Zuffa Boxing cleared its first test with elan. With over 70,000 spectators breaking Allegiant Stadium’s gate record and more than 41 million views live on Netflix, the promotion’s inaugural event proved a blockbuster. The event’s stupendous success potentially sets the blueprint for future mega showdowns. For a non-PPV show, Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford seems to have exceeded expectations. Two months ago, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, whose Riyadh Season joined hands with TKO to establish Zuffa Boxing, set the stage: “No More Pay-Per-View… The PPV model has damaged boxing, and we will no longer support it. We are with the fight fans.”

Discussions about the September 13 event’s success highlighted an interesting comparison: PPV versus non-PPV. And when one talks about pay-per-view, one fight invariably comes to mind: Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao. With over 4.6 million PPV buyouts, the 2015 fight generated more than $600 million in revenue. That record still stands today. With promotions increasingly moving away from the PPV model, it might remain unbroken. Strictly speaking, in terms of viewership numbers, the comparison between Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and Canelo vs. Crawford does not hold up. To some, like Chael Sonnen, the figures for the 2015 bout may not be entirely accurate!

Canelo vs. Crawford rewrites the record books

The former title contender did not mince words. On his podcast, he raised serious questions about some big PPV claims. “You guys saw the numbers that came out for Netflix,” he said, adding that most followers had no idea about the actual views. “You guys do not have any idea about boxing numbers. And don’t Google it and go, ‘I know all about it.’ No, you don’t. They’re lies. They’re all lies,” he insisted.

Sonnen explained that before a fight happens, no one truly knows if it will be massive. One can make an educated guess based on the fighters’ resumes, timing, and buzz. But the actual numbers only come in after the event. Traditional boxing numbers, such as pay-per-view buys, are often unreliable.

Netflix, on the other hand, is different, Sonnen claimed. “Netflix is a publicly traded company, which means the words that come out of their mouth must be true, which means the information that they give to shareholders and the public must be accurate, or somebody can be put in handcuffs.”

Now, Chael Sonnen did not call out any particular PPV fight of the past. But the hints were clear.

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao: Different times, different rules

At the same time, one should view the former UFC fighter’s observations with a pinch of salt. PPV figures are often confusing, especially since they are not readily available in the initial days after a fight. It may take weeks, sometimes months, before any realistic numbers emerge.

Having said that, context is important. With over 1,205,000 buys generating a reported $102.4 million, Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia remains the only fight of this decade to rank in the top ten PPV fights of all time, and that fight occurred just two years ago. All other fights in that list, including Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, date back several years. Therefore, there is no reason to doubt the figures currently available.

Moreover, times have changed. When Mayweather, Pacquiao, or other PPV stars like Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson fought, streaming platforms such as Netflix were still in their infancy.

Today, fans have more options to watch a fight. If they can watch a fight through a simple subscription, it becomes a win-win for everyone. This development inevitably reduces the relevance of PPV to a significant extent.

Still, comparisons like these remain fascinating. They remind us how even the boxing landscape cannot escape the passage of time.

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen’s take on PPV numbers?