Could HBO learn from the UFC on how to promote boxing?

They don't get paid peanuts...Lesnar walked away with $12million for three fights over 2009/2010 which is more than enough when you consider you then have to add any endorsement deals on top of that.

And not overpaying main eventers (which is what boxing does) allows for undercard fighters to get better paid. Your average fourth from the top boxer is doing a lot worse than your average fourth from the top fighter

 

It'd be nice, but the UFC is all about hype when it comes to fighters. They hyped Lesnar to be this unbeatable, juggernaut, mammoth of a super-heavyweight after 4 (!) fights, only to be exposed by the more experienced Velasquez (who's an excellent fighter).

What HBO needs is a damn fine boxing undercard so the casuals don't fall asleep by the time the main event approaches.

 

The Pre-lims for this UFC card have been completely one-sided...

 

Its called promoting...as long as they match fighters up strong they can say whatever the **** they want. Personally I thought they were insane to do Lesnar-Velasquez - they could easily have strung out Lesnar's reign with some better stylistic matchups before going with Velasquez who was always going to pose Lesnar the most problems.

And just to give people an idea of what the UFC hard sell is like. The last five minutes of their spike show was the promoter White and one of the commentators just explaining to the fans why you need to buy this show.

 

And even their announcers...I mean boxing's announcers are just a bunch of old guys but the likes of buffer, rogan and goldberg come across as youthful.

 

You as a hardcore may...but what do you think a seventeen year old thinks when he sees grandpa announcing?

 

for hbo the wide appeal of their other programs takes precedence. so far they lack initiative on that kind of marketing effort for boxing but with all this legitimate competition recently they'll have to improve.

 

I've only seen the stuff shown on ESPN in the UK (so not the facebook stuff) and it was 3 or 4 very one sided bouts.

 

They could learn alot from UFC. The primary difference is that UFC is one company which always acts in its own best interest. Boxing is run by a multitude of companies, some with outright hostility towards others, and they do very little to promote anything but their own agendas.

 

Who gives a ****. They show these videos of all these guys training athletic work, lots of striking etc, then when the match starts, they fight like bouncers against the wall or roll around the ground like homosexuals.

There is a UFC get together for people at my work. They invited me too it, and I'm considering it, but I know when I actually watch it, I'm going to be disapointed after seeing two dudes roll around on the ground like homosexuals.

The **** is just hard to watch. If gay porn was on every channell, I wouldn't watch tv. I don't give a **** about how much they promote it.

 

Man, you just gotta do your thing. Boxing isn't going anywhere.

If you want to watch the so-called baddest man in the planet turn his back and run against after being punched, that's your thing.

I never seen Tyson run, but I also never seen Tyson try to roll around on the ground like a homosexual.

 

boxing is too splintered, but yes, they could use a lot of help in the promo dept.