo in Texas which did 70K. But beyond that it falls off drastically, there were a few fights that did 40K-50K. MMA doesn't have the 80K shows, but they have about 10x more in the 40-50K range. And way more in the 20-40K range. Having a few massive shows in Engalnd, doesn't outweigh consistency over 20 years. Like I said, 16 boxing vs 84 mma. And in the 101-200 biggest attendance it continues heavily in favor of mma.

What you're talking about is Canalo who's among the biggest starts in boxing vs free UFC shows on Cable. But you had Khabib pulling in 15 million viewers for his fights. Canalos fights were broadcasted on a national network. Once again, it revolves around one fighter who's a national hero but doesn't speak about the popularity and consistency of the sport and viewership. But if you're talking about viewership, it's not even comparable between MMA and boxing. The UFC does far better than boxing on TV for the past 15 years. And when talking PPV, take the top 20 shows all time, MMA has 11 vs Boxing 9. But then take the next 30, MMA has 26 while boxing only 4. So in the top 50 PPVs all time, MMA has 37 vs Boxing 13. And if you from the 51 to 100, it heavily favors MMA, it's not even comparable.

LOL, those stats are bogus. I know you just googled it and got the first hit. Why don't you actually do some research. The UFC has nearly 600 fighters on its roster, while Bellator has around 300. So you're at around 1000 already. Never mind even going into all the other bigger promotions like and then all the smaller regional ones all over the world.

Boxing has shows that did over 100k. Multiple ones if were talking the history of the sport.
Tyson Fury did 94k a year ago. A few years before that, Froch-Groves did 80k. AJs done events that did 90k and 75k etc.. Canelos done 73k.

The most attended MMA fight was 71k. Canelo-Saunders did more than that with 73,000.
And that MMA fight was 21 years ago with a now non existent company.

And Tapology isnt the place to go for the "Stats" you wrongly put up there. There missing tons of boxing matches on there. Thats an MMA site and the only site saying the nonsense your trying to pass by.
Klitschko was doing 60,000+ in Germany and across Europe for a decade. No mention of that on there. How bout Hatton doing 55,000? No mention. How bout all those fights in the past? Doyle vs Peterson, Harvey vs McAvoy doing huge numbers. Only an idiot like yourself would think that boxing has only done a handful of big shows. Thats what happens when you google something, click on one site and run with loose information.

Khabib pulled in viewers once. Canelos been bringing in 20-30m viewers for a decade now.
Juan Manuel Marquez was pulling in 30m viewers in Mexico for his fights alone.
Klitschko vs Povetkin did 23m in Russia and another 23m in the Ukraine when they had their fight in Moscow and he did 10m-15m viewers in Germany every fight for about 20 years.

His fight vs Haye was purported to have done 500m viewers worldwide. His fight vs Pulev, 300m.

No one in MMA is doing anything close to these numbers, and they damn sure aren't doing it on a consistent basis like these guys did.

And then we can talk about Live Gate numbers and revenue.
Canelo-Plant had a bigger live gate than every MMA event in the history of MMA.
Every single one of them.

How is Canelo-Plant bringing in more money through the door than every MMA event ever held?

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

When Frank Mir tried his hand at the boxing hybrid of Triad combat, he was greeted by 2x HW Champion contender, and 2x European HW Champion Kubrat Pulev.

Pulev broke his neck and KOd him in the 1st round.
Mir said that the doctors told him that if he were to taken one more punch, he could've been paralyzed.

Makes you kinda worry about Ngannous safety, you know?

Great interview, Frank is really candid. Can't help but like the guy a whole lot. Thanks for posting.

 

[CleverNameEh]

Makes you kinda worry about Ngannous safety, you know?

Except that Mir is old in the fight game and the recipient of numerous KO's and severe injuries, and past due on retirement, where as Francis is middle aged in the fight game, and has yet to have his lights turned out repeatadly.

Apples and oranges

 

[Istryker]

Did y’all see that mf 1-2 PULEV LANDED HE STILL HOT HANDS

 

[VonSupervillain]

It was a bs match up. Francis is going to lose, but you can’t compare Mir and Francis.

Francis vs Fury is just as big of a mismatch as Mir vs Pulev. Sure, Francis isn't as likely to die as Mir was, but he's just as likely to lose.

 

[StewDogg11]

TS has a bizarre obsession with making threads about MMA fighters fighting boxers but never brings up Couture vs. Toney or Ricardo Mayorga’s storied MMA career.

 

[StewDogg11]

Worldwide?
Why isn't MMA doing stadium shows like boxing on a consistent basis? Where's the 90k at Wembley?
Who brings in 20m-30m viewers in a single country on a consistent basis like Canelo does? No one in MMA is doing that. Canelo gets more viewers in Mexico than almost all UFC cards so globally.

