SubscribeBoxing has always been one of the most popular sports in the world. It has been around for a long, long time, and its place in history cannot be questioned. Even from the time before television, people have always been enamored by this gladiatorial endeavor.
Now though, boxing is a t a crossroads. There are very few boxers who have become household names now. Most of them are popular, yes, but mostly only in their home countries. Unless of course you count real boxing fans, but still, there was a time when Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson were known to everyone.
So, what’s the problem? The answer is the sudden emergence of Mixed Martial Arts. MMA used to be a niche sport, appealing only to a few people who mostly didn’t want to watch professional wrestling but also wanted more than what boxing had to offer.
The current leading promotion, the UFC, is having a field day, with pay-per-view specials almost two times every month. On the other hand, you can count with your hands the number of really big boxing events over the past few years.
Hopefully for boxing, people find the sport appealing again. There is hope, with the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton, and with Floyd Mayweather Jr. lurking, Boxing could soon have a renaissance.