Can boxing compete with Halloween?
More specifically, can the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli on Saturday, Oct. 31 generate a profitable number of pay-per-view sales on a day when parents and their children are treat-or-treating?
We’re about to find out.
The ring walks for Alvarez and Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. Children across America may be going door-to-door that day collecting candy.
“It's a fight where there's not a lot of big buzz about it.," Gene Aguilera, a boxing historian, told USA TODAY Sports.
Gulp.
DAZN, which is charging 79.99 for the pay-per-view, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's emailed request for comment. But this is not the first time boxing has gone head-to-head with
Halloween.
Boxing history vs. Halloween
On Halloween in 1992, Lou Duva promoted the fight between Lennox Lewis and Donovan “Razor” Ruddock in London. Lewis won by TKO in the second round, but it’s less clear how boxing fared against Halloween.
“I remember that I stayed home because it was Halloween and the kids had to go out trick or treating,’’ said Kathy Duva, daughter-in-law of the late promoter. “But since the fight originated in the UK and took place in the afternoon here, HBO wouldn’t have paid very much for the rights. I remember watching it. And the records show that HBO did not pair it with a U.S. fight that day.’’
In short, there was no pay-per-view coup.
“But, now that you mention it, I don’t think that very many fights ever happened on Halloween,’’ said Duva, who took on a significant role in the Duva family’s boxing promotioing company. “TV networks tended to shy away from paying big rights fees on dates when people were distracted with other things. And Halloween is definitely one of those days.''
Halloween Haymakers
DAZN isn't the only outfit taking its chances on Halloween.
There’s “Halloween Haymakers,’’ scheduled for Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Then there’s “Rock the Ring: Halloween Havoc,” at Hard Rock Live Rockford inside the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois.
“For me, the date gives us a chance to make fight night an occasion,’’ Billy Hitz, the promoter, told USA TODAY Sports. “Halloween already gives people a reason to get together, dress up and go out. We’re giving them somewhere to take that energy – a night of live boxing at Hard Rock Casino Rockford.’’
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli compete with Halloween?
