Boxing Ppv Buys 2017
Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko was a professional boxing match contested between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko. The event took place on 29 April 2017 at Wembley Stadium in London, England, with Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA (Super) and IBO heavyweight titles on the line. Joshua, 27, won the match via technical knockout (TKO) in the eleventh round with 90,000 fans in attendance. Klitschko, 41, announced his retirement from boxing a few months after the fight. The bout was named Fight of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America.
boxing ppv buys 2017
Days after the Fury rematch was called off, Klitschko was approached by Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn. Terms seemed to have been agreed for a 30m showdown, although an initial contract was yet to be signed.[6] After Fury gave up his world titles, it was said that Klitschko wanted the WBA title on the line in the potential match up against Joshua.[7] The WBA delayed sanctioning the fight due to having a legal settlement with Lucas Browne, who was next in line to fight for the vacant title. Klitschko then turned his attention to fighting Browne instead on 10 December, a date that his team had booked for an arena in Germany.[8] A deal could not be finalised for Joshua vs. Klitschko, due to the WBA delaying a decision to sanction the fight and Klitschko injuring himself, which put the fight off completely.[9] Klitschko said he would be looking to fight Joshua in the first quarter of 2017.[10] Talks between the Klitschko camp and Hearn remained active with a fight set for the first part of 2017.[11][12]
Immediately after Joshua the win, Klitschko was invited into the ring by Hearn. It was announced that Joshua and Klitschko would face each other for the IBF and vacant WBA (Super) titles at Wembley Stadium, London, on 29 April 2017.[17] WBA president Gilberto J. Mendoza confirmed that the winner would have to face mandatory challenger Luis Ortiz next, with deadlines due to be set after the unification fight.[18][19] It was then confirmed that the winner between Joshua and Klitschko had to face Kubrat Pulev next as the IBF's mandatory challenger.[20]
In January 2017, Eddie Hearn announced that more than 80,000 tickets had been sold, a new box office record, overtaking Carl Froch vs. George Groves II. He put a request in for 5,000 more tickets to be made available.[21][22] London Mayor Sadiq Khan cleared the way for a crowd of 90,000, equalling the British record of Len Harvey and Jock McAvoy set in 1939[23] and making it the biggest crowd for a heavyweight fight in 90 years.[24]
After the bout, the fight was met with critical acclaim. Both fighters were praised for their performances, with many critics and fans believing that the fight lived up to and exceeded expectations. The fight, according to The Economist, "will be remembered as a spectacular one, perhaps even as a classic, for its dramatic swings in momentum and the ferocity of the punching" and for waking heavyweight boxing "from a prolonged slumber" during the years of unrivalled Klitschko dominance.[24] ESPN.com called it "the biggest heavyweight fight since Lennox Lewis knocked out Mike Tyson".[33] Associated Press called it "the biggest heavyweight title fight in more than a decade".[34]
In a press release, German TV channel RTL announced the fight was watched by an average 10.43 million viewers. The whole card averaged 9.59 million viewers. This was higher than the 8.91 million that tuned in to watch Klitschko vs. Fury in 2015. It did lower numbers than Klitschko's win over Mariusz Wach in 2012, which was watched by 11 million and Klitschko vs. Haye, which was seen by over 16 million.[50] In Ukraine, the match averaged 4.4 million viewers, becoming the most watched sporting event of 2017 in the country.[51]
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor, billed as The Money Fight[2][3][4] and The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History,[5] was a professional boxing match between undefeated eleven-time five-division boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and two-division mixed martial arts (MMA) world champion and, at the time, UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor. The fight took place at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, on August 26, 2017, at the light middleweight limit (154 lbs; 69.9 kg). It was scheduled for twelve rounds and recorded the second highest pay-per-view buy rate in history, behind Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.[6]
During his successful UFC mixed martial arts career McGregor maintained an interest in boxing and entertained the idea of a "money fight" with Mayweather.[13] UFC president Dana White dismissed the rumors of a fight with Mayweather on The Dan Patrick Show, stating that Mayweather would have to contact him since McGregor was under contract with the UFC.[14] White even went as far as stating, "Here's what I think the chances are [of the fight happening]: About the same of me being the backup quarterback for Brady on Sunday," referring to Super Bowl LI.[15] In January 2017, it was reported that the two parties had entered an "exploratory phase" in negotiating a potential match between Mayweather and McGregor. On The Herd with Colin Cowherd, White openly offered to pay Mayweather $25 million to hold the proposed bout during a UFC event. He also predicted that pay-per-view viewership of the hypothetical bout could possibly rival Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.[16]
