Boxing has dominated the fighting industry, both in terms of revenue and viewership, for many years. With charismatic figures such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather it is no surprise.
In recent times we have seen a huge shift in focus towards Mixed Martial Arts, particularly the UFC, as the leader in the fight game. Just as boxing has its leading figures so too does MMA. Conor Mcgregors’ outrageous antics both in and out of the Octagon has really put the spotlight on the sport.
What we are now seeing is a merge of two of the most popular combat sports to create what promoters call “super fights”. In this article we will be taking a look at how the fight game is generating outrageous amounts of money through these era defining fights between legends.
Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts – Effect on pop culture
Boxing has always had a profound effect on popular culture. Think back to when 32 year old Muhammad Ali defeated the seamingly unstoppable 25 year old prime fighter George foreman. In what would become known as “The Rumble in the Jungle”, this fight was amongst some of the most memorable moments in sporting history. Boxing superstars like Ali would go on to have a profound effect on popular culture through their actions.
Mixed Martial Arts has had a similar effect. In particular, some of the athletes in the UFC have released their own product lines. For example, Connor Mcgregor has recently released his own Irish Whiskey brand that has been immensely successful. MMA has been successful in their game releases on Playstation and XBox which has dominated the gaming charts. On top of this we have seen an increase in martial arts slot games like Street Fighter 2.
The fighting industry in general has had a profound impact on pop culture because of its global popularity. The improved connectivity and advances in technology have made fighting sports more accessible to the public and increased the effect that it has on us.
What are superfights
As we have already mentioned, a big driving force behind the popularity of a particular combat sport is the charismatic fighters that keep us entertained. What we are seeing today are crossover fights which take martial artists from different disciplines and match them up in a “superfight”.
These superfights draw in massive crowds and bring in huge months of money. Take for example the superfight between the notorious Conor McGregor and boxing legend Floyd Mayweather. These two fighters are masters of their craft which makes the match up even more entertaining. Throw in a bit of bad blood between the two and you are in for a great show. When these two met up it was a great moment in sporting history and although Floyd dominated the fight it was praised for the hype it produced.
Another boxing legend, Mike Tyson is set to take on Roy Jones Jnr. Both of these fighters were regarded as the best fighters in their respective generation. Now, 20 years later these legends have retired and they are to take part in an exhibition fight that has fans on the edge of their seat. There is no doubt that the events of the night will display why these two are to be regarded as boxing gods.
Conclusion
We live in exciting times where the sporting and entertainment world is intertwined. The two work together to bring the fans what they want and as a result bring in tons of money for everyone involved. The merchandising aspect of the fights will only become more lucrative as popularity in the sport continues to increase
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