In this article, we are going to discuss the 5 hardest sports in the world ranked. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the history of sports, the world’s #1 sport, the hardest sport in Asia, sports sponsorships and endorsements, disruptions and innovations in the sports market, the future of ESPN and the future outlook of sports streaming, head to 15 Hardest Sports in the World Ranked.
5. Mixed Martial Arts
Weighted Average Score: 4.8
One of the fastest growing sports in the world, MMA is also among the hardest and most physically demanding sports out there. Learning Mixed Martial Arts is difficult because you have to learn all aspects of the art of fighting. MMA requires both stand-up and ground fighting, which requires years of hard work, discipline and dedication. Some fights can even lead to gruesome injuries for the athletes, thus making the game a part of our ranking of the toughest sports in the world.
The sport has also seen some huge paydays for its athletes. Conor McGregor created UFC history in 2021 by becoming their best paid fighter, despite his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, and then later to Dustin Poirier. The fight with Dustin Poirier led McGregor to pocket a sum of $10 million, including purse, PPV share revenue and sponsorships. UFC also signed a TV rights deal with ESPN back in 2019, worth $300 million per year, which is set to expire in 2025.
4. Football
Weighted Average Score: 4.6
Arguably the hardest sport with a ball, football is a tough, physical game requiring a wide range of attributes including explosive power, agility, strength, speed, and physical and mental toughness. The huge collisions and intricate plays, plus high injury rates for the athletes make football one of top 5 hardest sports in the world.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, with each commercial costing the advertisers $7 million. According to data from the National Retail Federation, Super Bowl 2023 generated over $16.5 billion in consumer spending nationwide.
3. Gymnastics
Weighted Average Score: 4.1
The most-watched Olympic sport in the world is extremely challenging, both physically and mentally. Gymnasts need balance, speed, strength, hand-eye coordination and a lot of explosive power. Moreover, the skill set required also changes from event to event. Gymnasts are also very prone to collisions and injuries, making gymnastics one of the hardest sports in the world. Gymnastics is also among the hardest sports for girls, with a lot of them starting when they’re just 4-6 years old.
Team USA Gymnastics is a regular gold-winner at the Olympics and has sponsorship deals with a number of multinational companies, including NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) and The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) etc.
2. Ice Hockey
Weighted Average Score: 2.6
The fact that ice hockey is played on ice, is the fastest team sport in the world, and can often get very aggressive make it an automatic addition in our list of hardest sports in the world.
Ice hockey players are trained to be aggressive, both physically and emotionally, and require great strength and stamina. The NHL saw a 21% increase in YoY increase in sponsorship revenue to reach $1.28 billion for the 2022-23 season. Hockey team owners also scored big, with the average NHL team value reaching $1.03 billion at the end of 2022.
1. Boxing
Weighted Average Score: 1.4
The fundamentals of boxing aren’t that complex but a professional boxer must also practice how to cut off the ring, measure distance, and adjust their style to stay one step ahead of their opponent. The sheer mental and physical exhaustion in a boxing ring is indescribable, even at the amateur level.
Boxing also saw the biggest payday for any sport ever, when Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather defeated Conor McGregor in 2017 and banked $275 million in one night. The fight also vaulted Mayweather past $1 billion in total career earnings. McGregor, on the other hand, pocketed around $100 million, despite his loss.
Boxing requires all aspects of physical ability, coordination, stamina, strength, endurance, agility and timing, making it the Number 1 Hardest Sport. Hence, boxing tops our ranking of hardest sports in the world.
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