HBO has announced that it will no longer broadcast boxing on its premium network, ending nearly half a century of coverage. The news comes in the face of digital challenges from ESPN+ and especially DAZN.
The network aired 1,111 fights over 45 years, but only one more fight night is scheduled: Oct. 27 from the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, headlined by a bout between Daniel Jacobs and Sergey Derevyanchenko for the vacant middleweight world title.
“This is not a subjective decision,” HBO Sports EVP Peter Nelson told the New York Times. “Our audience research informs us that boxing is no longer a determinant factor for subscribing to HBO.