Comments Thread For: Bob Arum: HBO and Showtime Don't Belong In Boxing Anymore

[chrisJS]

Go away bob! you are cancer to the sport!
if HBO/SHOWTIME don't belong in boxing than neither does your weak @ZZ app of ESPN+
how lame is that? who in the hell wants to watch boxing thru an app! NOT ME and as far as the $4.95 a month " go phakc youself " go get high now...

If you play it through a smart tv it's not the end of the world but also the apps are behind about 2 minutes from live.

[sicko]

Showtime not going anywhere Bob! HBO not sure WTF they're doing but I get the feeling HBO will comeback strong with some big announcements HOPEFULLY! Maybe they get Anthony Joshua after this 1 fight deal with DAZN is over on Saturday that would be big for them

[mdrosnock]

HBO's problem was not being able to stream fights on the app. The only way to watch an HBO fight live was to have a cable subscription that included HBO. You couldn't even watch replays on the app until the following Tuesday. Terrible model for boxing. Showtime app is much better and you get every fight and can buy PPV all through the app.

[SUBZER0ED]

IMO, SHO/HBO should stay in boxing because Fox and ESPN are subjected to different rules than SHO in terms of language and violence.

Fox and ESPN will mute any foul language, which takes away from the drama for me. Both networks will also show cuts, blood and any injuries as "soft" as possible, which also takes away from the event IMO.

The major networks also will also rush to get to Sportscenter or the evening news because those are major money earners. That might make them likely to cut the post fight interviews short.

I agree with Bob in principle and I think his points are smart and fair. I just hope we still have boxing on Premium cable.

What it boils down to, is what the premium networks feel is a good return on investment. Are they willing to continue to pay big cash to air fights? Something's definitely brewing, as some promoters (Hearn, Arum) are striking deals with streaming apps. We can't even watch the unified HW champion of the world fight Saturday unless we stream.

[Manlikefemi]

Showtime not going anywhere Bob! HBO not sure WTF they're doing but I get the feeling HBO will comeback strong with some big announcements HOPEFULLY! Maybe they get Anthony Joshua after this 1 fight deal with DAZN is over on Saturday that would be big for them

Lmao. Fast eddie has AJ on locks with DAZN. DAZN have first and last rights on AJ Fights.

HBO can’t afford him. HBO are out of boxing after Canelo.

[Shadoww702]

Nothing he said was "wrong" per se. However, HBO will get out of the boxing business muuuch quicker than Showtime will. Especially at this rate. They won't open up their budget, which shows they have put boxing on the back burner. With Canelo and Golovkin threatening to leave (due to budget restraints), they don't have any logical reason to stay in the sport.

I'm glad Arum was candid about being reluctant to say all of this WHILE he was with HBO. Hindsight is always 20/20.

What will be even more interesting is where GoldenBoy decides to go. ESPN? Oscar talked soooo much ***** about joining them. FOX? Oscar said he's above that. Showtime? Oscar says he'd never go there. DAZN? Oscar doesn't think too highly of Hearn and seemingly feels threatened.

If I'm Canelo, I'm going the Oscar, Floyd, Cotto route - fighting under my own promotion. He's big enough now. He can still break bread and get co-promoted by Oscar though. Once that happens, Oscar will be forced to play nice and eat some humble pie and join forces with one of the three networks because he won't have that proverbial "ace in the hole" any longer keeping him afloat.

That makes sense. Canelo should leave Oscar and buy out is contract with a lifetime supply of kitchen utensils for Oscar to use.

Canelo Alvarez Productions

with his signature CA logo.

Oscar's a good promotor and all but he still ***ed Canelo over checking into rehab the night of Canelo's biggest fight ever.

[The Big Dunn]

What it boils down to, is what the premium networks feel is a good return on investment. Are they willing to continue to pay big cash to air fights? Something's definitely brewing, as some promoters (Hearn, Arum) are striking deals with streaming apps. We can't even watch the unified HW champion of the world fight Saturday unless we stream.

Wilder is fighting Saturday? LOL just kidding.

yeah, that is frustrating.

[Shadoww702]

Showtime not going anywhere Bob! HBO not sure WTF they're doing but I get the feeling HBO will comeback strong with some big announcements HOPEFULLY! Maybe they get Anthony Joshua after this 1 fight deal with DAZN is over on Saturday that would be big for them

They just merged with AT&T hopefully theyll open back up their wallets

[pugil1st]

It'll be a sad day if the future of boxing is the low budget, low production of ESPN and Joe Tessitore. If that's the case, I may take a hiatus.

[Squ□redCircle34]

PBC and Showtime are killing it, HBO saving grace was the classic Canelo vs Ggg 2 fight!

ESPN has decent fights but normally don’t show the best vs the best!

I like them all and wishes they work together, now DAZN can go away, best thing from them is the WBSS at bantamweight!