Boxing is a unique sport that pairs athletic prowess with celebrity power. Boxers play to the crowd and atmosphere they are in, which can result in a boxing ring becoming a stage for performance. While shows like WWF may have overdramatized this aspect, many serious boxers still exist in today’s arena. Included here are a few of the biggest names in today’s boxing circuit.
Manny Pacquiao
Hailing from the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao has become an internationally renowned fighter and boxer. His professional fame has given him a royalty-like appeal to fans in his home country. Some say that Pacquiao is so popular, that during skirmishes between the army and insurgents in the Philippines, ceasefires would be called so they could all watch Pacquiao’s fight. A big part of Pacquiao’s celebrity status is due to his whirlwind presence in the ring and the excitement he generates in himself and others.
Miguel Cotto
An infamous fighter from New York City, Cotto generates the kind of following reserved for cult leaders and celebrity musicians. Fights held at Madison Square Garden with Cotto often sell out, and his fame has spread to even those uninvolved with the sport. Cotto holds the highest attendance record for Madison Square Garden for any single event, that is a pretty impressive title for a mainstream boxer in New York City!
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez
Watch out Kardashians, Canelo may just be coming to your television slot! Okay, maybe not quite, but Canelo certainly knows how to draw a crowd when he fights on HBO. When fighting in the U.S., Canelo consistently draws over 10,000 viewers to his fights, and when he fights in his home country of Mexico, it is an entirely different story.
Fights airing in Mexico typically average over 40 million viewers; which is roughly 40% of the population. This is similar to the amount of people who watch the Super Bowl, and Canelo enjoys that fame every time he fights. Because Canelo is only 22 years old, he has a lot of time to break more records and become even more famous internationally.
Floyd Mayweather
Becoming a household name was the natural progression for Floyd Mayweather after he began fighting. His popularity has spread internationally and he is known as the “PPV king” of this sport. Mayweather is known for talking some big trash outside of the ring, but fortunately has the guns to back it up inside the ring.
After Mayweather’s hit reality show, 24/7, began airing on HBO, his big personality won him more than a few fans outside of the boxing circuit. Mayweather’s family has more than enough sass and humor to keep the entertainment flowing and many people have tuned into his professional career as a result of his celebrity fame.
