Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury tilted the axis of the boxing world to Riyadh as the two fought a memorable fight with all 4 heavyweight straps on the line. The extravagant event proved to be a successful eye grab, with ‘Ring of Fire’ creating 5.49 billion impressions, and 564 million views across all internet platforms combined as it penetrated 137 countries. However, the picture is not all rosy as far as the business side of things goes. The event missed out on revenue of close to $1 billion. And there is only one reason.

Well, it’s illegal streaming. Despite an ardent fan base, boxing suffers from the severe issue of illegal streaming, which costs fighters a heavy payout and promoters a fair share of revenue. The problem that started popping up with the advent of the internet has only proliferated in recent years. It reached a tipping point when the numbers of Usyk vs. Fury were out in public.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury: Perfect case of illegal streaming plaguing boxing

Online intelligence company Yield Sec reported that around 20 million people streamed Usyk vs. Fury illegally. Instead of purchasing the PPV, they opted for free sites that streamed the fight for free. Notably, 45% of the illegal streaming happened in Europe, followed by North America at 25%. The UK, which is the home base of ‘The Gypsy King,’ sheltered 18% of those streamers, while the number from Asia stood at 16%.

What’s alarming is that the actual number projected is much higher. The total revenue loss comes close to $1.3 billion when the price of PPV in American, European, and Asian markets are all factored in. Moreover, these figures for illegal viewing for Usyk vs. Fury are the highest ever recorded for any live sporting event. The numbers exceed the estimates of Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, which over 540,000 people streamed illegally.

While most free streaming sites are run by betting companies, the users not only run the risk of exposing themselves to age-inappropriate advertisements, but they also face the threats of theft of personal data, and financial and identity fraud. Meanwhile, boxing is getting itself in a fix which is only exacerbating with time.

From Floyd Mayweather to BKFC, every boxing event is at peril

When did illegal streaming take center stage in the boxing community? It was with the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor clash in 2017. The Forbes tipped the figure at 3 million illegal streams. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole had put the number far higher, close to 100 million illegal streams, which put the 5 million PPV buys to shame.

Fury, 35, had previously become a victim of illegal streams, as his first fight with Deontay Wilder in 2018 had close to 10 million illegal streams. It has been 7 years since these two high-voltage fights materialized and the issue of illegal streaming has only grown and abounded.

And it’s not limited to boxing. UFC CEO Dana White has admitted that the organization lost $30 million in revenue in 2022. BKFC 41, which starred the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes, and Mike Perry, also suffered a blow as president David Feldman believed the event could have pulled better numbers if not for 740,000 illegal streams.

You might think boxing is a combat sport, with fighters pocketing millions for a fight. That’s not exactly the case. Illegal streaming affects the revenue that the promoters could have collected, which in the long term also affects the fighters’ hefty paychecks. If what a fighter views as his fair price, say a top fighter such as Terence Crawford, he won’t budge from his quoted price, whereas for the people on the business side, it might be hard to meet the price. It is difficult to generate a profitable amount due to illegal streaming. That also affects future fights and the big names don’t always end up fighting each other.

Stephen Espinoza once pointed out that digital thefts depress PPV buys by at least 30–40%, which is an enormous loss. In addition, to balance the illegal streaming revenue loss, the promoters and organizers have to look out for sponsors and other means of generating revenues, which don’t pay off, as few brands opt to associate themselves with the brutal sport. So, is boxing a sinking ship? It has seemed so for some years. But why are we here?

What forces fans’ hands: easy access to the internet or steep PPV prices?

When Canelo Alvarez fought Jaime Munguia this Cinco de Mayo weekend, the promoter put a price tag of $89.99 on the PPV. What dissuaded fans from flocking in and buying the PPV was not the soaring prices but rather the thin undercard. Apart from the headliner, no fight caught the fans’ imagination. If you exclude HE Turki Alalshikh‘s efforts to stage big fights, the events largely remain underwhelming.

With starfighters asking huge sums to turn up and not fighting the best, along with lackluster undercards, the fans don’t have any option but to save their money and navigate through the internet to watch it live illegally. Then there are technical glitches that ruin the fans’ experience. Not counting PPV.com, most streaming services have disappointed the fans. The hiccups leave them frustrated and further push them to look for alternative sources.

The sport that once commanded respect in the sporting world is now slowly being reduced to a money grab. There are other problems that need a fix. But if illegal streaming is not mended, it might become the death knell for the sport.

What do you make of these staggering numbers related to Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury? Do you believe the illegal streaming negatively affected the event? Let us know in the comments below.