Boxing is an legendary sport that is beloved by many, but how does it stack up against newer contact sports, team sports and other rising sports? Comparing the popularity of modern Boxing to team sports like Basketball, combat sports like MMA and rising sports like Esports shows that while the sweet science still has some wins, other victories might go to the challengers.

While the codified rules of modern boxing seem to have been written sometime in the 19th century, evidence boxing dates back just about as far as history. But while pugilism has been enjoyed for eons, modern boxing is in the ring with some serious opponents. Combat sports like mixed martial arts (MMA) and team sports (Football, Basketball and others) make up the competition for boxing's viewer base, and it's hard to say just who the winner might be. This article will compare just how well boxing stacks up against these other sports, with a main focus on other contact sports, but it will try not to ignore other big competitors and will start by examining boxing's popularity across the sports betting market.

Boxing and sports betting

Placing bets on sports is more popular now than it ever has been and boxing enjoys a place as one of the most historically popular sports to bet on. Even when betting was considered taboo, big boxing matches would draw many to place bets on their top fighters and get swept away in the mania of watching the sweet science. In the modern sports scene, big boxing matches still have the capacity to draw a huge numbers of bets. Recent fights involving top heavyweight stars like Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk have seen huge betting action across the globe.

Despite this, boxing has some strong competition when it comes to sports betting popularity. The most popular sport worldwide for betting according to some of the top betting sites is soccer. This is largely due to how many people across different countries enjoy the sport, as well as the sheer number of matches that are played. American sports are beginning to flex their potential in sports betting markets as well, with many states beginning to allow betting activities. Closer to home for boxing and combat sports are also a popular options for bettors. Similarly to boxing, the bigger the names that fight in a match the more activity sports betting platforms will see.

Although it might be boxing's closest neighbour in terms of the activity taking place, MMA isn't quite there in terms of sports betting numbers. The biggest challenge for boxing in sports betting popularity really comes from the sheer amount of games that other sports like soccer or basketball play to every single boxing match. While those boxing matches might draw huge numbers, the consistency of other sports events throughout their seasons overshadows the volume that boxing brings.

Boxing vs. combat sports

As we mentioned earlier, combat and contact sports have fascinated audiences for much of human history, and the necessity for competitors to make split-second decisions or face immediate dire results resonates with people on an almost primal level. Many people would claim that boxing holds the place of the purest of all contact sports, just two individuals in a ring pitting their minds and bodies against each other. But, do the numbers match that opinion?

It's true that big boxing matches draw almost unparalleled numbers of pay-per-view (PPV) audiences, but MMA events hosted by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) have closed what was once a large gap and also draw huge numbers for their biggest names. The UFC has proven to have exemplary advertising and has been able to capture the minds and attention spans of younger audiences by putting on more of a show. The most recent heavily talked about exhibition boxing match, involving Mike Tyson, does buck this trend, but that's largely thanks to the promotion and hype, while many question if it was even boxing at all.

The biggest detractor for boxing when compared in popularity to the UFC, is fight frequency. There can often be long periods without big-name fights in boxing, leaving all but the most devout fans to tune out and focus their attention elsewhere. This is not so for the MMA world, even if one organisation like the UFC is unable to set up an interesting fight, there are many MMA organisations around the world and the pace they set for interesting fights and matchups is a fast one.

Boxing vs. team sports

It has to be said that comparing viewership is not necessarily a clear indicator of popularity, but the viewership of team sports absolutely dwarfs that of boxing. The main reason for this is just the sheer volume of games that are played in sports like soccer, basketball and football. Football alone has a whopping 272 games a season, while there might be only a few high-profile boxing matches during that time.

It must be said, however, that those high-profile boxing matches do bring viewership numbers. While there might be 272 games of football a season, it's unlikely that even the Super Bowl brings the sort of numbers that big boxing matches do. Often big boxing matches can become something of a global spectacle, with fans from all over the world and all different walks of life united in their desire to see the outcome. But, these events cannot happen every week, and on a regular week-to-week basis, boxing's popularity, or at least its viewership, is nowhere near that of many team sports.

Boxing's unique place in sports

While it seems fair to say that boxing is no longer the undisputed champ, it is also unrealistic to say that it's down and out for the count. Boxing was and remains to this day, a sport that can capture the attention and imagination of people all over the world, even if it doesn't do so on a consistent week-to-week basis. Boxing may not be the champ year-round, but it sure can pack a sweet right hook that everyone wants to watch.