In July 2017, IBF junior lightweight champion Gervonta Davis was reported to be going to participate in a co-main event.[24] Earlier in 2017 McGregor called Mayweather a Malteser with eyeballs.[25] On July 19, additional undercard details were released.[26] By that time, three names had been confirmed on the undercard, including British amateur boxer Savannah Marshall, who signed up earlier in the year with Mayweather Promotions, and Badou Jack, who stepped up to fight at light heavyweight.[27] On July 26, 2017, it was announced that former welterweight titleholder Shawn Porter would be headlining the preliminary card, facing Thomas Dulorme.[28][29] On August 17, Porter pulled out of the fight due to personal reasons, including a death in the family. He was replaced by Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugás.[30] On July 29, it was reported that Gervonta Davis would defend his IBF junior lightweight title against former WBO champion Roman 'Rocky' Martinez.[31] Martínez was dropped due to not having enough time to make the 130 pound [59 kg] limit.[32] Instead Davis has been rescheduled to fight unbeaten prospect Francisco Fonseca.[33] On August 9, 2017, it was announced that Nathan Cleverly would defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Money Team fighter Badou Jack.[34]
In the United States, the fight was televised via Showtime pay-per-view, available through both traditional television providers and various digital services, including the Showtime PPV website and apps, and UFC.tv. Fathom Events organized public screenings at venues such as movie theaters.[36][37][38] On July 10, 2017, it was announced that pricing for the PPV in the U.S. would mirror that of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, being set at US$89.95 (with an additional $10 charge for high definition).[39]
In a Q&A session in Glasgow in September 2017, McGregor revealed, had he been disqualified, he would have been fined $10 million. The referee also warned him, had he lifted a leg, he would have not been warned and got a straight point deduction.[57]
On August 23, 2017, the WBC revealed that the inaugural "Money Belt" would be on the line; it is made from Italian-made alligator leather and encrusted with 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) of 24-karat gold, 3,360 diamonds, 600 sapphires, and 300 emeralds.[61]
Both athletes initially agreed to box in 10-ounce (285 g) gloves per Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) rules which require 10-ounce (285 g) gloves for boxing matches contracted over 147 pounds [67 kg] (the fight is contracted at 154 pounds [70 kg]).[63] McGregor, accustomed to wearing 4-ounce (113 g) gloves in his UFC fights,[64] wanted 8-ounce (225 g) gloves for the fight. Mayweather agreed, and both athletes submitted formal requests to box in 8-ounce (225 g) gloves, which was granted by the NSAC.[63]
Experts expected that more money would be bet on the fight than any other boxing match in history; estimates ranged up to $85 million in bets.[65][66] There were six separate $1 million bets on Mayweather in Las Vegas bookmakers, but a large majority of bets overall were on the underdog, McGregor.[66]
After the match Mayweather stated that he had expected McGregor to be a fast starter and had allowed him to deliver his heavy blows early.[79][80] McGregor on the other hand was disappointed by what he saw as an early stoppage, but respected the referee's decision. Former boxers such as George Foreman and Evander Holyfield expressed their impression regarding McGregor's boxing skills and the competitiveness of the fight,[81][82] with Foreman claiming that experts who criticized the fight "should apologize. It was competitive".[83] Mike Tyson gave McGregor an "A grade" for his performance, stating he was impressed.[84] The fight was lauded for its entertaining and exciting nature, especially when compared to Mayweather's most recent bouts.[85]
Mayweather announced in his post-fight interview that he had fought his final boxing match and would officially retire from the sport. Mayweather stated "Any guy that's calling me out? Forget it," putting an end to his boxing career.[86] McGregor said in his post-fight interview that he would be willing to box again and that he would return to mixed martial arts and the UFC.[citation needed]
Gervonta Davis failed to make weight at the August 25 weigh in, forcing the IBF to strip him of his title. The title was declared vacant, but would still be on the line for Francisco Fonseca if he secured victory.[87] Davis would go on to win by KO in the eighth round. Nathan Cleverly lost his WBA light heavyweight title to Badou Jack in a one-sided bout which ended when the referee stopped the fight in the fifth.[88] Cleverly retired from boxing after the fight.[89] 041b061a72