Does the popularity of specific boxers determine or reflect the popularity of the sport?
I would say if you turned back the clock, that question was applicable in yesteryear’s model of marketing products around boxing. But now I would say it’s not about any one fighter. It’s the exposure of the brand and the product of boxing itself. Look, it isn’t Larry Byrd or Magic Johnson who created pro basketball; what got the interest was the NBA itself. I really believe we have wonderful characters and wonderful stories — great attractions and stars — but the truth is we have to bring the product itself to the forefront. Shows like [HBO’s] “24/7” build the brand by educating the fan base, so people know and love the product. Q: Have mixed martial arts (MMA) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) helped or hindered the boxing brand? A: I can’t answer that. Our studies show that the overlap of fan base is less than 8%, so I don’t believe their fans are our fans. But I do believe that Dana [White, president and co-founder of UFC] created something that has made all of us who have
