Boxing: Sport Vs Business

Business vs Sport

The Business Side

1. The Business Side is a machine that keeps boxing running it is very complex and has a lot of moving parts involving the Promoters, sanctioning bodies & media which helps in generating the money. The promoters are businessmen who make fights based off of the best value and market appeal which sometimes doesn’t involve the best possible match ups from a fans perspective. Their job is make their fighter more appealing and marketable to maximize the most they can while their fighter still has value.

2. The sanctioning bodies who want the most well known and visible fighter to be their “champion”. Hence, making it legit and recognizable by the fans which also increases the worth and value of their respective belt. Meaning, the more recognition of the fighter the higher his purse which equals the higher the sanctioning fees. These organizations utilize ranking systems and mandates to keep the belt in rotation.

3. Then last is the media which because of the vast increase in technology can control the narrative. The media can make a non-appealing fight all of sudden have some valued interest depending on the way they tell the story. They also can increase a fighters popularity by continued coverage to a broader & wider audience of all ages and demographic.

The Sport Side

The Sport Side is more simple and doesn’t have as many difficult parts to understand.

1. The fighter’s, now without them there can be no product for the business side to sale. The fighter’s are the highest of value to Boxing.

2. The fans, the second most important part because without fans their is no one to buy the product.

Now it used to be where The Business Side would work for the Sport Side making sure the sports integrity and legacy we’re being upheld. However, that has sometimes not been the case in recent times. The social media era has allowed for the Business Side to cloud the message to the Sport Side. Then again the Sport Side has become more involved with the Business Side losing it’s focus.

In 2017 we have seen some changes and seem to have gotten back to the message of best vs best. The results has seen the business respond with fights being made like Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko, Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs vs Gennady Golovkin, Errol Spence Jr vs Kell Brook, Keith Thurman vs Danny Garcia to Vasyl Lomachenko vs Guillermo Rigondeaux. Terence Crawford, who became the first undisputed champion in over a decade, have also contributed to the sport returning to form.

However keep in the mind The Business side vs The Sport Side gets harder to maintain the balance with the increase of money, fame & technology.

By: Bo Bland & BW Mukes