Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN’s Santa Cruz vs. Mares Delivers Largest Boxing Audience on ESPN Since February 1998

By Boxing News - 09/01/2015 - Comments

Highest-Rated and Most-Watched Boxing Telecast Ever on ESPN Deportes

ESPN Classic to Air Instant Classic Tonight

The third edition of ESPN’s Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN presented by Corona Extra (PBC on ESPN) series—headlined by Leo Santa Cruz’s majority decision win over Abner Mares—on Saturday, Aug. 29, delivered the largest boxing audience on ESPN since February 1998 (02/22/98 Mark Johnson vs. Arthur Johnson).

The telecast was seen by an average of 1,217,000 viewers (P2+)—up 30 percent from the average of the previous two PBC telecasts on ESPN. The telecast peaked from 12:00-12:15am with 1,641,000 viewers (P2+) according to Nielsen.

ESPN’s Spanish-language telecast of the event on ESPN Deportes averaged a 1.3 Hispanic HH US Rtg and 355,000 Hispanic viewers—making it the highest-rated and most-watched boxing telecast to ever air on ESPN Deportes. The telecast peaked from 11:15-11:30 p.m. with 453,000 viewers.

ESPN Classic will reair the fight tonight at 7 p.m. ET as an Instant Classic. In addition, ESPN Deportes will re-air the entire card on Saturday, September 5, at 7 p.m.

Wladimir Klitschko on World Heavyweight Champions Gathering

Wladimir Klitschko, WBA, WBO, IBF & IBO Heavyweight Champion Discusses This Weekend’s Heavyweight Champions Gathering at
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL

“I think it’s an amazing event that happens once in a lifetime,” said Klitschko following his workout at the Lucky Street Boxing Gym in Hollywood, Florida. “I’m not sure if an event like this has ever taken place in history of boxing when all of the heavyweights, former heavyweight champions, coming together. It’s something amazing.

“I’ve seen a picture of Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton together and it was an amazing shot – it was a great shot for history. I think this Friday and Saturday is going to be really exciting. It is going to be a time where everybody is going to get a piece of memory, and that is the reality. It is a tough event to put together, I am happy that it is taking place, where all of the heavyweights can come together, have conversations and ask questions – and get some answers.

“It shows that we are all one community – one family, actually. There are some times in history where we didn’t like each other because we were fighting in the ring, but in a way we respect and love each other. It is definitely something that is going to be an historic moment.”

Shannon Briggs?

And that’s at the top. (laughs) Maybe we’ll get there to watch him fight. Maybe not. It depends on my training schedule – but I definitely will enjoy the night when all of the heavyweights get together. I definitely have a couple of questions to ask some of them.

‘World Heavyweight Champions”

Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Wladimir Klitschko Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones Jr., Larry Holmes, Michael Moorer, Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer, Hasim Rahman, Tony Tucker, Tony Tubbs, James “Bonecrusher” Smith, Michael Bentt, Lamon Brewster, Chris Byrd, John Ruiz, Mike Weaver, Tim Witherspoon, Pinklon Thomas, Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks, Shannon Briggs.



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