THE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY continues its seventh season with a new edition WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 5 (11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Hosted by the four-time Sports Emmy® winner, who has hosted HBO Boxing since joining the network in 1988, the show is a provocative, engaging and informative experience that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing.
SHOWTIME Sports and Premier Boxing Champions have entered into a three-year boxing programming agreement extending their long-term partnership. The deal calls for a monthly series of events presented by Premier Boxing Champions to air live on SHOWTIME, ensuring the network’s access to the deepest talent pool in boxing and its continued ability to deliver the industry’s leading programming.
ESPN’s boxing ratings slipped Saturday night from the viewership the network attracted the previous week. Nielsen Media Research revealed Tuesday that ESPN’s three-bout broadcast Saturday night from Glendale, Arizona, was watched by an average audience of 532,000. Its telecast the prior Saturday night, a two-fight show from Atlantic City on August 18, averaged 686,000 viewers.
SHOWTIME has acquired the television rights to CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS, a documentary film that takes viewers through the New York Golden Gloves tournament, one of the most prestigious amateur boxing tournaments in the country. Written and directed by journalist Bartle Bull, the film will premiere Friday, September 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
BoxingScene.com has been advised that the bout between WBC super featherweight titlist Miguel Berchelt and his mandatory challenger Miguel Roman has been picked up by ESPN+. This match-up is scheduled for November 3rd.
While there has been some teeth gnashing about the quality of ESPN proper cards, this is one fans should be happy isn’t on the app. Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KO) defends his WBO lightweight belt against the former Jr. lightweight titlist Pedraza (24-1, 12 KO) in what is really a crossroads fight.
By Keith Idec - Andre Ward was brought to tears during filming of season five of “The Contender.” As the new host of the relaunched reality series, Ward developed deeply personal relationships with the show’s participants, some of whom drew raw emotion out of the retired two-division champion. An appreciative...
ESPN’s boxing doubleheader Saturday night drew better ratings than each of the three previous Top Rank cards televised live on the network this summer. Nielsen Media Research ratings released Tuesday revealed an average audience of 686,000 watched ESPN’s two-bout broadcast from Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the main event, heavyweight contender Bryant Jennings got up from a fourth-round knockdown to drop Alexander Dimitrenko three times on his way to a ninth-round, technical-knockout victory.
Showtime International comes through again with a solid card headlined by an interesting clash at featherweight. Carl Frampton (25-1, 14 KO) has the interim WBO belt but what’s really at stake is position in a stacked division.
By Corey Erdman - Being a boxing fan in North America has never been easier—provided you have the money to afford it. The sheer volume of fights being broadcast, combined with the number of interested broadcasters has created a plethora of viewing options for fight fans, albeit mostly behind a paywall. Were on...