Regardless of the poor PPV numbers that Spence vs. Garcia allegedly generated, boxing is not dead and it hasn’t been dead for a while.
The problem with boxing is that fans don’t get enough of the main fights that they crave and deserve, and in the way they deserve, which means not on PPV.
Remove Tyson vs. Jones from the equation, as that was a one-time entertainment event, and you have a boxing PPV system which remains broken. Long gone are the days of in-their-primes Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather dominating the PPV scene. Ask Terence Crawford how his fights are doing on PPV. No disrespect to him in the least bit, but his fights need to be on cable or broadcast. Look at Lomachenko vs Lopez, a much-hyped fight in October which peaked at an almost 3,000,000 viewers on ESPN.
The formula for success remains the same- give the fans what they want and they will watch, especially if they don’t have to pay $80 to watch it.
This brings us to the heavyweight division and today’s Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev fight. The fight, which aired on DAZN, wasn’t promoted that heavily, and those who did watch were treated to a beat down by AJ, the champ winning after knocking down Pulev (28-2, 14 KOs) four times before it finally ended by a TKO in the ninth round. Johnson (24-1, 22 KOs) looked sharp in his first fight since regaining the belts from Andy Ruiz in their December 2019 rematch.
“It was a fight. I want less talk and more action in boxing. I hope everyone was satisfied tonight,” Joshua said after the fight. “I stuck to what I know best — boxing, looking to where I put my shots. When I was successful, I was successful. I really don’t want to do an interview right now, I just want everyone to go home and enjoy their Christmas.”
While he’ll enjoy an early Christmas with this victory, boxing fans are still waiting for their Christmas gift, which can only come in the form of AJ vs. Fury, AJ vs. Wilder or Fury vs. Wilder III.
No disrespect to Dillian Whyte or Alexander Povetkin, but fans aren’t interested in seeing those opponents. They’ve been watching the heavyweight pot boil for quite a while, and the only three ingredients they want to add are the aforementioned AJ, Fury and Wilder.
But the problem, which has always existed in the sport, is that promoters stand in the way of these fights being made. Politics ruin great fights and by the time the egos, cash registers and under-the-table discussions are settled, the years have passed and the fights lose the momentum they once possessed.
Fans were given Lomachenko vs. Lopez and they showed ESPN love. Spence vs. Garcia would have been given the same love if it had been on Fox instead of Fox PPV.
I understand the business behind the fight game and I completely get it. But putting the three heavyweights on CBS, or even on PPV for a reasonable price would draw more fans in. At this point, promoters have to adjust the PPV model as it’s hurting their pockets, the fighters, and the sport.
Boxing, like all sports, is in a state of flux due to Covid, but it’s far from unhealthy. Give fans Canelo vs. Charlo and Spence vs. Crawford on broadcast or on PPV for $50 and see what happens. We bet you’d have two amazing fights, millions of happy fans and the powers that be will be smiling all the way to the bank.
Yet it all starts with the heavyweights. So stop fronting, give us those guys in early 2021 and charge us $50.
We’ll be watching.
