While browsing the fight card schedule so far for this year, I can’t help but feel a high level of excitement in anticipation of some very intriguing match-ups set to take place in the first half of 2008.
While 2007 provided a very good year of boxing filled with bouts that were demanded by the long-time fight fan in addition to the events that helped boxing cross over into the mainstream media, this year sets to surpass it’s predecessor by gaining even more exposure and possibly an even stronger revival of the sweet science.
When I see match-ups such as Margarito-Cintron II, Litzau-Guerrero, Vazquez-Marquez III, and Hopkins-Calzaghe on regular premium cable rather than Pay-Per-View events, it just brings about the feeling that all is right with the world. Martians can land on earth, we can be bombarded my months of hailstorms but as long as these types of intriguing match-ups take place off pay-per-view, all will be ok my fellow fight fans.
I understand that pay-per-view is a necessary part of the business being that it allows for the fighters to generate the purses they most undoubtedly deserve. This is why I feel it’s very important to acknowledge the efforts made not only by HBO and Golden Boy Promotions but also Showtime and the rest of the promotional companies involved in bringing boxing fans these top grade match-ups without forcing them to shell out the extra necessary dollars.
Besides the old-timer bout that was Jones-Trinidad, Pavlik-Taylor II & Marquez-Pacquiao II are most definitely pay-per-view worthy and shouldn’t bring about too many gripes among the casual fight fan.
According to the current schedule, April and May will provide boxing aficionados with the break from consistent shelling out of pay-per-view dollars that was seen in 2007 and should help bring some wide notoriety to the sport with the super-fight that is Hopkins-Calzaghe as well as the potential De la Hoya-Forbes bout in May.
HBO’s highest rated boxing show in recent times was that of Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko back in 2004 which drew in over 7 million live viewers. It’s a figure that hasn’t been seen in quite a while and I have the inkling that HBO has taken notice of this and is looking to build up those ratings figures once again.
It costs money on HBO’s part and it takes a slight paycut on the part of Golden Boy Promotions in addition to the other promotional companies such as Top Rank in order to bring these high quality fights to our television sets.
As simply a fan of boxing and a supporter of the various aspects within the sweet science, I say thanks to all those involved in making this happen and contributing to possibly making 2008 one of the best years that the sport has seen in quite a while.
