Can Boxing Leave the Shadow Cast by Youtubers Soon?

Boxing’s new age of YouTubers has been the subject of passionate argument in the sport. Others believe it to be a welcome injection of fun and general popularity, but others see it as a repurposing of boxing’s classical verve.

The spectacle of influencers getting in the ring has been divisive, and it makes one wonder: will boxing escape the black cloud and return to its focus on the talent and legacy of the professional fighter? Let’s find out.

The YouTuber Phenomenon in Boxing

YouTube celebrities making their way into the boxing ring have redefined the sport. First shunned as a one-off phenomenon, influencer matches are now watched by millions of viewers, and making as much money on pay-per-view as professional fights. It’s an opium mine for promoters. But to boxing fans, that’s a terrible sign that the sport is being hijacked by people who truly care about boxing.

The success of influencer boxing is because it’s accessible. Youtubers do not have devoted followers because of technical ability or sustained athleticism. They’re in it for the drama, the characters, the high stakes action. ‘Old school boxing, with its rigid weight divisions and career-slow growth, just can’t compare with the adrenaline rush of these fights.

Boxing’s Identity Crisis

The sport has had its identity-shattered because of this cultural shuffle. Boxing was once a sport of guts, grind and achieving greatness. Legends such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather became great because they showed off for decades - not because of aTwitter prank.

It’s the entertainment factor that threatens to monopolise the narratives of wannabe-professionals grinding in the streets for their chance at fame.

Some will tell you that boxing is always a sport and a show. Well, garbage talk and circus weigh-ins are not new. But the new fad ups the ante; some people earn more in a single fight than their former peers. This disconnect breeds bitterness and reflects industry’s broken priorities.

That’s not to say that these YouTubers have no merit, though. Many of them train for months on end. More than that; it still takes guts to get in the ring, no matter who you are. It isn’t so much that these individuals do not put in any effort. It’s more that it is bringing down the sport as a whole, shifting the focus from people who have trained for decades to people who may just be in it for the drama or financial incentives.

Will YouTuber Boxing Fade Away?

There is one school of thought, that influencer boxing will go the way of the dodo. Trends die hard and the novelty of YouTubers brawling may be ebbing away from you. Fans might tire of amateurs swinging wild and pros silently giving instructional clinics.

But another slant is that influencer boxing is actually beneficial for the sport. It appeals to an uber-technological younger crowd and is a hugely lucrative revenue model that traditional promoters are not prepared to give up.

Most fans don’t think about the fight itself that much; they think more of the buildup, the plot, the characters. Such priorities would require boxing to make up for, or else lose the next generation of possible fans.

In the same way that sports betting evolved from local bookies to all of the 10cric sports betting options we have access to today, boxing may change, but it will survive.

Where Does Professional Boxing Go From Here?

Professional boxing has its own problems to face if it wants to be re-invented as a sport. Corruption in judges, long hours in negotiations for marquee fights, and unavailability to the lay public have all long beset the sport. These structural flaws are a void that influencer boxing has filled. With these issues addressed, the sport will be able to establish itself as an effective alternative to YouTuber schlock.

Boxing could also sell its superstars better. The world has the best boxers, from Canelo lvarez to Tyson Fury to Terence Crawford, but their celebrity status is not nearly as big as that of a YouTuber. They could create engaging stories for these boxers, and make use of new marketing methods such as social media storytelling to make the old-school face of the sport come alive.

Is There Someplace in Between?

It turns out, there are people who think professional boxing and YouTuber boxing don’t have to clash. Intermediaries have shown that they don’t have to be opposed and their audiences are brought together. The likes of Jake Paul have progressed as boxers, going so far as to campaign for fighter pay and healthcare- issues that are all too familiar to older boxers.

Done right, this convergence might function as a stop gap, taking casual audiences on a tour of professional boxing’s technical splendour without overshadowing the entertainment of influencer bouts. But this is also something that has to be selective, so that spectacle doesn’t trump sport.

Boxing’s Resilience Through the Ages

Boxing isn’t far from the times of reinvention. The sport has survived changes in culture, media trends and competition from other combat sports such as MMA. Influencer boxing might look worrying, but boxing is history’s uncanny survivor.

There is nothing changed in the essence of boxing – the naked brutality of two men trying their hardest in the ring. Whether it is with a renewed focus on the grassroots or through the tactical adoption of a trend, the sport can recover.

Conclusion

The glare left by YouTubers will linger until the world sees old boxing heal itself. Rather than rail against this new arrival, the game can take the challenge to change. If boxing is to correct its imperfections, honour its champions and entice new audiences, it will be able to survive.

The ring never had as much notoriety as this - not just for fighters but for the sport. YouTubers can create its future, but boxing’s record of survival makes it appear that it can also create its own.