From George Foreman's upset of Joe Frazier to Buster Douglas' shocking knockout of Mike Tyson, HBO has broadcast many memorable moments in boxing history.
That will all come to an end next month, ending the network's 45 years of covering the sport.
Executive vice president of HBO Sports Peter Nelson made the announcement Thursday in a meeting with HBO's boxing production staff, according to a report by the New York Times.
“This is not a subjective decision,” Nelson said according to the Times. “Our audience research informs us that boxing is no longer a determinant factor for subscribing to HBO.”
The network's rich boxing history — which began with Foreman's knockout of heavyweight champion Frazier in 1973 — will come to an end with a middleweight title bout at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 27.
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While HBO's absence in televising boxing will create a sizable void, other broadcast entities have been more than willing to fill it.
British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn's company, Matchroom Boxing, recently signed a $1 billion deal to televise pay-per-view bouts over the next eight years. ESPN recently reached a seven-year deal with promoter Top Rank to televise boxing on its various outlets. And Fox Sports just signed a deal with Premier Boxing Champions, which represents several of the top current boxers.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2018/09/27/hbo-dropping-boxing-its-programming-lineup-after-45-years/1443271002/
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