5 Reasons Why MMA is in and Boxing is Out

Has any sport lost more luster than boxing over the last few years? Despite not suffering a lockout or strike like other major American sports boxing has been on a steady decline, especially in the heavyweight division, over the last several years. Let's take a look at the top five reasons that mixed martial arts (MMA) are succeeding and how those same five reasons are turning professional boxing into one of the least interesting sports to follow.

#5 - TV

MMA
The new Elite Xtreme Combat league will act as the network television debut of MMA fights on CBS in the next two years. Previously restricted to Pay-per-view (PPV) MMA will now hit the big time with its third most popular circuit. The headliner of the league is Internet sensation Kimbo Slice and if you haven't seen him just YouTube him and you'll know why people are going to watch.

Boxing
While MMA is expanding its viewership boxing continues to charge huge PPV premiums to see fighters who lack the skill and charisma that we have come to love from the sport. The heavyweight division has been a yawner since the retirement of Lennox Lewis, and even before that it was on the way down. With no fighters worth shelling out $50 PPV price tags for it is no surprise that interest in waning.

#4 - Dana White

MMA
UFC President Dana White has elevated the status of his MMA league to the pinnacle of his industry. When he took over a dying league in the late 90s it looked barely salvageable. Now that he has raised the profile of UFC higher than ever thought possible and purchased his biggest rival (Pride) it doesn't look like he'll be slowing down anytime soon. This kind of unified and effective leadership is something that boxing just can't claim to have.

Boxing
Meanwhile boxing has no single person who is elevating the sport back to the position in the public's mind that it used to hold. Individual promoters are struggling for position in a me first grab bag of promotions, leaving the good of the sport in the rear view mirror as greed takes over the sport.

#3 - Champion of What Now?

MMA
With only two major bodies under unified leadership MMA has a clear goal to sell to the public for its fighters. Whether you are fighting for the UFC or Pride belt, fighters are really fighting for both at all times. Like the NFC and AFC in the NFL, these two divisions are more together than separate. This gives exciting objectives to present to the public and motivates us to watch as fighters progress towards belt unification.

Boxing
Do you know how many belts there are in boxing? If you do you're probably the only one because currently there are 74 belts you can win in boxing throughout the weight classes. Boxing is a sport in serious need of consolidation, both of weight classes and governing bodies. The sport could be seriously improved with the elimination of half of their divisions in order to combine talent into smaller, less diluted groups. This would produce more meaningful and exciting fights.

#2 - Fixed Fights

MMA
This seems obvious but that is what makes it so important. Who wants to watch a fight with a predetermined outcome? MMA fights don't fake anything, these are real fights with both fighters trying to win every second of the match. There are still controversial decisions but for the most part each fight has a winner that can be easily justified. MMA leagues haven't done a particularly innovative thing to keep fixing out of the equation but compared to boxing their sport is as pure as the Virgin Mary.

Boxing
One of the single biggest factors that has held the sport of boxing back is the tremendous amount of fight fixing that occurs at various levels. It is really a three tiered attack on the sport's credibility that has sucked much of the public interest out of the sport. Fighters taking a dive in the ring is the least of the problems in boxing, where most of the problems occur is with the judges and the artificial inflation of records. It seems like half of the major decisions in boxing are awarded to the wrong fighter thanks to under the table payoffs to crooked judges. The fighters that they are judging, however, probably shouldn't have been in the spotlight in the first place. In an attempt to cultivate marketable fighters the powers that be in boxing take fighters with above average talent and throw cream puff after cream puff at them to boost their records. Two 23-0 fighters looks great on paper, often times, however, the young and marketable fighters are derailed by experienced journeymen or an uninspired fight if they make it that far.

#1 - Brandable Personalities

MMA
From nicknames like, "The Axe Murderer" to legends of the game like Tito Ortiz, MMA has fighters and personalities that compel viewers to stay tuned in. Boxing has been trying to make some headway and catch up in this respect but to no avail. When it comes to charisma there is no comparison, Rocky fights in the UFC now.

Boxing
In stark contrast to the UFC, Pride, and EXC, boxing has no marque fighters in the heavyweight division and barely any in any division. Floyd Mayweather is currently the sport's biggest draw and a very entertaining fighter, but outside of him there are hardly any fighters worth watching to the casual fan. The real problem is at the heavyweight division where there hasn't been a compelling personality like George Foreman or Mike Tyson in years to keep people watching the sport's marque event, the heavyweight championship.