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The much-anticipated Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois fight at Wembley Stadium drew significant attention, especially with the unexpected result of Dubois knocking out Joshua in the fifth round. Despite the hype, the event's U.S. PPV numbers tell a different story, indicating a worrying trend for the sport.
The fight, hosted at London's iconic Wembley Stadium, was expected to be a massive hit. Promoters claimed an attendance of 96,000, but official records later revealed a crowd of 85,466. Even more concerning were the U.S. PPV numbers, which were drastically lower than expected. According to sources, the fight garnered 815,000 buys globally-a decent figure-yet only 15,000 of those came from the U.S.
This outcome, especially for a high-profile bout featuring Anthony Joshua, points to growing challenges within boxing's traditional revenue model. The issue of piracy, combined with high PPV prices, has led to a significant decline in official viewership.
Price cuts and piracy: a double-edged sword?
In a bid to attract more buyers, the PPV price for Joshua vs. Dubois was slashed to $19.99, a steep discount compared to other recent fights. For instance, Canelo Alvarez's bouts against Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia were priced at $89.99 and $85 respectively, yet saw similar or higher PPV numbers. This raises the question: Are lower prices enough to combat piracy and bring fans back to official platforms?
The rise of illegal streaming has been a constant threat to boxing's revenue streams. Big-name events like the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk fight reportedly missed out on nearly $100 million due to piracy, illustrating how deeply this problem has infiltrated the industry. Even with Joshua and Dubois' lower pricing, the U.S. PPV numbers suggest that fans are either unwilling to pay or turning to alternative methods to watch.
Can boxing survive on lower-priced PPVs?
The light heavyweight showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol is set to follow a similar pricing strategy, with PPVs costing $15 in the U.S. and £19.99 in the UK. This move could mark a shift in how boxing promoters handle their pricing structure, aiming to attract more viewers by lowering costs.
However, the question remains whether this is sustainable in the long term. If the industry continues to face shrinking PPV revenues due to piracy and fan fatigue from constant high-priced events, the sport may be forced to rethink its financial model entirely.
As boxing navigates this uncertain future, fans and promoters alike will be watching closely to see if the sport can adapt and find a solution that benefits everyone.