Comments Thread For: Ali-Frazier Fight Was Watched Live By Estimated 300 Million Worldwide 50 Years Ago Today

[champion4ever]

A prime Muhammad Ali would've dusted the floor with Joe Frazier that night. It was clearly obvious that Ali was no longer the same fighter he once was in the first half of his career. That three and a half year lay off had aged and took a lot out of him. His timing was off, he was no longer as fast or had the same amount of energy, that he once had earlier in his career; Which is why he was laying on the ropes so much throughout the first Al/Frazier fight and subsequently developed the rope a dope style because he knew that could no longer dance for fifteen rounds without getting tired in the second half of his career.

[Larry the boss]

1971 Tunney's record stood until Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali each earned $2.5 million for their heavyweight title fight.

1974 The heavyweight champion George Foreman

earns $5 million and the

former champion Ali

earns $5.45 million for

The Rumble in the

Jungle.


$7.5 million

1980 The defending

welterweight

Ray Leonard is

guaranteed this

amount against

Roberto Duran.


$30 million

1996 Tyson earns this as a challenger in his knockout of the defending heavyweight champion Frank Bruno

[QballLobo]

Back then the Heavyweight champion was one of the most recognizable people in the world. Hasn’t been that way since Tyson’s prime.

[Roadblock]

Free to air television makes all the difference.

Look at these numbers .

Aired as scheduled on January 14, 1973 Elvis 'Aloha from Hawaii' was the first global concert satellite broadcast, the PR stating it as reaching approximately 1.5 billion viewers live and on USA TV delay.

[boxinglife8]

Numbers dont lie boxing now aint nothing compared to what it used to

[The D3vil]

And people argue that boxing isn't in decline?

[Oldskoolg]

That’s what happens when you have the sport of boxing accessible to the public rather than PPV and apps

[SweetPbfAli]

Better days for boxing.

[15round]

Numbers are impressive, Keep in mind back in those days there 3 total channels, and also this was world wide. Mayweather vs Pac did 90 million world wide viewership, Canelo vs Mayweather, 55 million, Canelo vs GGG 40 million. It's not 300 million but pretty good considering there's 500 thousand channels and apps.

Great point. That wasn't long after the first walk on the moon. What are people going to watch? Hollywood Squares, Leave it to Beaver or the Moon walk. A, B, or C?

[Ray*]

This fight cost $20 on close circuit as well. Which is a lot of money back then.