NEWS: Arum: UFC future limited - no appeal to blacks, hispanics

"It's the same audience over and over," Boxing promoter Bob Arum said Tuesday at USA TODAY's headquarters in northern Virginia during a roundtable and interviews with journalists. "It's white males, and they have never been able to expand their demographic."

"I don't want to demean UFC, because they've done a marvelous job of marketing. But it's the same audience over and over. It's white males, and they have never been able to expand their demographic.

"The Hispanics don't care anything for it. Most African-Americans don't watch it. Hey, this country is becoming more and more Hispanic, and it's growing African-American (in the) audience.

"So the future success of UFC is limited. The success of boxing is not, because boxing reaches those groups. The only demographic that boxing has lost is the white, young males, period."

Read entire article: http://content.usatoday.com/communit...Top+Stories%29

Boxing is a dead sport.

What a poorly worded statement... and wishful thinking. MMA (not the UFC) reaches all demographics... Arum is failing to see the big picture.

I call bullshit. this dudes got mad sand in his vag. It was just a couple weeks ago I was getting some smoke and ufc got brought up by my dudes and we got to bsin and one of the blck dudes piped up with, and I quote "shhhiii I need to get on my jits game...I'm mean I got hands, but that jiu jitsu shit scares me" I was shocked not only has dude been watchin he's been comparing his style and shit and thinking training wise. There are plenty of blacks and hispanics watching and getting involved. there have been many interesting convos with my dudes about ufc/ mma. the shits only gettin bigger. and i love it!

THIS IS WHAT MEN IN CHARGE OF A DYING SPORT ACTUALLY BELIEVE.

Have fun crying more, Boxing.

this is about retarded

It's weird how racist the old school boxing guys are. You would never see any respectable sports professionals contemptuously discussing their sport's demographics in such basic terms.

As for an appeal to "hispanics" (whatever he thinks that word means)...

http://punch.ocregister.com/files/20...ain_mobbed.jpg

Far be it to speak for those black dudes...but uh...yeah. Once you see the product, especially for a live event you get hooked...it's like hockey. Children are wanting to learn kickboxing, wrestling and jiu jitsu now. My nephew is wrestling off season to stay in shape. As we saw above...the fact that we saw the turn out for Cain...this is not an all white sport...and it will not be for long.

You also factor in that there are so many tournaments and promotions...even grappling classes for old 40+ dudes like me. I think Dana doesn't even realize the significance of the Heavyweight champion being hispanic. He felt that Brock was his cash cow.

Boxing is dying in popularity because the best don't fight the best and the fighters control who they fight and don't fight.

I love the Cain picture! lol
Seriously, Diego Sanchez, Eddie Alvarez, Nick and Nate Diaz, Joey Beltran, Melvin Guillard, Chieck Kongo, Anderson Silva.... The list goes on.

The only thing I will say is that there is not a lot of knowledge about what and where you train. I have to point a lot of parents in the right direction because many of the gyms don't advertise. But you show them that the kid can do Muay Thai or BJJ instead of TKD....they kiddies get hyped.

This statement makes no sense... Cain Velasquez, Nick Diaz, Gilbert Melendez, Eddie Alvarez... all hispanic, all MMA champions. I'm sorry Kimbo Slice didn't work out but Rashad Evans, Rampage Jackson, Jon Jones, Allistair Overeem, Paul Daley... all representing the brothers. And lets not forget future MMA champ, the forums own Dartangan "The Sorcerer" Jackson ; )
sorry guys, had to plug the hotbox

If he's talking about fans, then I'll raise my hand right now and say mma has appealed to this Hispanic young man.

The "fastest growing sport" now has a limited future. This shit is blowing up and nothing he can say is gonna change that.

Its not like Blacks and Hispanics spend money anyways....I keed I keed.....

man i love high quality boxing bouts, but there is WAY too much politics involved in setting up high-profile fights.

the only fight that has a chance at reviving boxing is pacquiao vs mayweather but too much BS going back and forth for it to happen. the UFC has a huge edge since they put together the fights that the fans want, it only makes sense to listen and the fans will put up their cash. and i'm not talking about putting together one fight based on what fans want once in a while, i'm talking about a large number every year. the more you cater to them the more they'll stay interested in what you are offering. boxing promoters and fighters have WAY too much ego.

p.s. also have max 5 round fights. follow K1 where you don't have enough time to NOT push the action

While I don't agree with the limited future etc.. mma will continue to grow through all demographics. Boxing isn't a dying sport imo either. The only reason people perceive it to be dying is because there is no superstar american heavyweight to grab media attention etc.. Its strongest fan base is through the hispanic and black demographic hes absolutely right about that and if you were to take the respective ratios.. the ratio of hispanic and black fans who watch boxing will far exceed mma. Will that change.. absolutely.. but I think it will just about even out.. people also forget just because it may appear one way in the US doesn't mean its even close to that in other countries as far as popularity(boxing).. still going very strong overseas.

Also Over the years any time I've gone somewhere to watch a boxing match(like buffalo wild wings.. at least in two separate parts of the country).. the place is beyond packed.. as in 90% of the people aren't even at a table and every single person in there is hispanic of black.

While I don't agree with his statement.. his minor points are definitely spot on imo. Hes not saying mma doesn't have a large hispanic or black fan base but that boxing definitely has a hold on that demographic... which it does.. and mma has the white demographic. In the grand scheme of things... 10-20 years the hispanic/black demographic will probably evenly or maybe completely distribute to mma but I don't think the white demo will ever return to boxing.

feel like i repeated myself a few times.. sorry for the wall