BoxRec

EXPLAINED

Confusion reigned on Saturday as Pay-Per-View numbers for Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz 2 on December 7 in Saudi Arabia were rounded down.

Official figures released on Friday of 1.54m on Sky Sports Box Office were suddenly amended by the British Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB).

Initially, it was thought the Ruiz Jr. rematch had overtaken Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 by a mere 8,000 buys. It’s since been revealed Joshua vs Ruiz 2 eventually did, but only a week later.

According to BARB, Joshua vs Ruiz 2 made only 1.28m purchases on fight night as 256,000 of the buys were recorded the following week.

Therefore, the event currently lies in third place on the all-time British platform list on event date purchases. Joshua vs Klitschko remains ahead on 1.53m. The second place is taken by Joseph Parker’s effort opposite AJ in March 2018 at 1.45m. Overall, though, Joshua has slightly extended his own benchmark at the top. The numbers are the sole plus to the UK market in a terrible year.

UK PPV has been dying a slow death in 2019. Figures have been the worst for some time as Joshua campaigned on DAZN and fought outside of his home all year.

In Joshua’s place, the likes of Dillian Whyte, Josh Taylor, and Luke Campbell have struggled to hit 300k buys. Even a YouTube offering of two presenters with millions of followers only saw 216k forked out the £10 to watch. A return to the UK in the coming spring against Kubrat Pulev will now be critical for Joshua’s future on Pay-Per-View.

If you use this content, you legally agree to credit World Boxing News and backlink to our story EXPLAINED: Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz 2 UK PPV record confusion | WBN - World Boxing News

TOP 1o UK Pay-Per-Views (All time)

1/ 7 December 2019 – Andy Ruiz Jr. vs Anthony Joshua II (Sky Box Office) 1.54m (including later purchases)

2/ 29 April 2017 – Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko (Sky Box Office) 1.53m

3/ 31 March 2018 – Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker (Sky Box Office) 1.45m

4/ 2 July 2011 – Wladimir Klitschko vs David Haye (Sky Box Office) 1.17m

5/ 8 December 2007 – Floyd Mayweather vs Ricky Hatton (Sky Box Office) 1.15m

6/ 22 September 2018 – Anthony Joshua vs Alexander Povetkin (Sky Box Office) 1.11m

7/ 26 August 2017 – Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor (Sky Box Office) 1.007m

8/ 2 May 2015 – Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao (Sky Box Office) 1m

9/ May 2009 – Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton (Sky Box Office) 900k

10/ March 2017 – David Haye vs Tony Bellew (Sky Box Office) 890k

WBN really think it’s panic stations based off of that?

WBN I would suggest haven't a fukin clue.

Isn't this just confirming what we all knew?

AJ is a legit PPV star & draws accordingly whilst the rest of Sky Sports Boxing PPVs with main eventers like Whyte & Campbell don't draw anywhere near that as not perceived as huge stars. However eve those low PPV buys are still money in the pocket of Sky.

PPV is dying to a degree because its been watered down by weak cards & obviously by the easy access of illegal ways to watch the shows. However when it features a genuine star people will still pay to watch so Joshua's future on PPV is fine provided he keeps winning.

Didn't fury v kilt do over 1 million? Shouldn't that be on the list?

rio wrote: ↑07 Jan 2020, 20:15 Didn't fury v kilt do over 1 million? Shouldn't that be on the list?

500k-600k

moogie101 wrote: ↑06 Jan 2020, 12:48 Isn't this just confirming what we all knew?

AJ is a legit PPV star & draws accordingly whilst the rest of Sky Sports Boxing PPVs with main eventers like Whyte & Campbell don't draw anywhere near that as not perceived as huge stars. However eve those low PPV buys are still money in the pocket of Sky.

PPV is dying to a degree because its been watered down by weak cards & obviously by the easy access of illegal ways to watch the shows. However when it features a genuine star people will still pay to watch so Joshua's future on PPV is fine provided he keeps winning.

I think PPV is healthier now than in the pre match room days. The PPVs now outperform all but a few of the old ones. You get Haye v Bellew being slated on here everyone going ‘this is gonna bomb. This is gonna bomb.’ Over and over again. And it does almost 900k buys ffs.

The PPV that’s surprised me most in recent years is Frampton v Quigg. 2 guys in the top 3 or 4 of the division at the time. Huge rivalry between the fighters and the teams and I think it was reported that it did about 300k buys. Mind you I think I remember Hearn saying before the fight he wanted to spend a certain amount on the undercard to drive extra buys but the MCGuigans only wanted to spend like 200k on it.

One thing that I think we can read into this is that obviously the time of the fight will impact the buys. Six of the top ten (including the top four) were at a reasonable hour for UK viewers. I think this might be why Haye v Bellew sneaks in. Whilst there may have been better and more anticipated PPV fights, a lot of people may have been put off by having to stay up until 05:00, but happy to pay for a lesser contest that's on before midnight.

Give us what we want and the public will pay ,,, . I don't like ppv , stuff paying for fox and then paying them again to watch a fight , I will stream it and don't feel one bit guilty about it , why cos i pay out around 1500 dollars a year for fox,, they then want 50-60 dollars for a main event . . Will i pay it will i foook , i would rather stream it or go to the pub and watch .

HOWEVER ,,,, if its a big fight i really want to watch , and its got a great undercard , i will against my better judgement pay out again , invite freinds over and make it a day on the piss , fights plus bbq and beer , , but only if its a good show , example Wilder - Fury 2 , with a great undercars ,,

IF the undercard is shite well stuff em , Hearn , AJ , Mayweather , whoever , are not having any more of my hard earned theve got enough money and i need mine , so i'll just watch it later .

Yheres too many who feel there ppv when there not ,, one that springs to mind straight away is Whyte , why would i pay PPV to watch him and Chisora , In fact why pay it to watch most of them , because they don't fight they just duck each other .

This whole PPV thing really is taking the piss .

jameswilson wrote: ↑09 Jan 2020, 04:41 The PPV that’s surprised me most in recent years is Frampton v Quigg. 2 guys in the top 3 or 4 of the division at the time. Huge rivalry between the fighters and the teams and I think it was reported that it did about 300k buys. Mind you I think I remember Hearn saying before the fight he wanted to spend a certain amount on the undercard to drive extra buys but the MCGuigans only wanted to spend like 200k on it.

Frampton-Quigg was the type of main event that needed a good undercard to go with it.

In a horrible way then, it’s almost fitting that Frampton v Quigg turned out to be such a poor fight.

Anyway, if Joshua’s PPVs are the most successful ever in the U.K., then PPV can’t be dying. It just needs the biggest heavgweight fights. Rivalries also help, with Joshua and Ruiz’s two fights, and hopefully rivalries develop with the Wilder v Fury winner, or both, or someone new and unexpected.

Who the hell buys a PPV days after the fight?

Impressed that Haye was the top PPV star prior to AJ. Wonder how many subs him v Chisora did for allegedly?

What if it was free to air, on terrestrial TV, and sponsored to death. What kind of revenue could they earn?

SAPFO wrote: ↑09 Jan 2020, 11:42 What if it was free to air, on terrestrial TV, and sponsored to death. What kind of revenue could they earn?

Nothing to compare to 1.28 x £24.95 - 31.9m and that’s not allowing for pubs paying £300-£500 etc.

Money simply wouldn’t be there to match that unfortunately.

They still sell adverts and sponsors regardless.