There are some boxing purists that say that Triller Fight Club, the new promotion that is the brainchild of Snoop Dogg and entertainment visionary Ryan Kavanaugh, is a bit of a novelty act.
Combine some older fighters with internet stars, sprinkle in music, and see what evolves. This past November, the recipe at the Staples Center featured boxing legends Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. and internet sensation turned boxer Jake Paul’s super quick knockout of former NBA player Nate Robinson. The event was one of the biggest surprises of the Pandemic in terms of sports and media as it registered huge numbers both on PPV (eighth-highest sale of all time for boxing) and on the wagering side (the largest amount gambled on one event outside of the Super Bowl in North America).
But was it just Tyson and a blaze of glory or could it sustain?
Based on the results so far, things look bright for Triller. Now a new form of boxing engagement has entered the ring as Kavanaugh, joined by the new head of boxing Peter Kahn, will have the first in a series of 2021 events under the Triller Fight Club banner on April 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. There will be no fans in the stands for the four-hour Pay per View, but the music will be bumping. Justin Bieber, The Black Keys. Doja Kat and Snoops’ band Mt. Westmore are just a few of the names on the event bill. And stepping into the Triller ring is a mix of rising undefeated boxers, a marquee matchup pitting MMA and Olympic champion Ben Askren against Jake Paul, and a few unique matchups which Triller Fight Club feels will satisfy fans of all levels.
“We are not out to compete with traditional boxing cards, we are here to create and deliver four-quadrant entertainment to an audience who may love boxing, may love music, may enjoy MMA but certainly enjoys a good show,” Kavanaugh said last week. “We are here to reimagine and reinvent a pay-for-view experience that we know millions will love and also come back for more.”
Some of that “comeback” will feature one of boxing’s toughest competitors, Navy veteran, Steve “USS” Cunningham. Tyson Fury said the Philadelphia slugger and former IBF cruiserweight titleholder gave him the toughest fight of his career. Now the 44 year-old, who was a last minute fill in for Antonio Tarver (the Georgia Boxing Commission would not clear to fight), will take on MMA champion Frank Mir in his first-ever boxing matchup. Joining them is entrepreneur turned undefeated boxer, Joe Fournier, who will take on Latino music star Reykon in a match that started as a potential brawl in a Miami club earlier this year.
For Cunningham, it will be his first fight since his loss to Andrew Tabiti in August of 2017, something he has been trying to do while continuing to train with his own stable of boxers at USS Fight Academy in Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been attempting to get back in the ring since 2018, my last fight was in 2017. We took time to open our gym, USS Fight Academy out here in Pittsburgh. So we wanted to take some time eight months to a year off,” said Cunningham. “By that time I was contacting my agent and said, ‘Listen, I want to do a couple more fights before I retire.’ We had a few fights that were scheduled but then fell through in 2018 and 2019. Then 2020 hit and that shut everything down. This fight, I got the call, I’ve been in the gym I train fighters, I spar with fighters, I still have that fire in me. And we get this call and it’s like, hey opportunity knocks. I was raised as a boxer in a way of saying stay ready so you never have to get ready.”
The fight is an intriguing one. It marks Mir’s first foray into boxing after an illustrious career in the MMA world, one which includes two reigns as the UFC heavyweight champion.
Cunningham knows that Mir’s size and his background in MMA makes him a tough opponent.
“There’s certain ways to fight a big guy. The plus for him is, he’s an MMA guy and they fight different than boxers,” Cunningham said last week. “I’ve fought MMA guys before and it’s a little different because they throw different combinations. It’s a different flow until I get that rhythm. His drive, his determination as a champion, that is dangerous in itself. He knows how to try to figure out and get out of an uncomfortable situation. That plays in this whole thing as danger for me because I’m going to put him in some dangerous spots, some uncomfortable spots. And we’re going to adapt off of each other and work.”
As far as the concept Triller is bringing to a traditional business, Cunningham is all in. “Hey I work with young fighters and the way they engage with fans is different from the way boxing has done it in the past,” he said during his Las Vegas press availability. “This sport needs change and needs opportunity, and bringing in a new point of view makes people notice and that’s great for everyone.”
But this isn’t just for entertainment. Cunningham is preparing for the fight as he normally would.
“It means everything because I didn’t want to go out in the last fight as a loss that we thought we won it just leaves a sour taste,” he added. “And it’s also, they’re billing this as MMA vs. boxing so I’m like hey I’ll carry that flag and represent my sport. Represent what I love. I’ve been boxing 20 years and represent it with all my heart and have fun doing it. And much respect to Frank Mir, like I said, he’s a two time champion, he’s a warrior. But, somebody has to win and somebody has to lose.”
And the real winners, Triller Fight Club hopes, will be fans coming for the show, and loving the fights.
Check out everything Triller has going on here.
