Evander Holyfield has commented on the current state of boxing and believes the sport’s profile is nothing like it once was.
“The Real Deal” emphasized the importance of solid publicity to give the fighter a fresh look compared to the level of coverage he had earlier in his career.
In an interview with IFL TV, Holyfield said:
“The biggest feature of boxing in America is that you don’t see every fight, so you don’t have a chance to catch up.
I remember when boxing was popular.
It will not be exposed like it used to be. I remember a time when everyone knew who was fighting. ”
Holyfield expressed the importance of boxing reaching young Americans in order to inspire the next generation of stars.
“If you have exposure, that’s what attracts people.
I remember someone who was 17, 18 on TV. Soon I started to see it, and I knew I had to work hard to get there. ”
Few people are better placed to comment on boxing exposure than Holyfield.His 1997 rematch with Mike Tyson generated nearly 2 million pay-per-view purchases, making it the third-highest-grossing match of all time. raised.
While it is necessary that certain high-profile fights take place, many believe that fewer contests that are consistently placed behind paywalls will not only contribute to the growing profile of fighters, but to the sport as a whole. I feel that it is having a negative effect on my popularity.
The recent match between Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora was a recent example of the heavy criticism, with fans dropping £26.95 to see Fury easily dismantle a faded opponent he was already comfortable dealing with. I was furious when I was charged.
Among boxing purists, there is growing concern that if this trend continues, more and more fans will turn away from the sport, and influencer boxing may eventually transcend traditional professional codes.