Also depending on what stats you use. There's between 15,000-20,000 active boxers in the world.
MMA fighters is around 1,000-2,000.

And everyone knows boxing's the harder sport. If it was so easy, Conor, Francis, Lewis, Gustafson, Silva, etc..would all be boxing like they initially tried to do.

Imagine hating MMA so much…that you join an MMA message board.

 

[StewDogg11]

Maybe not in your local suburb where people go into MMA because the training is easier. But there are more boxers than MMA fighters. By a good margin too.
And it doesn't seem easier on the body. Frank Mir got his neck broken and was one punch away from never walking again.
Tim Hague went into boxing and died in the ring.

You’re a piece of shit. Bringing up a man’s death to prop up your silly obsession.

 

[StewDogg11]

That's because Cunningham went light on him.
They hung out before the fight, met each other's families, took pictures, we're complimentary towards each other before and after the fight.
Cunningham wasn't going to go out there and embarrass this guy in front of his family.

Pulev went out there and didn't give a shit.
Almost killed the guy and then after made fun of MMA guys and then at the press conference after Rampage was bumbling some MMA vs Boxing nonsense, Pulev pointed at the empty chair and asked Rampage "Where's your guy then?".

Pulev is a Man's Man.
Beats peoples asses, gropes ring girls and kisses female journalists.
He's a throwback.

Imagine being a big enough piece of shit to think sexual assaulting people makes someone “a man’s man”.

 

[PrepareForGlory]

Good thing Pulev whiffed on that uppercut, because that would have sent Mir to outer space

 

[StonedLemur]

When Frank Mir tried his hand at the boxing hybrid of Triad combat, he was greeted by 2x HW Champion contender, and 2x European HW Champion Kubrat Pulev.

Pulev broke his neck and KOd him in the 1st round.
Mir said that the doctors told him that if he were to taken one more punch, he could've been paralyzed.

Makes you kinda worry about Ngannous safety, you know?

Fury doesn't hit as hard as that guy.

 

[JKS]

Boxing has shows that did over 100k. Multiple ones if were talking the history of the sport.
Tyson Fury did 94k a year ago. A few years before that, Froch-Groves did 80k. AJs done events that did 90k and 75k etc.. Canelos done 73k.

The most attended MMA fight was 71k. Canelo-Saunders did more than that with 73,000.
And that MMA fight was 21 years ago with a now non existent company.

And Tapology isnt the place to go for the "Stats" you wrongly put up there. There missing tons of boxing matches on there. Thats an MMA site and the only site saying the nonsense your trying to pass by.
Klitschko was doing 60,000+ in Germany and across Europe for a decade. No mention of that on there. How bout Hatton doing 55,000? No mention. How bout all those fights in the past? Doyle vs Peterson, Harvey vs McAvoy doing huge numbers. Only an idiot like yourself would think that boxing has only done a handful of big shows. Thats what happens when you google something, click on one site and run with loose information.

Khabib pulled in viewers once. Canelos been bringing in 20-30m viewers for a decade now.
Juan Manuel Marquez was pulling in 30m viewers in Mexico for his fights alone.
Klitschko vs Povetkin did 23m in Russia and another 23m in the Ukraine when they had their fight in Moscow and he did 10m-15m viewers in Germany every fight for about 20 years.

His fight vs Haye was purported to have done 500m viewers worldwide. His fight vs Pulev, 300m.

No one in MMA is doing anything close to these numbers, and they damn sure aren't doing it on a consistent basis like these guys did.

And then we can talk about Live Gate numbers and revenue.
Canelo-Plant had a bigger live gate than every MMA event in the history of MMA.
Every single one of them.

How is Canelo-Plant bringing in more money through the door than every MMA event ever held?

I am not gonna go into too much detail here. But everything you said, further proved my point. You're talking about one off major events. Boxing has those mega events but they are so few in numbers. MMA has far far more consistency than boxing. I showed the attendance numbers, and even if there are a few missing on the side of boxing, it doesn't change it much and maybe brings it close to 80% vs 20%. And no mention of the PPV numbers?? I think it's very clear that MMA has a far far more better buy rate in PPVs than Boxing. A lot of what you're talking about if free TV, and while that does show popularity, MMA is a different model and based around PPV. Having much stronger PPV numbers says a lot more about popularity if people are willing to dish out bigger money for something than a free show.

Again, boxing has some mega fights both in viewership and attendance, also PPV. But overall MMA is far more consistent and takes a much bigger piece of the pie.