The Greatest fighter seller ever?

Also to remember, Muhammad Ali fought in the days of Closed Circuit Television or his fights were televised live on ABC's Wide World Of Sports, the second Henry Cooper title bout, the Brian London title bout, the Karl Mildenberger title bout are examples in his first title reign.

 

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Definitely Ali who didn’t have the advantage of the numerous media platforms of today.

I would seriously question the intellect of anyone who actually paid to watch Mayweather’s PPV events in more recent years.

Notably, we are also in the era of the no talent, reality stars who garner far more attention and following than they have any right to. So there’s that for relative comparison.

Looking at it comprehensively, at all levels, Ali sold the game better than anyone else - and even when it was time to leave, when he was on a clear slide, the game didn’t want to let him go - such the asset that he was.

 

I have to give Jack Dempsey props, in the days pre TV and mostly Pre radio to sell fights, how he was able to have Million $ Gates which is unheard of in that day was impressive. I wonder how Jack would sell with the current means of today or even the 70's with Ali.

 

Excellent nomination! And it wasn’t built on negativity or smack talk. Very much the opposite actually.

 

Yeah for a while Dempsey would hold the record of most money and crowd at a fight. Dempsey Tunney 1 being the then record which would stand for about 50 years before it fell in regards to crowd showing up. I think Louis Baer was the only other Million $ gate post Dempsey and pre Ali. I mostly look at things of the times. Ali had TV to sell his fights, you may watch Leave it to Beaver and a commercial would pop up selling the fight and to get your tickets. I guess Jack Dempsey needed to count on the news papers and other types of paper like ads to sell his fights. I do know posters were a big deal in selling the fight.

 

Yes, the film mediums were far more limited and silent of course, - actual fights, newsreels, Jack as an actor, - stuff that people still had to get out to see, otherwise there were public appearances (including training), tours etc. The old JD did very well.

 

Only because people wanted to see him lose.