MMA taking away from Boxing?

[A-Zo]

It seems as though the likes of organizations like the UFC are rapidly becoming the new "Fight Sport". Boxing's revenue is down, their pay-per-view profits are already far less than UFC fights, and the sport seems to be lacking any major all-stars (with few exceptions). This Mayweather vs Hatton fight may be one of the better ones as of late, and does the sport need to make any changes to compete?

What are your opinions?

[twtguy]

sorry about the lack of replies, but i think its because this thread has already been done a bunch. if you dig back a few months or so, you might be able to find the old discussion.

[bigboywasim]

Boxing is not the sport it once was. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. I believe it will be as big as baseball/basketball/football in the USA. If all states would agree to a standard set of rules and them tree hugers took a chill pill it will be all good.

[bigboywasim]

Boxing is not the sport it once was. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. I believe it will be as big as baseball/basketball/football in the USA. If all states would agree to a standard set of rules and them tree hugers took a chill pill it will be all good.

[bigboywasim]

Boxing is not the sport it once was. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. I believe it will be as big as baseball/basketball/football in the USA. If all states would agree to a standard set of rules and them tree hugers took a chill pill it will be all good.

[bigboywasim]

Boxing is not the sport it once was. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. I believe it will be as big as baseball/basketball/football in the USA. If all states would agree to a standard set of rules and them tre hugers took a chill pill it will be all good.

[bigboywasim]

Boxing is not the sport it once was. MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world. I believe it will be as big as baseball/basketball/football in the USA. If all states would agree to a standard set of rules and them tree huggers took a chill pill it will be all good.

[Knuckles&Knees]

...and does the sport need to make any changes to compete?

What are your opinions?

1) I think boxing needs to at minimum narrow down to no more than two alphabet organizations.

2) I think pay-per-view, while perhaps a business cash cow for promoters and the executives behind professional boxing, is ultimately hurting the viability of boxing for potential young loyal fans and especially new fans.

[bigboywasim]

The server was hella slow I didn't know it posted my post that many times.

[DickHardman]

mma is more popular than boxing, people looking to train have more incentive to train in mma now than instead of just boxing.

[Shoot]

It's the title problem

There were some notable exceptions, but it was heavyweight boxing that was really huge and drew huge money. The problem started when the title became fragmented. I think with unification and time for talent to get back into the heavyweight rank, it will be fine. There is such a long tradition in the UK and US of admiration for boxing. I just don't see MMA providing the drama and heart felt stories that boxing does. There has yet to be a larger than life, all heart person in MMA that an entire nation can get behind or a ring battle that an entire nation can feel emotional about. These stories abound in boxing. It's a bit dead right now, but it will rise again.

I mean no offense to MMA (I practice it for cry'n out loud), but I think MMA is associated primarily with young beer and testosterone filled guys. Whereas boxing appealed to young, middle aged and old beer and testosterone filled guys!

Let me say this too: the payoff for being a boxing champion for a major title (ie. world heavyweight) is so far beyond anything that MMA can offer that boxing will always attract the highest caliber athletes. People born with a god-given talent for fighting might choose tens of millions in boxing over a few million at the most that you could get from MMA+endorsements.

[wado_kai]

Boxing is not in decline.. boxing fans are still boxing fans, MMA fans are MMA fans, people who sway from one to the other are neither.

[dimmak786]

Its a myth.

Boxing is still Huge compared to MMA.

What do top line UFC fighters (those just a notch below Couturem Lidell, and Jackson earn......something like $5000 a fight thats what they clear?!!

It just makes for a good story to say MMA is bigger than boxing.

[Knuckles&Knees]

I think with unification and time for talent to get back into the heavyweight rank, it will be fine.

Bump.

The heavyweight is lacking in talent and drama and all these belts don't help the problem.

[Knuckles&Knees]

Boxing is not in decline.. boxing fans are still boxing fans, MMA fans are MMA fans, people who sway from one to the other are neither.

Well... there use the be a time when boxing was much greater in the UK and in the United States. There use to be a time when the heavyweight champion was more well known than the President of the United States - that was back during the early 1900s but no more.

So boxing has taken a decline, to many punches on the chin, perhaps form promoters and organized crime (sarcasm). Lol.