There is no denying YouTube boxing has and will continue to pull ridiculously high numbers when hosting a live show.
We wanted to find out how it’s developed and how it’s affected boxing at a grass roots level.
We wanted to find out how it’s developed and how it’s affected boxing at a grass roots level.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 YouTube boxing events have brought in millions in pay-per-view purchases and have sold out
00:07 huge stadiums all over the world.
00:10 Boxer Mike Tyson supports the shift in traditional boxing and believes it has kept the sport
00:14 alive.
00:15 If you had told someone 10 years ago that a random YouTuber would box Floyd Mayweather
00:20 on pay-per-view and survive, they'd say you were simply out of your mind.
00:25 But that's where boxing is today.
00:26 It has been given this new lease of life.
00:29 So how is it affecting boxing at a grassroots level?
00:33 "It's always important for me, the YouTube boxing that you talked about, like you said,
00:38 they do the numbers, there's no doubt, it's entertainment, it really is.
00:42 But the pro game, professional fighters, these guys who are doing the work, and essentially
00:50 everybody knows that the reality is that harsh, but boxing is that reality.
00:55 So it's a bit unfair.
00:57 You can argue that YouTube boxing comes and takes money out of that pot, but that's the
01:01 reality, that's the life we have."
01:02 "We can actually deliver something unique, competitive fights, and it also gives a chance
01:09 for the boxers that are in the competition to showcase what they're all about."
01:14 Many professional boxers who have sacrificed their health and minds and struggled to make
01:19 ends meet, fight after fight, have been vocally critical about this trend.
01:24 From their point of view, characters with no boxing backgrounds casually entering the
01:29 scene and reaping huge rewards can be incredibly frustrating.
01:33 These social media stars also tend to show a level of disrespect when they earn millions
01:39 and flaunt their luxuries that are built off sloppy fights.
01:43 The box-off, a new tournament format, aims to galvanise communities up and down the nation
01:48 by hosting live fights with the entertainment value of the YouTube scene, but with actual
01:53 aspiring talent in the ring.
01:56 Birmingham rapper JK, the captain of the Birmingham team, shared his thoughts on how
02:00 boxing can be used for the good of the community.
02:03 "It doesn't have to just be boxing, but just to have certain places.
02:07 There's no place centres and schemes like that no more, you know what I'm saying?
02:11 There's no little places that kids can go to after school and be away from nonsense
02:17 basically.
02:18 So it's important that they can come down to the boxing gym, not get forced into anything.
02:21 Not every kid that walks through is going to be a world champion, but it's good for
02:24 them to learn."
02:25 "Unfortunately a lot of people think boxing only exists on television, when you see the
02:29 big shows, but the grassroots have got to start from somewhere.
02:32 I wouldn't have the career I had if it wasn't for promoters like this taking the chance,
02:39 putting shows on, putting opportunities on.
02:40 I've packed Brogan out in Stoke and deserve a small time for more than that out and around."
02:46 A critical reminder of the endless work that goes on behind the scenes from local men and
02:51 women looking to make a career in the ring.
02:54 As YouTube boxing continues to show its dominance, it's important that time and effort are still
03:00 valued for the future of the sport.
03:02 [BLANK_AUDIO]