As expected, HBO secures deal for Hatton-Pacquiao

by SC on Feb 9, 2009 8:52 PM EST in News Analysis Comment 3 comments

Dan Rafael mentioned in his second chat of the week on Saturday night that HBO has in fact nailed down the rights to air and distribute Hatton-Pacquiao on pay-per-view.

You may recall that there was some hemming and hawing about Top Rank and Golden Boy shopping the PPV to Showtime because of their connection to CBS, but I don't think any of us really took it seriously. HBO is the name in boxing, especially for events of this magnitude. Frankly having Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein call Hatton-Pacquiao might have been interesting, but at this point would've felt sort of wrong. On American TV, Lampley and Merchant and Steward (I suppose) are the voices of Pacquiao and Hatton fights these days. Lampley is the voice of the Big Fight. And this is a Big Fight.

It was likely never really up in the air at all.

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no surprise

but great news nonetheless. Get ready for another entertaining run of 24/7. Floyd Sr. and Roach will provide classic soundbites.

by steak_knife on Feb 10, 2009 2:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait for more poetic Floyd Sr.

If Manny doesn’t run, we’ll get him in one.

If Ricky has the flu, we’ll get him in two.

If the trainer is Freddie, the fighter ain’t ready.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"I was trying to rob him. And he took my gun from me. And the gun was full of blanks. And he shot a blank into my eye. And now I cannot see from this eye ever again, the doctors say."

"Well to be honest it sounds like it's all your fault."

by SC on Feb 10, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs