ESPN’s Dan Rafael tweeted that this past Saturday’s HBO Boxing event featuring Gennady Golovkin (aka GGG) taking on Marco Antonio Rubio drew an average of 1.304 million viewers. The fight was the fifth most viewed TV fight in the U.S. this year per Rafael (via Nielsen).
GGG’s decimation of Rubio lasted only two rounds but it peaked with a viewership of 1,323,000 HBO subscribers. It reflected a 33% increase from GGG’s previous fight in July against Daniel Geale. GGG’s third round stoppage of Geale drew just 758,000 viewers.
In addition, the semi-main event of the evening featuring former Boxer of the Year Nonito Donaire and Nicholas Walters drew an average of 1.1 million HBO subscribers. Walters upset Donaire with a 6th round KO.
Payout Perspective:
The viewership is a testament to the growing popularity of GGG and likely impetus for HBO to put him up against formidable opponents and build on his popularity. GGG is likely the next international PPV star as one would think that HBO sees him as someone that can take the place of Manny Pacquiao in the next year or so.
GGG is getting popular even without top competition to face off against. It just goes to show, if you stay busy and get the KOs, fans will wind up liking you regardless of who you fight.
Eventually the top guys will have to fight him, or leave the division. I hope to see him again in a few months against whoever.
Not bad for a premium network of 28 million subs…
Can you say Boxing’s next PPV star? Dude’s fought bums and he can still sell 9k tickets in a state with no Russians. its a shame he is so old though (32). That means he only has 5 years as a star
Floyd Mayweather is running towards retirement to avoid this guy.
Very exciting; GGG, Cotto, Canelo, Chavez Jr, Pacquiao, etc. The matches that can now take place on HBO is very exciting, but still… Mayweather vs Pacquiao is the ONE.
Cain injured….mexico sold out hahahahahaha
WTF!!! UFC is having some bad ass luck for 14. I guess Caine will be eating those 2.5 million bags of Doritos lol its a shame they are having soon many injuries. I say cancel the fucking thing and do it another day.
Sal is a fag.
bahahaha double in 14 ass fuck
Your world revolves around getting ass fucked by bob arum you little queen. Yeah, boxing needed every major ufc ppv to get replaced in order to for the first time in 8 years get more ppv buys. Hahahaha.