I thinks it's admirable that HBO and ESPN are trying to rejuvinate the sport. But I think that to an extent boxing is now competing for audiences with MMA. Why does boxing's popularity seem to be waning? Why are MMA events experiencing such a surge in popularity? And how can boxing re-establish itself as the leading combat sport?

I agree with Iain. The fact there are so many organisations has been a problem for a while. It allows for circumstances like this to occur. In the ideal world, you would want one organisation to govern the fight world, but boxing is stuck at the moment and I can't see that changing in foreseeable future. If you had one dominant company like the UFC, and I didn't want to bring up the whole MMA vs. Boxing situation, it does make everything that much simpler. Personally, I feel its just odd that you can have four world champions in each weight class. Let me ask you guys, what happens to the authority of the WBC and others who have taken a strong stance opposing this fight, if the bout goes ahead? Surely, it just encourages more unsanctioned fights...