By Frank Livingstone: For a long time, HBO was the dominant Pay Per View outlet for the big fights but this may about to change come March 12. HBO will be showing on their Pay Per View the fight on that night between Sergio Martinez and Sergiy Dzinziruk. But on the same night, Showtime PPV will have the Miguel Cotto and Ricardo Mayorga fight. Two great fights on March 12 but on different channels.
The undercards for both fights also look impressive. Showtime PPV will have the Yuri Foreman and Pawel Wolak as well as the Joshua Clottey and Calvin Green bouts for their appetizers. HBO PPV will have the Andy Lee and Craig McEwen fight and Javier Fortuna against Gabriel Sarmiento.
The Cotto/Mayorga fight will be co-promoted by Bob Arum and Don King. It has been five years since both of them worked together to promote a fight. Showtime had its last PPV fight in 2005 with the bout between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo. The decision to have the Cotto/Mayorga fight on Showtime was brought about by the refusal of HBO to have the proposed Cotto fight with a Top Rank fighter on HBO PPV.
Showtime should know the risk on taking on HBO head on by having the Cotto/Mayorga fight on the same night as the HBO’s Martinez/Dzinziruk fight. But it is a risk worth taking and it has been rewarded with the Pacquiao/Mosley fight on May 7.
HBO will now have to contend with the comeback of Showtime for the PPV revenues. Whatever the outcome in terms of PPV numbers on March 12 is concern, it would surely spice up the competition and this could only be good for us boxing fans.
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