For the past few years, YouTube boxing has brought more attention to the sport of boxing than ever before. But with the large skill disparity and people saying that YouTube has ruined the sport, it’s time to look at YouTube boxing’s true effect on boxing.
Pro: Boxing has always been and always will be considered one of the most notable sports in the world. From Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson all the way to Floyd Mayweather, boxing has cemented itself as a legendary sport. But over the course of the past decade or so, a new variant of boxing has been born in the form of YouTube boxing. Amateur YouTube celebrities like KSI, the Paul brothers and so many more have made YouTube boxing insanely popular by boxing for fame, attention, and money. The YouTube boxing scene isn’t just bringing in new viewers to boxing, either; it is also bringing in a new generation of viewers. Before, boxing was a sport more embraced by older generations and was on the verge of becoming a dying sport. Now, boxing is thriving with a new viewership. These big YouTube names have shown younger generations the beauty of boxing.
Con: YouTube boxing has brought in audiences who don’t actually
appreciate the sport itself. The reason these viewers are going to watch YouTube boxing isn’t to actually watch boxing, they do it to support the celebrities they enjoy. To fully understand this, it must first be understood that the modern day celebrity is a social media influencer. Professional sports players do have some fame, it’s nothing near to that of KSI, Logan Paul, etc. What this means is that when these popular YouTubers leave the sport of boxing, so will their fans.
At the end of the day, boxing is a sport that can be enjoyed by all.
However, in order to fully enjoy it, it should be enjoyed for the right reasons. That’s exactly why YouTube boxing isn’t good for boxing. While it has brought millions of more viewers to the sport, the only reason those viewers are there to watch, is to support celebrities, not the sport. This could cause real professional athletes in the sport of boxing to be overshadowed by YouTubers who started boxing within such a short time frame ago. Ultimately, YouTube boxing will always be remembered as fun, and entertaining content, but sadly, it doesn’t in any way benefit the actual sport of boxing.
