KSI VS LOGAN PAUL. A LAUGHING STOCK OR GENIUS MARKETING?

It’s understandable how the diehard fans see it as a mockery of the sweet science. Boxers at all levels put their bodies through hell and back year after year to even be in a position to make a living as a boxer. Out of the millions who step into the gym with aspiring dreams to get to the top, it’s less than 1% who get there. With that in mind, what gives two celebrities the right to headline a PPV card that was viewed by millions without doing any of the above?

The battle of the youtubers has split the boxing world in two. The one key point fans will agree on is that neither fighter at the top of the bill is there on merit. You can see it as a circus or simply put, it’s strictly business. Katie Taylor spoke out against it saying “I love the purity of the sport. This is our lives, it’s what we’ve trained towards. These are youtubers headlining a big show. It’s all about business.”

Established stars of the sport like Billie Joe Saunders & Devin Haney both had to sit back & see their names on the undercard. Both top fighters in their own right & have made a reputation for themselves as the top tier fighters who could fill most venues across the globe. However, what doesn’t get taken into account is that the card gained 1,468,167 impressions on google analytics. When welterweight champion Errol Spence Jnr fought Shawn Porter there was only 55,000 impressions.

The more exposure you get as a fighter, the better & I’m sure any fighter’s management would be rubbing their hands together when an opportunity like this lands on the table. Haney or Saunders didn’t earn as much as they have previous, but it’s hard to deny that they have gained more fans which down the line is potential income.

Growing your brand as a boxer in the modern day is key & popularity dictates purses sizes. You only have to look at Canelo Alvarez & Floyd Mayweather Jnr who have almost changed the revenue for all boxers of this era & the future.

Whether fans like it or not, money talks in any walk of life.

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, you have to look from a marketing & business perspective. Both KSI & Logan Paul have over 40 million followers on YouTube between them. Not to say that everyone who follows them doesn’t follow boxing but statistically a lot wouldn’t be familiar. Eddie Hearn has seen an opportunity to help the sport grow to a wider audience & make a fortune for everyone involved. After raised eyebrows & sending the social media world into chaos, the dust has settled & it was success. You simply just have to see it for exactly what it was & view the positives.

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Author – Like 2 Fight 
Photography – Ed Mulholland (ESPN images)