Is boxing becoming popular once again in the UK (and perhaps globally)?

[MeiXiang]

I've never known there to be many boxing fans but it seems like recently boxing has had a surge in popularity in the UK and I really think it's really the domestic dustups that we've had to thank for it all - it all started with the brawl in Germany with Haye/Chisora, then it was Froch/Groves, Tyson Fury/Anthony Joshua, most recently Bellew and now even the casual boxing fan know Canelo by his association with the stunning (but not surprising) knockout of Khan. I've even heard some of my friends who are not boxing fans mention Triple G and the prospects of him fighting Canelo.

With the UK having 13 (?) World Champions, it looks like once again Boxing is becoming popular again. Here's the general landscape of things on the World scene:



Have you noticed a surge in popularity where you are (especially in the UK) or is it just me?

[Eff Pandas]

I think the UK has been a boxing friendly country for longer than they've been having title success. As a guy who watches boxing from all over the world there is often that "event" appeal to UK boxing shows that requires passionate boxing fans to create that venue dynamic that most countries don't have.

I guess if you're in the UK already you may have noticed a increase on top of all that, but as an outsider looking in its seemed impressive for a long time.

[removed]

There's just loads more casuals around, in the UK at least. I think it all started with Froch-Groves II & the rise of Anthony Joshua.

[- Ram Raid -]

Sky and Matchroom do a good job of building fights and selling them to the wider sporting public, it must be said. Whether what they're selling will be detrimental in the longer term is another matter.

As a fan base I'd say generally we like supporting our fighters irrespective of their level of talent as long as we feel they're representing us well. That they've got qualities that we identify with. That seems to be one of the things that some American fans can't quite get their head around, that we don't need our boxers to be the best because we're not primarily supporting the talent, we're supporting the man.

At the moment the different regions of England are quite well represented at world level as well as the other British countries having world champions. That definitely helps. Some of the support is rabid. I'm from the other side of the Pennines myself but I have to admit those Josh Warrington fans bring the noise.

You get a lot more women at the fights now as well. Maybe that's partly down to the female success at the London Olympics but either way going to the boxing is now seen as a quality night out.

[Roy Keane]

The UK has had a recent history of good & exciting fighters. Benn, Eubank, Bruno, Lewis, Hatton, Haye, Froch with Eubank jr, Frampton, Quigg,Joshua, degale etc etc there is a consistent flow of decent talent. The UK always manages good domestic fights with some sort of World honor on the line which attracts the casual fans.

[gingerbreadman]

Sport itself is starting to become far more middle-class in terms of viewership, following on from Sky's gentrification of football over the past couple of decades. Add the UK being a well-off country in general and you have a lot of money in the pot, which helps give the talent a platform.

[DinoCop]

That's because english boxers wear their flags on their asses.

[dazzo16]

The answer is Eddie Hearn, a marketing guru who set out to build profiles of his boxers. IFL TV probably the biggest boxing promoter in the UK were a big factor too. Before than you had scumbag with ****ty production frank warren and the fat controller mick hennessy who had froch as a world champ but didnt know how to promote him. Much like hennessey/frank warren with tyson fury now - they have marketing gold on their hands and they dont know how to promote him

[soul_survivor]

I've never known there to be many boxing fans but it seems like recently boxing has had a surge in popularity in the UK and I really think it's really the domestic dustups that we've had to thank for it all - it all started with the brawl in Germany with Haye/Chisora, then it was Froch/Groves, Tyson Fury/Anthony Joshua, most recently Bellew and now even the casual boxing fan know Canelo by his association with the stunning (but not surprising) knockout of Khan. I've even heard some of my friends who are not boxing fans mention Triple G and the prospects of him fighting Canelo.

With the UK having 13 (?) World Champions, it looks like once again Boxing is becoming popular again. Here's the general landscape of things on the World scene:



Have you noticed a surge in popularity where you are (especially in the UK) or is it just me?

You must have been asleep for the 25 years if you think boxing has just started to gain popularity in the UK.

Jeez, some of you on here.

[SterlingStained]

we need a Chinese and Indian boxer to blow up.

that would really help out the sport.

that's about 3-4 billion fans right there.