Boxing promoter Bob Arum is not concerned about competition from the UFC on November 12th when his fighter, Manny Pacquiao fights Juan Manuel Marquez. Arum told ESPN that less than 5% of the UFC audience crosses over and that he’d be more concerned with competition if Fox aired a movie opposite the fights.
Arum believed that the UFC’s debut on Fox was no accident although Nov. 12th has historical significance for the UFC as it is the anniversary of UFC 1. White, a Pacquiao fan, acknowledged the competing events that night at the UFC-Fox press conference. It appears that the UFC on Fox debut will not interfere with the actual Pacquiao-Marquez main event.
Of course, Dana White fired back at Arum as only White can. He told Yahoo! Sports:
You had the ability, Bob Arum, to make boxing great. But the problem was, you were greedy. You’re a greedy pig, just like all the other guys who were involved in boxing. All you ever did was try to rip money out of it. You never invested a dime into the sport of boxing to make it great, to make it last, to create a future for boxing.
(H/t: Bad Left Hook)
Payout Perspective:
Arum’s comments about the competition from the UFC is part bluster and part ignorance. There is an obvious overlap in followers of the two sports. Arum’s dismissal of the UFC’ competition shows a level of disdain he has for MMA and although he does not admit it, a competitor for fan dollars. Perhaps Arum simply does not understand the sport of MMA or feels it is really not a competitor, but taking shots at the UFC is a definite sign that he is taking notice. Usually White is the one with the first verbal volley, but his response was biting and somewhat true.
Another issue here is the November 12th date. Did the UFC set the date on the same night as Pacquiao-Marquez III on purpose? Is the UFC trying to make a splash on network tv and steal the headlines while making a statement about the sport of MMA versus boxing? Or, was it pure coincidence?
ufc/mma is a total load of rubbish watched by idiots who just want violence with no
skill or art. BOXING is the greatest sport with the best history wether its controversial or not it is so interesting. It has survived everything thrown at it but it continues to grow. ufc/mma is what is wrong with the world pure violence grappling on the floor pummeling each other. Mr White critizices Boxing, so why didnt he try to make the sport better. look throughout the world and boxing is much more popular. most ufc/mma competitors are failed boxers who couldnt maintain the discipline of the sweet science and chose the brutish ill discipline of this horrible ‘sport’ mma/ufc.
LONG LIVE BOXING
Funny that you post this on an MMA website. Doesn’t boxing have any websites where you can post?
Go to your nearest Jiu Jitsu gym and take an introductory class and then tell me how “brutish” and “ill discipline[d]” the sport is. Saying MMA is nothing but “pure violence grappling on the floor pummeling each other” is as ignorant as saying boxing is nothing more than two guys punching each other in the face.
But if Bernard Hopkins can come around, then there’s hope for even the most ignorant boxing fans to appreciate the greatest sport in the world. (No Phil, I’m not talking about Cricket, I’m talking about MMA).
Dana should probably just wait for Bob to “go away.” Shouldn’t be too much longer now.
Diego,
Unfortunately there are plenty of people who will never come to appreciate the sport and will continue to live as if it is 1993. You know, back when boxing was still great 🙂
Phil,
1. “Critizices” is actually spelled “criticizes” (assuming you meant to use an actual word, that is. Kind of hard to tell.)
2. Dana White was disillusioned by the direction boxing promoters/top fighters were taking the sport, saw the potential of mixed martial arts, and is more entertained by it, which is why he didn’t “help the sport” of boxing (are you bitter he didn’t put his effort into promoting boxing instead?). Dana white has criticized boxing promoters and top fighters, not the sport of boxing itself, which he enjoys just as much as I assume you do.
3. Why do you use the term “mma/ufc”? When you speak about boxing do you throw out terms like “Top Rank/boxing”? If not, you should probably think about improving your consistency. Here’s something to help: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1CHMP_en-USUS300US356&q=english+for++dummies&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9582089992087398354&sa=X&ei=h2ZWTrGKHePkiAKdtNyyCQ&ved=0CEoQ8gIwAg
4. In what way does the boxing industry “continue to grow”?
5. What is the ACTUAL percentage of “failed boxers” (i.e. an athlete who has pursued a professional boxing career, failed, and then chosen to take up MMA and competes professionally) competing in “ufc/mma”?
“Another issue here is the November 12th date. Did the UFC set the date on the same night as Pacquiao-Marquez III on purpose? Is the UFC trying to make a splash on network tv and steal the headlines while making a statement about the sport of MMA versus boxing? Or, was it pure coincidence?”
More than anything else I think the UFC is using the November 12th Fox event as a way to promote UFC 138 which takes place a week later on November 19th. 138 is headlined by Velazques vs Dos Santos for the Heavyweight Championship. There still hasn’t been any confirmation about who will be fighting on Fox but I have to believe that it will somehow tie into the Velazquez vs Dos Santos PPV.
If I was to guess I’d say that the Fox card will be headlined by Lesnar vs Overeem. With the winner guaranteed a shot at the winner of Velazquez Vs Dos Santos. Yes, I know Overeem isn’t even under contract, yet. Overeem has said that the only way he’d fight in the UFC is if he was fighting for the belt or fighting Brock. Well a fight with Brock could lead to a title shot. It would be a huge draw internationally because of Overeem’s appeal abroad and it would be great for ratings in the US because of the Brock factor. It would be promoted on Fox as “The winner gets a shot at the belt vs the winnr of next week’s Velasquez vs Dos Santos Pay Per View”.