The problem with boxing cards in the current day.

[W1LL]

At least in the UK. You have someone like Eddie Hearn telling you what is a good fight, and what makes a good card. "Yea, this card is stacked, it's on PPV and you should buy it!" And a lot of people just say "great!" and do just that. If you look closer, these cards are mediocre. I know there's a new wave of boxing fans and I'm probably more old fashioned in my views, but surely this approach isn't going to stick long term? Anyone I know, who's been a boxing fan longer than 5 years, is totally disillusioned with the current state of affairs and have either lost interest entirely or will watch the fights for free/at a later date when they can skip all the trash fights.

Has this approach always been the case? Maybe I'm just becoming more cynical as I get older. Whyte-Chisora II being PPV would be like Harrison-Sprott II being PPV. If you look on the undercard there are no interesting fights. There's a domestic Featherweight fight which may be competitive, and a paper title fight between two midgets. Other than that, all house fighters vs. paid losers. Can't believe this chit is going out on PPV. Really hope it bombs, but doubt it will make any difference to Hearn trying to rip everyone off regardless.

[rolshans]

Huh interesting

[Marchegiano]

I'm not criticizing Hearn when I say this, he's very successful, but everything Hearn does seems short sighted and like he's just adaptable rather than having any form of long term plan.

That said, I reckon Eddie will make as much money as he can with lukewarm cards until fans force him to do better then he'll put on better cards.

[NEETzsche]

Yeah give me a single 50-50 match-up over a card "stacked" with name fighters against massive underdogs. Take Hearn's next American show. Save that money he's giving Miller and Linares to pad their records and spend it on a proper opponent for Andrade, someone like Brant, Lemieux or Derevyanchenko. Hearn is not the only culprit of course, the PBC on FOX show tomorrow sucks too

[_Rexy_]

Hurd/Lara was a way better fight, and it was free. It seems over here we get less and less PPV, with it only being reserved for huge fights, and in the UK every fight between guys who have somewhat a name is a PPV.

[NEETzsche]

Hurd/Lara was a way better fight, and it was free. It seems over here we get less and less PPV, with it only being reserved for huge fights, and in the UK every fight between guys who have somewhat a name is a PPV.

Our broadcasters don't pay enough to cover purses for world-class or popular fighters without PPV. Hopefully boxing will continue to thrive and Hearn, Warren and whoever else can squeeze more money out of them next time their contracts are up for negotiation. If Sky and BT truly want to compete with America for top level boxing they need to loosen their purse strings instead of putting the full burden on the consumer. Personally I've resolved not to buy any more PPVs that aren't headlined by true A* match-ups like some combination of Joshua vs Fury vs Wilder

What do you think of PBC plunging back into the PPV market with Wilder vs Fury, Spence vs Garcia and Pacquiao vs Broner? It looks like they might need it to keep pace with big spending competitors like DAZN

[RoyJonesJrp4pno1]

Yeah give me a single 50-50 match-up over a card "stacked" with name fighters against massive underdogs. Take Hearn's next American show. Save that money he's giving Miller and Linares to pad their records and spend it on a proper opponent for Andrade, someone like Brant, Lemieux or Derevyanchenko. Hearn is not the only culprit of course, the PBC on FOX show tomorrow sucks too

For the most part the promoters are having in-house match ups or mismatches against non in-house fighters.

The best match ups right now in boxing:
Joshua (Hearn) vs Wilder (Haymon/Finkel)
Lomachenko (Arum) vs Garcia (Schaefer/Haymon)
Crawford (Arum) vs Spence (GTB/Haymon)

These fights are harder to make due to networks and promoters not wanting to work together.

There are really good fights that are in-house that can be made and most of these need marinating:

Charlo vs Hurd
Spence vs Thurman
Canelo vs Jacobs
Joshua vs Miller

Obviously, there are many more, these are just the biggest and the best fights.

In a perfect world, the governing bodies would have better rankings and better fight enforcement for the best fighting the best. Or every weight class would compete in the WBSS.

[_Rexy_]

Our broadcasters don't pay enough to cover purses for world-class or popular fighters without PPV. Hopefully boxing will continue to thrive and Hearn, Warren and whoever else can squeeze more money out of them next time their contracts are up for negotiation. If Sky and BT truly want to compete with America for top level boxing they need to loosen their purse strings instead of putting the full burden on the consumer. Personally I've resolved not to buy any more PPVs that aren't headlined by true A* match-ups like some combination of Joshua vs Fury vs Wilder

What do you think of PBC plunging back into the PPV market with Wilder vs Fury, Spence vs Garcia and Pacquiao vs Broner? It looks like they might need it to keep pace with big spending competitors like DAZN

I paid for wilder/fury and will gladly pay for the rematch. I have no interest in the other two fights, the pac/broner one is just based on names. Spence/Garcia to me is two guys trying to get a payday by ducking who they should be fighting (Mikey/Loma & Spence/Crawford. Two fights I’d also gladly pay for)
Also, I’m still not convicted they need to keep pace with DAZN. Since launch DAZN has shown its pretty far behind PBC, Top Rank, GBP...I keep hearing about Hearn’s war chest but he hasn’t signed any of the fighters he said he would, and Whyte/Chisora II isnt even going to be on DAZN. 1 billion budget and he loses a purse bid between his own two fighters.

[NEETzsche]

I paid for wilder/fury and will gladly pay for the rematch. I have no interest in the other two fights, the pac/broner one is just based on names. Spence/Garcia to me is two guys trying to get a payday by ducking who they should be fighting (Mikey/Loma & Spence/Crawford. Two fights I’d also gladly pay for)
Also, I’m still not convicted they need to keep pace with DAZN. Since launch DAZN has shown its pretty far behind PBC, Top Rank, GBP...I keep hearing about Hearn’s war chest but he hasn’t signed any of the fighters he said he would, and Whyte/Chisora II isnt even going to be on DAZN. 1 billion budget and he loses a purse bid between his own two fighters.

Why are they returning to a PPV model after years of championing free TV then? DAZN may have served up a load of crap so far but the numbers they've been bandying around are gonna cause purse inflation, which evidently Showtime and FOX aren't willing to cover with licensing fees alone. I don't think one year ago Spence vs Garcia and Pacquiao vs Broner would have been on PPV, so assuming they don't bomb entirely I think it's a safe bet that more will follow. Arum also seems to have renewed his interest in PPV lately so we'll probably see one on ESPN before long too

[_Rexy_]

Why are they returning to a PPV model after years of championing free TV then? DAZN may have served up a load of crap so far but the numbers they've been bandying around are gonna cause purse inflation, which evidently Showtime and FOX aren't willing to cover with licensing fees alone. I don't think one year ago Spence vs Garcia and Pacquiao vs Broner would have been on PPV, so assuming they don't bomb entirely I think it's safe assume that more will follow. Arum also seems to have renewed his interest in PPV lately so we'll probably see one on ESPN before long too

I’ve never been one who followed the promotional side, and my post history will show that. So my answer is mostly just guessing.

I assume this is a next stage of the PBC thing. He now has slots on free tv, basic cable, premium cable and PPV. It’s a pretty good business model if they keep it to one or two PPV a year with stacked cards though. Get the name and face out on free tv with a tune up, then throw them on showtime for big fights and then PPV for that occasional huge match.

Not saying that’s what they’re doing now. Just how I can see it going.