Are influencers good or bad for boxing?

There are many conflicting views about boxing right now, both within and outside the community. On one end of the scale, you have fighters who are sheltered from losing by avoiding huge fights, and on the other, you have influences who are just getting started who are putting on the gloves in front of millions of spectators across the world.

To the dismay of boxing purists who see the platform these stars have as an insult to the hardworking boxers who could only dream of being on that stage, we have seen the sudden rise of celebrities like Jake Paul, KSI, and Logan Paul, headlining massive events and shifting high PPV numbers in sold out events. But is this bad for boxing?

There is no questioning the incredible figures these guys produce, but where do they come from? It couldn't be the opinion of the purists in boxing, can it? This is where it gets interesting, because these influencers and YouTubers have tens of millions of followers on their platforms. It's fair to assume that this is where most, if not all of the numbers originate, and it's undoubtedly impressive. But do these numbers actually correlate to an increase in boxing fans? I would think so.

These influencers frequently claim that people approach them to express their interest in the sport and how their passion for it started with them and their bouts and if their claims are correct, that could surely be a claim for their impact being a positive one.

The majority of people have the potential to become professional boxers; the status is only that, a status granted by a licence. In my experience as a boxing fan, I have witnessed some awful performances from these so-called pro boxers, performances that were much worse than those displayed by some of these influencers. All you need is a licence to proclaim yourself a "pro boxer.” For example, SaltPapi has proven that he is serious while donning the gloves and that he takes his training and physical transformation seriously, earning accolades from renowned boxers like Sunny Edwards and Chris Eubank Jr.

Even the so-called 'greatest of all time', Floyd Mayweather, has engaged in combat with YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI's younger brother Deji, the former taking it the distance.

Jake Paul, on the other hand, is accumulating a good record in the sport. I realise that this man is a touchy subject in this sport, but I'd like to challenge you to compare your favourite opponents instead of simply any boxer's first six or seven opponents to see how they stack up. For a man without any boxing experience, except from his white-collar versus Deji, in which he was a wide favourite.

Influencer boxing, in my perspective, can only be viewed as a positive development for the sport. With each event and even the videos they make promoting the event, more people are becoming aware of the sport. These influencers were the subjects of some of boxing reporters' most well-viewed interviews on YouTube, as well as some of Dazn and Sky Sports' most well-liked videos on their respective channels. This new trend has been embraced by interviewers and broadcasters alike, and new occupations are emerging as a result.