An Honest Assessment of MMA vs Boxing

MMA's Vitor Belfort & Boxing Legend "Iron" Mike Tyson [Photo Source: Google]

Fight Biz Quote: Lou DiBella

May 28, 2009

MMA does not hurt boxing. MMA does not destroy boxing. Boxing fans aren’t running to MMA. That’s just all b.s. The reality was that long before MMA and the Fertittas [brothers] spent a gazillion dollars with the UFC, boxing was already fading. Boxing’s biggest problem is that it can’t attract young people. We have virtually no fans under 30, and that’s a problem.

JJ: Is boxing losing popularity to MMA ?

LD: No, it’s not losing to them. They are gaining popularity on their own and we are not gaining popularity. It is a marketing problem, yes, but there are also a lot of stupid people in the boxing industry. And frankly the investments that are being made by the biggest entities, they have no long term…

Lou DiBella, former HBO senior executive and current promoter, speaks with The Sweet Science and gives a sobering, honest look at boxing and its’ relation to the rise of MMA. The entire interview is a good read, I encourage you to go check it out.

Written by Robert Joyner · Filed Under boxing

[Excerpt from MMAPayout via CagePotato]