Watching UFC Freedom 250 reminded me of what boxing has been getting so wrong of late.
There were so many defining images from the MMA market-leader’s signature show, that it was hard to keep track of them all.
It went beyond the U.S. Navy combining with the Air Force for a spectacular flyover of Blue Angels and Thunderbird jets, to U.S. President Donald Trump getting his own walkout alongside UFC boss Dana White. The pageantry would have meant little if the fights fizzled out, but each of the seven bouts all seemed to over-deliver. And it was all punctuated with American fighter, Justin Gaethje, pulling off the mother of all upsets by breaking Ilia Topuria’s face in two places.
But that’s not what stuck most with me, looking at the event from my boxing lens.
No, it was actually the introduction of the former heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, during a moment that over-promised and under-delivered.
There were so many defining images from the MMA market-leader’s signature show, that it was hard to keep track of them all.
It went beyond the U.S. Navy combining with the Air Force for a spectacular flyover of Blue Angels and Thunderbird jets, to U.S. President Donald Trump getting his own walkout alongside UFC boss Dana White. The pageantry would have meant little if the fights fizzled out, but each of the seven bouts all seemed to over-deliver. And it was all punctuated with American fighter, Justin Gaethje, pulling off the mother of all upsets by breaking Ilia Topuria’s face in two places.
But that’s not what stuck most with me, looking at the event from my boxing lens.
No, it was actually the introduction of the former heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, during a moment that over-promised and under-delivered.
7 days ago
