Los Angeles – The business of boxing has been the focus of this space during the past week as the boxing world prepares for Joshua Clottey’s challenge of pound for pound best boxer Manny Pacquiao tonight in Dallas, Texas with the action televised via HBO pay per view.
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So with the fight a little more than twelve hours away, I fire one more salvo at the topic of Manny Pacquiao and pay per view sales.
The night most major fights, ESPN runs a Friday Night Fight episode with detailed pre-fight information and in-studio segments featuring Brian Kenny and a guest.
ESPN’s pre-fight media attention, in my estimation, give the upcoming event a little bit more last minute marketing to general sports fans and helps increase the number of pay per view sales.
There was a Friday Night Fights broadcast before Pacquiao’s blockbuster pay per view victories over Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto.
Yet, last night, there was no boxing presence on ESPN.
Instead Top Rank ran a card with their new cable broadcast partner Fox Sports featuring heavyweight retread Samuel Peter.
[Listen to a special post-fight radio show 30 minutes following Pacquiao’s battle with Clottey on March 13 at www.theboxingtruth.com or by visiting this Examiner page. Phone lines will be open for fan interaction and comments.]
Unfortunately Fox Sports does not have the following or market exposure of ESPN and the lack of a ESPN broadcast last night could hurt pay per view numbers for Clottey vs. Pacquiao.
