"Boxing is a sport", "no, its not, boxing is a business"

[iNDOLiFER]

boxing is a sport with a business side to it. of course u want the biggest pay cut and of course u wont settle to fight someone for less money than u can get if u fight a different fighter. its no different than any other sports such as basketball, football, baseball, etc. any players in any of the sports i mention will not ask to be traded to a losing team and get pay less money.

[El Protagonista]

Opponent selection is all about risk/reward ratios.

I have a problem though when there's an opponent who is a challenge and also presents a big reward and the fight STILL doesn't made.

[Vasyl’s dad]

It's both you muppet.

Its both?

lol

As far as I know,

without the sport, there is no business and I know the opposite is not true at all.

[S.G.]

Its both?

lol

As far as I know,

without the sport, there is no business and I know the opposite is not true at all.

And somehow that means that it is not run as a business? It may alarm you to learn that every mainstream sport is run as a business - these athletes aren't just performing for the fun of it.

[borikua]

Which Pro Sport is not a business?

[Pirao]

Which Pro Sport is not a business?

In which pro sport do the participants get to pick and choose who they face?

[jessielinkin]

ohh nice

[The D3vil]

I 100% agree with you.

The stance of the fans should be to make the best, most relevant fights at all times.

But guys start wanting to pull that "A-side/B-side" nonsense whenever they want to protect their favorite fighters from smoke.

The minute a guy becomes champ, we should push for him to fight either

A: The other champions in his division

B: The top contenders in his division

Making excuses for guys not doing that is what's wrong with boxing fandom now.

[jessielinkin]

Boxing as a business? Totally agree. It’s not just about skill anymore; it’s about marketability, politics, and hype. Fighters today have to sell themselves as much as they fight. Even when betting on matches, you can feel that side of it — I use 1win sometimes for boxing odds since it breaks down stats and fighter histories. It really shows how much the sport has become about strategy and spectacle rather than pure competition. But honestly, that drama is what keeps it alive. It’s entertainment as much as sport.

[ired]

I get both sides. Boxing definitely started as a sport, but these days it feels more like a business. The big fights are all about promotions, pay-per-view numbers, and money deals. Still, at its core, it’s a sport built on skill, discipline, and passion. The business just took over most of the spotlight.