I do not watch it but I am wondering what do you think the future of it is?
If you don't watch it why do you think its so horrible? Because you dont understand it? It actually takes a lot of discipline to become proficient in different forms of fighting i.e. jiu jitsu, wrestling, and striking then implementing them all simultaneously. The fact the sport continuously grows shows there is clearly an interest in it.
There are a few issues I have with boxing right now.
1. It takes too long to make a star. A Mayweather/DLH level star literally takes a decade to make. Whereas the UFC can take a former NCAA champ and pro wrestler with 5 fights and sell a million PPV's
2. It takes too long to make fights people really want to see there are so many fights in boxing we never got to see due to money, promoter issues etc. This rarely happens in the UFC if you are in the same division you fight...
3. I dont think there is any boxer outside Pac/Floyd that can sell over 500K PPV. If im wrong please correct me. UFC consistently does over 400-500k with every card...
Floyd - Mosley?
Pac - JMM III?
Bro I didnt mean Pan VS Floyd I meant Pac OR Floyd. Who can do a successful 500K plus PPV that doesnt have either participating in it at all.
Put the nail in MMgAys coffin
Mayweather-Pac= 3,500,000 buys
UFC 110= 30,000 buys at most
What about the next month and the month after that? The reality is boxing isn't going to beat out MMA putting one big event a year when UFC averages 300-700K every month consistently. Boxing doesn't have enough stars to do monthly PPV numbers in those ranges. After Pac or Floyd who can do a PPV over 500K?
I am a huge fan of both and I can give my assessment. I think UFC is gaining in popularity because of 3 factors.
1. They are giving shots to people that legitimately deserve them. Only in MMA could a guy like Gonzaga get a shot at a world title because he won a true number one contenders match. Would Floyd fight a Gonzaga type fighter? No, top level boxers can pick and choose who they want to fight leaving some of the best fights on the table.
2. UFC control over talent. With so many promoters/titles/sanctions/networks it makes it very difficult to make the best fights happen. It took an act of God to pull of Lewis/Tyson....dont even think about pairing up a contracted HBO fighter with a contracted Showtime fighter nowadays...In the UFC its so much easier to have the top guys face off and the rankings are legitimate.
3. Acessibility If you dont have HBO or Showtime or the dough to shell out for like 30 PPV's a year you miss alot. As was this case this past weekend we got Jackson/Henderson. After that we get TUF and and another Fight Night Live. And these aren't BS fights either they are a legitimate contenders.
I was hesititant at first but the more I watch UFC the more I get hooked. And knowing I was gonna have to pay 30 bucks to watch Marquez/Juarez....but I can see Jackson/Hendo, Bisping/Hammil, Cro Cop, Florian/Thomas for free makes me more inclined to buy A UFC PPV later because im getting hooked on it from FREE TV.
I think the public will really push for a fight with Cotto and if he continues winning and eventually becomes the unified WBO WBA and IBF champ then it could actually tarnish PBF's legact if he didnt fight him. I think he will allow Cotto to clear out the division i.e. dispose of Margarito and Cintron/Williams winner and will fight him in his final bout next year for his 40th win.
If you look back in history many came back for that bout the public demanded for their legacy. And the few times they dont they have to go with a cloud over there shoulder ie. Lennox Lewis.
Fight Forrest? i dont think the public would really be interested in that and it would take Forrest a few years to build himself up to the level where people would want to see it. And seeing as how he's already 36 i really doubt that will happen. The only fighter that could bring Floyd the 20+ million Floyd would want would be a fight with Cotto in about a year or so after he beats Margarito and the Cintron/Williams winner.