Rumors of boxing’s death are greatly exaggerated?

Posted on September 27th, 2009. Written by Emmett Jones.

So maybe the rise of Mixed Martial Arts didn’t sound the death knell for boxing after all?

The numbers for last week’s Mayweather v. Marquez fight are in, and they are impressive.

HBO on Friday released figures showing that Mayweather’s one-sided victory over Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas was purchased by a much higher than expected 1 million pay-per-view subscribers. It accounted for $52 million in pay-per-view revenue.

The Mayweather-Marquez results beat UFC 103, which was on pay-per- view the same night. Though the Ultimate Fighting Championship does not release its pay-per-view figures, indications from industry sources are strong that the boxing card had a better than 2-to-1 advantage.

Many critics, including rival promoter Bob Arum and UFC president Dana White, predicted the fight would perform poorly. Arum suggested Mayweather would make no money after he paid an existing tax debt, paid his expenses and his taxes due on his current purse. White repeatedly vowed UFC 103 would outsell the boxing card. (via Yahoo! Sports)

PPV estimates for the fight were at the 600,000 level.

Kind of surprised that people still think that Mayweather isn’t a good draw.  For one, he is a great boxer.  Secondly, those numbers in the De La Hoya and Hatton (2.44 million and 1 million units respectively) fights had to be based on Mayweather at least partially; it would be naive to think other wise.  Furthermore, its likely that he picked up at least a few fans  from his appearance, however brief, on ABC’s dancing with the stars.  Finally, it was a comeback fight, some people would tune in to see if Mayweather could return to previous form.

Now, the million dollar question…can’t boxing replicate the feat or is this a one-time/rare occurrence?

1 Responses »

1. 

   sportsattitude

   June 15, 2008 • 1:14 pm

   I at least gave the MMA a shot on CBS, highly skeptical of what I would find knowing nothing about the thing beforehand. I was stunned at how ill-prepared they seemed to be to frame the telecast like an actual sport, making it look more like a scripted pro wrestling performance than actual competition. That being said, the women’s event was intense and I think either of them could have sliced down Kimbo. Perhaps I will give MMA another shot when it airs again on CBS in the Fall, but not if Oscar de La Hoya is the featured performer…this Mayweather thing is the best way to kill the whole hand-to-hand combat movement off for good.

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