Mayweather vs Khan can be bigger than Mayweather vs Canelo?
“It’s the fight I’ve always been after and we’re very close now, not too far away,” Khan told BoxingScene earlier this week.
“Hopefully something is going to be announced within the next couple of weeks.”
Khan’s decry should come as no surprise; especially considering Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer’s recent statements.
Last week, Schaefer acknowledged the criticism over a possible Mayweather vs Khan match-up, stating, “If he’s going to fight Amir Khan…. Some people might disagree with me, [and] I understand because Khan might not have looked as stellar in his last couple of fights as one would have hoped…”
Nevertheless, Khan appears to be the man.
How and why?
If so many fight fans oppose Mayweather vs Khan in May, how can it be successful?
Why Mayweather vs Khan sells, and big
Believe it or not, although Khan lacks buzz at the moment, this card, if it comes to fruition, can be the biggest ever from a business perspective.
1. Floyd Mayweather’s drawing power
“When Floyd fights it’s an event. Floyd could frankly fight Joe Schmo and it would still be an event because of his personality, his reach, his everything,” stated CEO Richard Schaefer.
“A Floyd event is must-see TV.”
Mayweather, one of the most popular athletes in the world, has a large fanbase that will spend good money to attend and watch his bouts regardless of who he fights. Let’s face it, Floyd Mayweather vs Richard Schaefer probably gets at least 800,000 PPV buys off the top.
2. Amir Khan’s (deceptive) drawing power *most important*
While the Brit of Pakistani descent has many detractors, he is an international celebrity.
Casual fans of the sport, as well as a large segment of non-fans, know of him and name recognition, alone, means as much in boxing as it does in politics.
After Mayweather vs Canelo, Golden Boy Promotions announced 80% of households in Mexico with a television tuned in to watch their man, Saul Alvarez, challenge boxing’s biggest star.
The fight card was the highest-rated boxing program ever on television in Mexico.
So what does this have to do with Khan?
A British fighter of Pakistani descent, Khan is very popular in Pakistan and other areas in that part of the world. Broadcast revenue, whether via pay-per-view or some other means, would be huge due to the interest generated in those regions.
But boxing is much bigger in Mexico than Pakistan and the Middle East, right?
Certainly, but… Pakistan, alone, has a population of 172.8 million (Jul, 2008), making it the sixth most populous nation on Earth and 30% more populous than Mexico.
And it wouldn’t be surprising if the charismatic Khan has a strong following in the Arab region as well.
“I do have a lot of fans in the Middle East and especially in the UAE.
Imagine if Golden Boy and TMT Promotions cut similar broadcast deals with companies in those regions… Or even just in Pakistan and UAE.
And don’t forget, Khan is also British so, despite what some will say, there will naturally be elevated interest in the United Kingdom as well.
Simply put, Amir Khan may generate more buzz, internationally, than did Canelo Alvarez in September.
And no, most viewers won’t be hardcore fight fans (like many Mexicans) but will be interested nonetheless and could care less Khan’s dropped his last two of four bouts.
So what about the hardcore fans who “claim” they’ll protest Mayweather vs Khan? That’s a lot of money for Golden Boy to forfeit, right?
…And that leads us to No. 3.
3. Maidana vs Broner 2? Not interested in the main event?
Golden Boy and Mayweather will attempt to make the undercard far too alluring for us die-hards to resist – And the high majority of us won’t.
Rumors abound Maidana vs Broner 2 may be on the undercard should Mayweather vs Khan be made official.
If you’re a true die-hard fan, this should be enough but if it isn’t, look for GBP to add one more sizzler that’ll serve as the proverbial ‘straw that broke the camel’s back.’
Even if this bout isn’t on the undercard, expect Golden Boy to showcase at least one more fight with similar appeal, or greater, to Danny Garcia vs Lucas Matthysse last September, hooking what’s left of the hardcore nayayers in the process.
Mayweather’s popularity in the U.S. and U.K…. Khan’s ties with Pakistan, the Arab world and the U.K.. and a Mouthwatering undercard
Of course nothing is confirmed at the moment yet it’s easy to see how Mayweather vs Khan could shatter Mayweather vs Canelo from a business perspective.
And while some hardcore fans, adamantly against Mayweather vs Khan, will call this card (as well as this article) “rubbish,” they must remember a superfight card’s success, revenue-wise, is determined more by mainstream interest than us hardcore junkies.
The masses > hardcore fight fans
