The Greatest fighter seller ever?

For me it was Muhammad Ali, his antics against other opponents like George Chuvalo, George dressed as a Washerwoman. the confrontations between Ali and Sonny Liston, and Floyd Patterson, Henry Cooper, Ernie Terrell, later on upon his return in 1970 with Oscar Bonavena and Joe Frazier. Those skirmishes sold tickets, fans going to his fights to see Ali lose, there was a method to his madness, he learned that art from wrestler Gorgeous George. As Ali would later remark, he laughed all the way to the bank.

 

the greatest

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I don't think it's Tyson. Mike's fights sold themselves. I would agree with Ali. Inspired by Gorgeous George, Ali became a master at making a mere boxing match seem like something much more .... or what @Richard M Murrieta said.

 

Thanks buddy.

 

Some of the beauty of Muhammad Ali — and you can see it here — is that he would set his mind on winning and talk himself into a level of self-belief greater than any other I’ve ever witnessed.

In fact, he’d often to to great lengths to keep poking his opponent and goading him so he would get the most motivated version of that opponent (Joe Frazier being a prime example), which would put Ali in position to have to bring his best and still almost always prevail. He never tried to lull an opponent into not performing … he wanted them to bring it.

Never been a better big-fight fighter IMO, although Ray Leonard is in the same neighborhood.

 

Ray Leonard, he basically did it without a promotor ,, just a great lawyer and a varsity basketball coach
First to make 100 million and everyone knew his name
he sold himself in the ring

 

I have to say Floyd Mayweather…because he’s not really an exciting fighter to watch …and he’s not a heavyweight…for him to sell that many pay per views …by turning himself into a villain… is genius

 

You could order a Mike Tyson fight for $ 50 ( back then )and charge your friends and neighbors $5 a person…and make $100

 

This pretty much sums it up for me as well. Can't think of a better ticket seller than Ali.

I thought Naseem Hamed was pretty good at selling tickets with his antics. Not many British Featherweights that were able to score HBO contracts. He managed to consistently sell out arenas on either side of the pond.

 

So true, Naseem Hamed was really good at selling tickets, he was extremely talented, wish his career had lasted longer.

 

I concur with this the fact people will still pay to watch Floyd Mayweather Jr fight non boxers and YouTubers to pad out his record shows he can still sell a fight (if you can call them that?) Which are more akin to an exhibition. To be honest I can't stand these non boxing non rated fights they are making a mockery of the sport I dearly love!

 

As previously mentioned Cassius Clay/Ali never failed to flog a fight. Chris Eubank Sr also sold lots of tickets and got millions to tune into his fights.