Die-hard boxing fans tend to grind their teeth at the recent spate of exhibitions featuring former boxing legends, MMA fighters competing in sparring bouts, combined boxing/Verzuz events, and internet “influencers” battling it out in the ring
In the latest Harris Poll, boxing is now the fourth most popular sport in the United States, behind football, baseball and basketball
And before MMA
Before ice hockey
Before football
Before tennis
Before golf
And perhaps even more shocking is the fact that boxing is no longer just your grandfather’s favorite sport
Youngsters are flocking to the sweet science, even preferring boxing to baseball!
There is a market for celebrity boxing
Obviously, these matches aren’t at a high level, but they can be fun
For example, there’s a free stream on Saturday that features Game of Thrones star Thor “The Mountain” Bjornsson against British big man Eddie Hall in a six-round boxing match
This spectacle is nothing more than sports entertainment, but it is still boxing
And the more people interested in watching boxing at any level, the better for the sport