Boxing on NBC

Boxing on NBC is the de facto title for NBC Sports' boxing television coverage.^[1]

History

Gillette Cavalcade of Sports

The earliest incarnation of NBC's boxing telecasts could be traced back to 1944. Although technically, an anthology program, the Cavalcade of Sports was best known for Friday night boxing (from Madison Square Garden) on NBC from 1944 through 1960, and (after NBC decided against featuring boxing due to sensitivity over criminal allegations in the sport) then for several more years on ABC. When Cavalcade of Sports closed up shop on June 24, 1960 after a 14-year period, it marked the longest continuous run of any boxing program in television history.

Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena

Another boxing program called Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena aired on NBC during the same period (more specifically, from 1946–1948) as the Cavalcade of Sports.

Sportsworld and partnership with Telemundo

In 2003, NBC entered a joint venture with Telemundo and boxing promotional group Main Events.^[2] On three consecutive Saturday afternoons - May 3, 10 and 17 - NBC Sports and Telemundo provided live coverage from the same Main Events-promoted boxing event. It marked the first time that NBC broadcast professional boxing since 1992, when Sportsworld^[3][4][5] ended its run after 14 years.

The following year, NBC and Telemundo renewed their partnership with a series of five Saturday cards beginning April 17.^[6]

NBC Sports Network's Fight Night

Beginning in 2006, when the NBC Sports Network was known as Versus, they began airing matches from Bob Arum's Top Rank group. Nick Charles was one of the announcers. In 2010, Versus broadcast the World Series of Boxing.

NBC Sports Network's Fight Night series premiered on January 21, 2012 from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia with Kenny Rice and trainer Freddie Roach on the call and Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated serving as reporter and researcher.

Premier Boxing Champions

In January 2015, NBC announced that Al Michaels would host ringside along with blow-by-blow man Marv Albert^[7] and color commentator Sugar Ray Leonard for the PBC on NBC^[8] Saturday night bouts. In partnership with Haymon Boxing,^[9] NBC would televise 20 PBC on NBC events^[10] (beginning on March 7^[11]), including five to be shown in prime time on Saturday nights.

Commentators

• Marv Albert^[12]
• Layla Ali
• Teddy Atlas - Atlas worked as boxing commentator for NBC's coverage of the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000), Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008).^[13]
• Al Bernstein - In 1992 and 1996, he served as the boxing analyst for NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympic Games.
• Bob Costas^[14][15]
• Dick Enberg
• Ray Forrest
• Jim Gray - Gray served as a reporter for NBC Sports coverage of Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics.^[16]
• Sugar Ray Leonard
• Chris Mannix
• Wally Matthews^[17]
• Al Michaels^[18]
• Ferdie Pacheco - Pacheco moved on to become a television boxing analyst, working for NBC and Univision. He became Showtime's featured boxing analyst in the early 1980s and continued his association with that network until his retirement from TV in the late 1990s, covering many memorable fights along the way.
• Bob Papa - Papa has worked on NBC's coverage of the Olympics since 1992, as he covered boxing at the most recent Summer Olympics.
• Jimmy Powers
• Freddie Roach
• Kenny Rice
• Fred Roggin - He served as a host for NBC Sports coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics.^[19]
• Tim Ryan
• Bob Stanton

See also

• The Contender
• Stroh Brewing Company - For many years Stroh had received little television exposure because of an agreement between the major networks and Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing Company which allowed the two top brewers exclusive advertising rights. Stroh fought the agreement and in 1983 was allotted advertising time on ABC's Monday Night Baseball, on two NBC boxing events, and on other popular U.S. television sports shows.

References

External links

• Official website
• NBC Sports Network Unveils Announcing Team For Its 1st Boxing Card