Bivol Beterbiev not big enough outside of boxing fans?

i agree, However, even marketable fighters like Crawford aren't household names. There was a time when boxers appeared on late night talk shows, appeared in tv shows etc.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - You Bet Your Life (youtube.com)

 

I watch two or three fights a year, and this one I really want to see. Of course, during the Don King era (and HBO), I watched boxing every month or so. Boxing was great back then. It seems they no longer have the promotional skills to make that happen regularly. From what I understand, this fight wouldn’t have occurred without financial backing from Saudi Arabia.

 

This is the best fight in boxing and possibly the most important in many years. The fact Canelo can sell 400k ppvs against a tomato can just shows thay boxing is a business, but this fight is historically important imo.

 

Those that know will watch with untold excitement. Us lot.

Those that don't know / don't care won't watch yet in the days, weeks, months and years to come will claim that they did watch. Them lot.

This is a special fight and a special moment in boxing history. Hail Turki.

I cannot flipping wait!! Ultra peak boxing.

 

My brother and I do!

 

Only boxing fan care and know about this fight. The casual has no interest at all. Even free on ESPN ( free in that you still need ESPN sub to watch)

 

I don't understand how Beterbiev isn't marketable, ok he doesn't speak fluent English but his KOs do the talking. Crazy that he's not a huge PPV star.

Someone said the same people who followed Khabib support Beterbiev, so where are those numbers now?

 

I mean me and my circle are very excited about this fight, but we aren't casuals. I've never heard anyone outside of people that actually know about boxing even talking about this.

Me personally, this is one of the 3-5 biggest fights of the year

 

Khabib did not become known to casuals until he faced Mcgregor.

 

American fighters have definitely not fared well on the Riyadh cards. The few that we've seen - Wilder, Miller, Anderson - lost.

I guess that's reflective of where US fighters rank in the modern age of international boxing. In that way, Turki's bringing the picture into focus.

 

I was dismayed to learn this fight that we were all told would be going out on 'free' (with subscription as you say) ESPN is now in fact wrapped up in a PPV on the app ESPN+. Yeah it's cool being a niche fan privy to the secret backroom best fights but this fight deserves more exposure.

If they put the main event on regular ESPN, some new fans to the sport could've been gained.

 

I would love it if Jake Paul was forced to get in the ring with Beterbiev haha

 

90% of people would think Bertibiev is Khabib if they just saw a photo of him.