Skip to main content

ESPN Boxing? The Potential Is There!


I often don't get around to catching ESPN's Friday Night Fights, but boy was I glad I did this past Friday night. Held on the field at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, the event had a unique outdoor feel for it's weekly show. With a packed and rowdy crowd, the energy of the event was clearly felt through the television. 

However, besides the awesome fights, what really caught my attention was the enthusiasm of the announcers who genuinely sounded like they were into the product a lot more than their usual broadcasts. At first I thought maybe it was due to the outdoor broadcast and the larger event, but then they made comments throughout the night such as:

"This is the way boxing should be! No need for casinos, high priced tickets for celebrities, or crooked middlemen promoters. Just true fans and willing boxers!"

"This what boxing is missing! A night like tonight is what boxing - this sport - needs more of!" 

"This sport needs to get back to having nights like this. Where the real fans can help new fans learn to appreciate the sport" (In reference to the many fathers who were there with their sons instead of celebrities). 

Whether you believe this was the typical case of announcers over-hyping an event or just getting carried away is your call. But after watching FNF and really enjoying the event, it's really hard not to see the breathe of fresh air that was in the product that night. And I'm sure, many who are in the industry, who are beginning to see a generation lose interest in the sport in favor of Mixed Martial Arts, had similar thoughts as well. 

So what now? 

I wrote a piece in 2011 discussing what the sport of boxing needs to do in order to help revitalize it (A Four Step Plan To Revitalizing Boxing). Piggy backing off of those foundation elements, I wondered what if ESPN decided to foray into their own boxing venture? What if ESPN took the Friday Night Fights banner and parlayed it into a separate entity the way Zuffa and Dana White did with the UFC in Mixed Martial Arts? 

No more WBC, WBO, WBA, blah, blah, blah...One organization - ESPN Boxing. ESPN is in total control of it. Fox Sports 1, a new competitor to ESPN in the sports network field also has Golden Boy Boxing, spearheaded by Oscar De La Hoya obviously, and is looking to venture into the ripe-for-growth boxing spectrum. 

ESPN has a chance to take something and really make it big. No middle men. No more loud mouth promoters. No more unequal fights. No more politics and corruption. They can sign the boxers. They can make the fights. They can continue to hold shows every week. They'll have the rights (television, marketing, and branding) to it, which means mass amounts of exposure on SportsCenter and their other avenues - a great start. 

No to mention, with the ESPN brand truly behind it, structure would be in order. Title belts would mean something (one per division as opposed to the million currently out there). Also, most importantly, fights will fought when they are in demand, when they should be. A reason why the UFC is thriving is because we all get the fights we want to see. Unlike Mayweather/Pacquiao in boxing...the boat already sailed on that one. 

How the other business deals work out as far as boxing commissions, sanctions, licenses and boards is unknown, because as we know, boxing is corrupt to the core. Nonetheless, if that can be worked out, and the numbers are worth it (of course it's about business, right?), ESPN has a chance to really do something big. A chance to change an entire sport. 

All they have to do is take a look at last Friday Night Fights. 

The potential is there. I'ts definitely there. 

Recent Favorites

Dome Pondering Movie Review: The Incredibles 2 (2018)

What is it about? The Parr family returns to take on a new mission which involves a change in family roles as well as a new villain. Who is in it? Craig T. Nelson - Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible Holly Hunter - Helen Parr/Elastagirl Sarah Powell - Violet Parr Favorite Scene: After trying to contain Jack-Jack, his constant battle with a backyard rodent opens up the family to the multitude of powers that he possesses, or even, can develop. Favorite Quote: "If you wanna get out of the hole, first you gotta put down the shovel." Review: Like many, I LOVED the original Incredibles film. And yes, I too was annoyed whenever a sequel wasn't announced. After all, there were many franchises that debuted, got a sequel, and even moved straight to release on their third installment before our lovable heroic family got their turn! But I digress... Nonetheless, it finally arrived. And if I'm being honest, The Incredibles 2 was good. It just wasn't what I wa

AEW All IN: London (2023) Review: "This large of a crowd for an event that wasn't the WWE!"

I'm obviously registering these thoughts incredibly late, but such is the current state of pro wrestling right now - there is just so much going on, and so much to enjoy. It's a great time to be a fan, regardless of where your tribalism fandom falls - if you carry such allegiances.  I'm sure no matter what product you find entertaining, you circled AEW's All In event from Wembley Stadium as a must-watch. I don't care about someone else's "take" on the attendance total - I couldn't care less if it was the record for a pro wrestling event or not - what AEW was able to accomplish is absolutely amazing! Four years in, and the company produced an event on the levels of Wrestlemania in terms of attendance and business - that's damn impressive! Tony Khan and the entire company deserve loads of credit for taking that leap because it very much could have failed. They took a chance, and absolutely delivered (and so much more), and proved there is a subs

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 9/10/23

3 Up 1. Coco Gauf & Novak Djokovic - The US Open wrapped up this weekend and tennis crowned some deserving champions. Djokovic continues to add to a remarkable career with his 24th (!!) grand slam title win. And of course, Coco Gauff won over America with her win. It's impressive to see the effect that the Williams sisters have had on tennis - wow. Looking forward to seeing the star Gauff will become.  2. Olivia Rodrigo - Her first album was fire. Even this late-thirties male enjoyed it. The sophomore album is always the toughest and Rodrigo apparently (haven't listened to it myself, yet) dropped an absolute banger in "Guts". So much so, that it broke records for debut stream with over 60 million streams!  3. Deion Sanders - There's way to much dialogue around Sanders that isn't needed. Here is what it boils down to for me - Sanders took over a program that was 1-11. He brought in 80+ players. His team is currently 2-0, including victories over a ranked op