What is the biggest fight in boxing history?

March 8 1971.

 

I think Gene Tunney v Jack Dempsey rematch attracted $2.5 million at the gate, adjusted for inflation that is what these days would be $33 million at the gate !

33 Million Dollars.
That's just live gate.
Not TV, not radio, no film rights, no PPV.
Publicity was done through newspapers.

It was incredible in financial terms, and turned out to be a memorable fight as well.

By comparison, eleven years later Louis and Schmeling drew half as much money for their rematch.

I actually think nothing came close to Tunney-Dempsey 2 until Ali fought Frazier in 1971.
I don't think anyone ever drew that much cash at the gate, even WITH inflation and the lower value of the dollar.
No fight drew $2.5 million live gate until perhaps the 1970s.

The closed circuit TV theatre-shown fights of the 1960s with Patterson, Liston and Ali didn't draw a hell of a lot more WITH the closed circuit receipts !
And that's just straight, without talking about inflation.

It's mind-boggling how the crowds and money gathered to watch boxing back then in the 1920s. And you can bet many of those paying customers had never seen those guys fight before.
(They probably left the stadium having not seen them yet either ! unless they brought binoculars)

 

In my lifetime;

FOTC

Tyson/Holyfield II

The heavyweight division had always been the premier division of the sport (Of all sports) in the publics minds eye.

Huge Global Interest for the lower weight classes were for me;

Hagler/Hearns.

Leonard/Duran I.

 

Ali-Frazier 1st no doubt, its a fight that Transcended the sport, the Man and the women in the street got caught up in the anticipation factor, i remember school playground sparring sessions and disputes as to who would win, most knew Clay / Ali from old, the Non Boxing fan was not so familiar with Joe Frazier, that the TV channels started giving news updates, Replays of Frazier Hammering Ellis, and nearly beheading Bob foster caused a lot of people a rethink, The satellite communications industry had come on in leaps and bounds now (most of) the world could go to a selected Movie theatre to see this "ëvent" live Russians, Orientals, Africans, Mediterraneans Asians, Probably Eskimo Nell and her family too, could probably get a screen viewing, With Ali-Foreman Ali was a big underdog, With such as Leonard- Duran or Leonard-Hearns these were Fight Fans Fights, Louis - Scmeling ? were Africa Asia or the Eastern Block Interested ? or even Aware ??

- Ali - Frazier were undefeated, at or near The top of their game, Polar opposites in style and personality, and the world was becoming a smaller place with the backdrop of Politics, Social change, Conflict and communications capabilities, The world seemed to stop for this fight, ( It wouldnt suprise me if UFO sightings increased during this period...Even those little bug eyed greys may of been looking in to see what all the fuss was about...) theres a fairly decent documentary about this called "The Fight" its worth a viewing to get an echo of the excitement that this fight caused, and of course the anticipation proved fully justified, it was a great fight too. good memories

 

IMO the Johnson vs. Jeffries fight was much bigger for all its underlining themes that it had going on there... The record crowd that showed up to that fight would be astronomical by today's stardards. I believe Ali and Frazier was a better and bigger fight in the sense that it was two fighters closer to their primes. But as far as culturally.. I just don't think it ever got bigger than Jeffries vs. Johnson

 

Ali vs Frazier..Hands down!

 

I was 14 years old & it was the buzz of the school amounst all the teachers & pupil's alike. All the politics & social issue's of the era contrived to make this thee most talked about & anticipated contest EVER:deal

Good over evil, conservative v radical, give it any handle you like, it was more than just a boxing match. jeezus i'll tell yer this! Clay/Ali was a seriously hated individual back then:smoke

 

still wasn't like Johnson vs. Jeffries IMO

 

Tyson-Holyfield II, They made 30mil each ridiculous.

 

Inflation means Tyson/Holyfield now a days earned the equivalent of $47 Million (on $30 Million in 1997).

Ali and Frazier made $5 Million each in 1971; that is $59 Million today.

But if you are using that as the measurement: £ for £ (see what I did then ) Tunney/Dempsey made over $60 Million each in their rematch, taking into account inflation...

 

Most of you just posting what you've read on the internet.
Johnson vs. Jeffries etc was only seen by the people who were in attendance.
Not one person mentioned Hoya/Trinidad which was an enormous event in (not just boxing) sport that was watched by millions and millions across the globe. It was a record breaker.
Back then everybody watched Oscar, even non boxing fans.
Its without a doubt in the top 5 biggest fighs ever.

 

No, the USA and Latino markets (big markets, no doubt) got De La Hoya. But for example as I live here, the UK did not get the Oscar phenomenon. And that was not being because we were being 'little Britain's', as not a generation before Messrs Leonard, Hagler, Hearns and Duran were borderline mainstream stars...

 

Oscar was huge in Europe and the UK. His fights were huge PPV events on sky sports. Maybe you dont remember but i do.

 

If you asked anyone at a bus stop who Oscar De la Hoya was you'd proberbly get 25% repling "Was he Oscar Wilde's Spanish uncle or that fat **** italian opera singer, the other 75% would reply "Dunno mate"

 

Maybe your definition of 'huge' and mine are 'hugely' different. I am a 'huge' De La Hoya mark, but even I concede he was of a 'speciality' taste only in the UK...