Comments Thread For: Why Doesn't Boxing Attract More Young Fans?

[PittyPat]

Boxing, alone among professional sports, uses bad behavior as a major marketing tool.

And that's why boxing is fucked. As the world moves forward in this "everyone be nice to everyone and everyone is a winner!" direction, boxing will be vilified and the calls to have it banned will grow louder.

Just look at the majority of our recent world champions, especially in the US and UK – they all come across as reprehensible assholes, whether or not they're like that behind closed doors. What (good) parent wants their kids idolising people like that?

[Oldskoolg]

I see wh at you are saying but it’s not so much about nationalism as it is, boxing is a huge part of the culture.

In Mexico you still have to prove you are chingon with the fists and Mexico produces many more world champions than Canelo.

It’s more about the culture. Unfortunately boxing is also soft with match making so we don’t get to see the Caleb Plants of the world truly prove their talent or worth. He had some great ratings against Uzcategui.

Mexican Americans are the most supportive boxing fans in the USA when they have w popular Mexican boxer, and boxers from Mexico are more popular than even Mexican American boxers. This cannot be challenged....especially in California, Nevada, and texas where they make their presence known. I was at the Canelo vs kirkland fight with about 31,000 other people and Canelo was fighting a tomato can.
The problem I have with that is the bottom drips out of the barrel of Canelo decides to retire or takes a few losses and then boxing suffers. I think this is also a problem with not having the best fighting the best. I think even Mexican American fans would watch big fights if you had more legendary matchups. I concede that Mexican Americans generally have sports stars who are boxers. Whites and blacks in the USA can look to football, baseball, basketball and in the American tribal mindset they can feel represented. Representation should ever be overlooked as a factor in the popularity (or lack thereof) with boxing in the USA and certainly was a reason ufc rose to popularity in the era of hyper racial nationalism in the USA. Had every champion in Ufc been black American or Mexican American it would not have been so popular with white Americans youth from the suburbs

[Luilun]

Boxing was televised for free on NBC ABC CBS back in the day so it got more exposure today most people don’t want to pay 100 dollars for a PPV bout on top of their cable bill. Let’s not for get nobody makes Rocky type movies anymore many kids became interested in Boxing after the Rocky Movie we need a new actor to make Boxing movies .

[DeeMoney]

I don't buy the, 'kid's are coddled' or 'anti-violence' arguments; as evident by the growing success of MMA as a combat sport. I do think that MMA is taking a bigger share of the combat sport audience, and part of that is kids too.

I can see a couple specific reasons for that. First, the matches shorter and more appealing to the short attention spans of children (and often times their parents). Watch a 36 minute boxing match, or a 36 second MMA fight and spend the next half hour on social media talking about your opinion of it. Most people, kids as well, choose the latter.

Also, at least in the US, there are more venues for kids to get into wrestling, ergo MMA. Most high schools have wrestling, and promote those via youth camps, getting kids involved at a young age. Young kids have to go out and find boxing gyms, which are sparse in comparison. Not to mention, wrestling as a gateway for young kids doesnt involve striking, which is often times more palatable for parents of young children.

[MartialMind]

Ufc is like dog fighting, boxing is the sweet science.

No UFC is like people fighting which is exactly what it is.

Boxing is like the sweet science of punching which is what it is.

[TheMyspaceDayz]

Kids have short attention spans.
Need some serious skill in the fight making department to ensure a card will be entertaining from the top down, with no exceptions.
Boxing video games are a must. UFC is running away with this with no change in sight.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

It’s big here on the east coast. I went to college and the wrestling team was packed from kids from jersey that could had went D1 but they had drug charges or just couldn’t make the grades. Then from wrestling it’s easier for those kids to get into MMA. It’s more of a clear path. If you can’t find a boxing gym how does a common kid try to get into golden gloves if they don’t live in a major city ?

Yeah, I know. A sport will only go so far as it is promoted. It doesn't just happen on its own. My dad actually boxed in high school but hell, you don't ever see that now.

[GrandpaBernard]

I don't buy the, 'kid's are coddled' or 'anti-violence' arguments; as evident by the growing success of MMA as a combat sport. I do think that MMA is taking a bigger share of the combat sport audience, and part of that is kids too.

I can see a couple specific reasons for that. First, the matches shorter and more appealing to the short attention spans of children (and often times their parents). Watch a 36 minute boxing match, or a 36 second MMA fight and spend the next half hour on social media talking about your opinion of it. Most people, kids as well, choose the latter.

Also, at least in the US, there are more venues for kids to get into wrestling, ergo MMA. Most high schools have wrestling, and promote those via youth camps, getting kids involved at a young age. Young kids have to go out and find boxing gyms, which are sparse in comparison. Not to mention, wrestling as a gateway for young kids doesnt involve striking, which is often times more palatable for parents of young children.

what UFC does better than boxing

Undercards between two fighters you don’t care about are still exciting KO’s happen easily in mma

often with boxing events long drawn out undercards between two random fighters from Mexico pounding body shots to the final bell

Viewer sits there hoping for early ko so we can get to the main event

[MexicanStyle#1]

For me that's probably the major Key..

For Mexicans it is Futbol (soccer)
Boxing
Catholicism

In that order and you must fully devoted to all!!!

[Leonf96]

Here in NYC it is hard to pick up boxing because 95% of boxing gyms, even the most renowned, have become “boutique gyms.” They no longer encourage young kids to come in so they can train to become a world champ someday. They now cater to white collar folks looking to get a workout. Their membership rates are so high no kid from the barrio/hood is able to afford it