it's not anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence requires an anecdote. Evidence? Are you accounting for events that aren't on pay per view? You're argument is that boxing is less popular than the UFC, mine is that it isn't and that it isn't even close when you look at it globally. It's not that I dont have a problem with it - rather, it has no place in this discussion, it does not serve as evidence of any kind when comparing the popularity of two sports. I'm not a huge boxing fan - where have I stated that I am? For the most part I dont give a damn about professional boxing, it's all theatre and barely any action, which is exactly where UFC will end up in a decades time. But you are wrong when you say that UFC is a bigger sport - it might well overtake boxing, but it wont be happening any time soon.
Umm asking people on the street who they know is anecdotal. It's certainly not testable is it? Are you? where are you getting your accounting by asking more joe blows? Who's joe blow? Why would I consider his opinion above my friend the average joe? I think obviously it's hard to get hard numbers on viewership worldwide. That's why we resort to anecdotal evidence which is just asking people randomly without a scientific method. You know people who know more about boxing, I know more people who know about MMA. I think at this point your just arguing with me for the sake of arguing. I stated my opinion of the state of boxing and I personally see a connection with MMA because both sports cater to fight fans. You don't agree so be it.
I run an MMA club and on a world level Boxing is far bigger than MMA, MMA is popular in certain countries and a buzz thing at the min but as soon as it becomes mainstream it will lose a lot of its appeal-if you go onto the streets and ask joe bloggs who GSP, Fedor or Anderson Silva the 3 greatest mma fighters are they would look at you like your crazy, if you really believe MMA is bigger than boxing then your believing the dana white hype machine thats there to make you think MMA is bigger than it is, on the recent UFC in germany 4000 tickets where given to the US army to fill the seats in a 12 thousand stadium, The chagaev v valuev fight sold out 60,000 easily. and that realistically was just for the 1 fight. if you asked the joe public did they know Floyd mayweather, Oscar de la hoya or Roy jones jr then i guarantee you, more would know the boxers, Boxing goes through peaks and troffs and if Mayweather v Pacman goes ahead its going to break all ppv records and its worth noting that all this is for 1 fight regardless of undercard, this is widely accepted, also on a side note, the UFC dont officially let there PPV ratings out so there numbers are just speculation, i wonder why they dont?!
MMA is still popular besides the UFC and beyond the US. It does well in Japan, Brazil, the UK. Trying to compare global appeal is hard. Anecdotal evidence is weak. I'm sure if you asked some one in Thailand about MMA or boxing they would be more likely to name a Muay Thai or K-1 Fighter. My original point is that with the departure of Lennox Lewis boxing has been on a steady decline. Big fights like ones between Oscar de la Hoya and Mayweather, or a potential Pacquiao and Mayweather fight create upswings. But without consistent important match ups the sport will decline. Fighting sports are niche sports to begin with. What keeps their popularity alive are competitive fights. If organizations just try to create hype by shielding their prospects away from other contenders it just drains the devotion of fans. In the short term a fighter gets hyped up but if important match ups don't happen the sports fans are going to be less likely to buy fights either live or pay per view. My thesis if you will, is that with Lennox Lewis' retirement boxing hasn't seen important championship bouts especially HW ones. And IMO despite the efforts of De La Hoya to highlight lighter fighters important match ups happen too far and few in between in terms of retaining and expanding fan's viewership. Even if Boxing is still larger in terms of fans than MMA it is a shell of what it used to be against Boxing's popularity 10 to 15 years ago.
Pitfighter, Boxing has always had ups and downs, nothing new there but even on the downs its massive compared to other combat sports, How big MMA is, is over hyped, its huge compared to 5 years ago and kind of peaked at the minute but how big people think it is that are fans is misguided, there listening to much to Dana white, its the buzz thing right now and i personally hope it stay as popular as it is right now, Boxing and MMA can share fan bases and in the future you will find that MMA fans wont look at MMA as the enemy and they will co exist the way they should. it is true that when the heavyweight division is poor, and not always poor but seen to be poor because there is no english speaking champ then the mainstream appeal of boxing does diminish in the states and therefore is not as well hyped around the world but the rest of the divisions are still booming right now and the best fights are below heavyweight anyway, just like in the UFC.
Ken Buchannon was one of the most skilled boxers the UK has ever produced. Lennox did the UK great credit as well.
Hah just can't get over the topic. Especially now that the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather got cancelled and may never happen. Forget MMA. I never thought of Boxing as the enemy of MMA. I'm a fan of both. But if I've only got $60 for one paper view I'm goina spend it on UFC not boxing. Because ever since Lennox Lewis left boxing there's been a huge vacuum. Remember when Lewis fought so did other greats like Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Tyson, and Lewis even babtized Vitali Klitschko to the upper echelons of boxing before he retired. Below the Heavyweights there are literally only 3 pounds difference between junior super light bantam feather straw welter weights. Compelling fights don't happen with any regularity unless a guy like Pacquiao or De la Hoya are willing to bounce and up the myriad of weight divisions. Well De la Hoya's retired and Pacquiao may be going soon too. The HW division is tapped out not because there's no English speaking champ but because there's no true champ. the Klitschko's can't be undisputed both because they refuse to fight each other and because both randomly lose one of their belts to injury, either during a fight or before a mandatory title defense. Add it all up and boxing is far less compelling.
I don't think that Lennox Lewis is underrated. The most impressive thing that he has done was beat Holyfeild twice (yes, I know the first one was officially a draw, but anyone who watched that fight saw how badly Lennox picked Holyfeild apart). Throw out the Mike Tyson knockout - knocking out a one dimensional fighter who was over the hill does not constitute a great accomplishment. Plus, Lennox did get knocked out by Rahman and basically ran into retirement rather than give Klitchsko a much deserved rematch (don't buy that nonsense excuse that he gave, it would've been nothing for him to end his career with a "leave no doubt" victory and one large payday for the road). Bowe was only good for the Holyfeild fights, so I wouldn't have been impressed with a Lewis victory over Bowe either, as I would've expected it. Lennox Lewis is a good boxer, but I don't think for one minute that he is underrated. In some ways, I feel that he is overrated, but I respect him as an awesome boxer and he did do some great things in the ring.
in no order Buchanan,Benn,LewisTurpin should all be on the list Hamed fought one big fight and lost,nobody else he beat will be remembered Calzaghe again missed the middleweight era of benn,watson,collins eubank,McCullum,Toney and a aged Bernard Hopkins gave him trouble in a close fight you cant be a legend by beating Kessler and Lacey Hatton is a good fighter on the worlds stage but a great no way,was only able to fight in one wieght division,he struggled whenever he fought at welter and was able to bully other light welters but will not go down a world legend as the likes of mayweather and paquiao were around and he was not even competative in either fight,he wouldnt have beaten Mosley,De la Hoya or cotto t welter either
Its the nature of the sport. No one is invincible. Lewis clearly outclassed Rahman their second fight and everyone admitted that Rahman's first win was a lucky punch. Personally I'm satisfied with Lewis' win over Vitali. Vitali did want to fight and had great spirit but most of his punches didn't land. Lewis threw fewer punches but landed more. Vitali's face was ripped severely. I would've been more regretful of the rematch that didn't happen except both Vitali and his brother Vladmir have both lost so many odd matches since Lewis retirement I honestly look back on Lewis last fight with more satisfaction. I don't think either of the Klitschkos have been as great a champs as Lewis, Holyfield, even Holmes. BTW what about the other dude who beat Lewis then had a mental breakdown their second fight. I forget his name. But no one ever mentions that dude.
