While this is a site covering the sport of mixed martial arts, we'd be remiss to not add some comments on what will be the biggest boxing fight possibly in that sport's history, as Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. will square off on March 13th for Pacquiao's welterweight title.
Both fighters drew over a million pay-per-view buys for their respective last fights this fall, and this has the potential to break boxing's pay-per-view record of 2.44 million, set by Oscar De La Hoya against Mayweather in 2007.
This news affects the UFC as well, as March 13th is the tentative date for Georges St. Pierre's return against Dan Hardy for UFC 111, though it's possible that date can be moved this far out.
HBO and the fight promoters reportedly wanted the fight to take place on May 1st, which also would have gone head to head with a UFC Title bout, Pacquiao is going to run for a congressional seat in the Phillipines and needed the fight to take place earlier.
They don't have a venue set just yet, but Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been lobbying to get the fight into the new 1.2 billion dollar Cowboys Stadium. Both fighters are set to split the money from the event 50/50, and with this likely being one of the most lucrative fights in the history of the sport that's no small amount of money.
This is a fight that UFC President Dana White has repeatedly said is the only one boxing fans are interested in, and it's one he has admitted he wants to see as he is still a boxing fan. If the UFC can avoid going head to head with this they would be wise to do so, as this is a fight that even dejected boxing fans and some that perhaps haven't watched a whole lot of boxing will still likely tune in for. This is going to be a major event and it would simply make more sense to reschedule UFC 111 if it's a possibility.
[George St. Pierre photo credit Wade Keller (c) MMATorch]
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It would be very wise fr the UFC to not compete with the match. The last 2
fights manny and Mayweather Jr fought were held during UFC fights and
neither UFC drew nearly as many viewers. If the UFC was 2 hold every title
match on 1 night and actually held in March 13 2 compete Mayweather Jr
would probably still outsell the UFC in ppv 2 to 1. The only mma bout that
I could c possibly pulling a million plus viewers would b a Fedor vs Lesnar
match. I imagine Mayweather Jr will sell more than 3 million ppv
Marveloous
05 Dec 2009, 16:48
So much for the rumors that the sport of boxig struggling. I never thought
it was ever to that point, but I'm suprised this fight is going to happen
so soon... Thank goodness, I'm glad both fighters realized how important
this bout is to the sport.
2GoodFultz
05 Dec 2009, 21:12
Definately, I like mma but I've always prefered the sweet science. And this
fight is just the tip of the iceberg. The money that they'll make 2gether
will prob lead 2 a rematch if the fight is close @ all, then lead onto
possibly a showdown with Mosley. Mosely and paq I believe will b a walk in
the park for May tho, he's superior in every aspect of boxing. Sucks that
RJJ got TKO'd trully 1 of the greatest and most dominant ever. But Rampage
has agreed 2 fight in 2010! So im definately excited bout that in the mma
world. And possibly a showdown of Rampage vs Silva
RIP Boxing 1891-2010
07 Dec 2009, 11:21
This is the one fight left that boxing has. It will do well at the box
office, but it's all over after this. The heavyweight division is in
shambles, there are far too many weight classes, and there is little to no
mainstream media coverage. As for the future of the sport, meaning
up-and-coming talent, there is nothing on the horizon. MMA, and the UFC in
particular, has taken over. They have a strong presence on television, and
the coveted 18-34 male demographic can't get enough of it. THey have
clearance in Boston, and Madison Square Garden is right around the corner.
Big-time fighting on the east coast is back, and it's the UFC, not boxing,
making it happen.
Muhammad Ali is an old man. Mike Tyson is middle-aged. Arturo Gatti is
dead. This is the last hurrah for boxing. From this point on, it will
never be more than a fringe sport with little mainstream interest.
Hey RIP Boxing 1891-2010...People like you said the same thing two years
ago with Mayweather vs. De La Hoya fought. Dana White said Mayweather could
not sell 14 tickets without De La Hoya. Was that UFC getting trounced? The
world is made up of more than caucasian males, 18-34, from North America.
Deal.
MMA is a dying sport. Fedor could not beat Cops, rating wise, on Network
TV. UFC has no stars left, and people are calling out all those "Pay Per
view" buys and all the hype(keeps those comps going UFC). UFC peaked at 100
and it's OVER, now they are trying to push Kimbo Slice. Smell that, that's
the smell of desperation.
The next crop of boxing stars are turning that corner. (Gamboa, Ortiz, P.
Williams, Kahn, Haye, etc.)
2GoodFultz
08 Dec 2009, 11:36
No need 2 call out white people and imply were not boxing fans. I myself do
consider myself 2 b relatively new 2 boxing tho that's because I only
recently picked up interest when a friend had us over 2 watch Mayweather vs
Gatti but im 23 and white and a rabid boxing fan. Really im just a fan of
certain athletes in certain sports. Mayweather Jr, RJJ, Pavlick, Winky,
Mosley, Cotto. As 4 mma Rampage, Anderson, GSP, Fedor. To say boxing is
dying is foolishness. Their was just no huge fights 4 awhile while the UFC
will shoving overhyped fights down r throats every month. The UFC is I
believe could b in real trouble soon because the evident lack of skill of
the majority of their fighters. Only a handful r actual top notch Fighters,
this is the reasoning that great fighters such as BJ Penn, Gsp, Silva, and
Lyota r never really challenged. The only weight class that had ne doubt 4
supremacy was LHW with Rampage still floating around and possiibly Silva
moving up 2 challenge. Well Page retired although he has agreed 2 fight in
the future but Silva refuses 2 challenge his training partner 4 LHW. So now
its blatantly obvious there r no fights left. No legitimate challengers.
Lesnars dominated the HW off of just size and strength alone......says a
lot about talent of competitors, and the UFC could not land Fedor. So as
long as ignorant people keep buying n2 the hype dana is selling it will do
well, but that will only last so long. The talent is not strong enough.
Every division has 1 great fighter and every challenger is miles behind and
no where near catching up.....Or they're leaving 2 do movies or refusing 2
fight friends. As 4 no 1 wanting 2 c Mosley fight ur talking about a 3
division champ. No 1s done that n the UFC. Funny how boxing lasts 2 matches
sold more ppv than viewers tuned n 4 UFC matches that were being aired 4
free. Lol no 1 wants 2 c Randy fight, no 1 cares about the cards not even
dana. That's why they're always so weak.
2GoodFultz
08 Dec 2009, 11:51
And as 4 no talent left in boxing lol. P Williams is prob about 2 enter a
dominant run @ champ, and Hayes will b very popular n the near future. A
heavy weight camp that comes across as very clean cut and
professional.....He can certainly fit the mold that Holyfield and Lewis cut
out 4 him marketability wise. And I never knu dana said Mayweather Jr
couldn't sell more than 14 tickets. Lol that's funny that more people tune
n 2 watch Mayweather Jr train than UFC title fights. Not hating on UFC but
dana whites an arrogant pimp who preys on the ignorance of fans and whores
his fighters out.....That's y Randy left, that's why Ortiz left, That's why
Rampage left, that's y Silva will b leaving when his contracts up, and the
biggest pit fall was the same actions led 2 Fedor not signing. Although
most of those guys returned its only because dana started singing a
different tune when the stars packed up their shit and hit the road. And he
knu he had no 1 2 market.
al
08 Dec 2009, 12:18
I was not calling out White people (it would be silly, trust me). It is a
demographic statement on the perception of MMA.Old people, other
demographics and other countries where boxing is huge don't count.
