Hatton v Alvarez delayed coverage

[Bricks]

Like fcuk am I waiting that long for the result

all those big bear running sessions with odlh, and miami meetings with david haye so he can tell us his usual bs stories really must have cleaned out the sky coffers when it comes to actually showing us the fights.............

[reggaereggae]

At least it's getting shown! Hopefully another British world champion but I really can't see it happening, fair play sky

X2

6.30 pm is a bit late for the hardcore fan.... will be hard to keep away from that result...

That means keeping away from the BBC website (and possibly news if Hatton actually wins)...all boxing websites. A tough one.

Would be nice if it was 10 am but so glad we're seeing it.

Personally I hope Canelo wins - I think he's exciting and charismatic and boxing needs this. He will be lapped up in Mexico and the US.

Plus you have to love the idea of a ginger Mexican and he's exciting. I hope Mathew comes out with a good performance but I will be rooting for Alvarez

[Glyn Leach]

Nice one Edwin, thanks for keeping us posted and well done to Sky — this would have been a bad one not to show.

As a few people have posted, the time of the screening isn't exactly fan friendly — to complain overly would seem churlish, but it does cause a few very valid concerns that I'd be grateful if you could take on board and pass on to the powers that be.

As a fan yourself, you will know how important it is to watch a fight with no clue whatsoever as to what is going to happen when the first bell sounds. To this end, please have a word with Dave Darts, or whoever will present, and explain that opening comments such as 'don't blink' (translation: short fight) and 'sit back and enjoy the action' (translation: long fight) rob us of that element of suspense which is so crucial to the enjoyment of a fight. Also, any trailers for the show on Sunday that contain action from the fight would do the same — it's been noted that on Fight Nights the 'join us after the break' links often feature action from the next fight to be shown, which tells the viewer 'this one didn't end with an alarmingly quick KO then'. We really don't need to know that, it robs us of some of the anticipation and enjoyment.

The points I make could be applied to any non-live fight situation, but as those of us who will not be choosing the live internet option will spend most of Sunday actively trying to avoid the result, it would be a shame if Sky was to undermine its good work and our efforts (which will be considerable, it's horribly tense trying to avoid a result — and requires a fair degree of self sacrifice [no TV, no radio, no internet, the vetting of texts and phone calls]) by blowing it with ill-thought out 'wiseguy' comments or trailers.

Cheers chap.

As an aside, am I the only one out there who can't believe he's so excited about watching a Matthew Hatton fight? Fair play to him, this never would have seemed possible for most of his career.

[whiskey]

Cant say I'm overly impressed like the rest of this board.

If I cant stop up and watch it live, then at least I want it avaliable on my sky+ box or a repeat transmission first thing Sunday morning. ... 6.30pm Sunday night ? - I will not be able to train in the gym, no facebook, no twitter and no boxing websites during the course of the entire day to watch this? that's basically going to write-off my day.

It's not just this - I really think the Sky boxing team need to address their rota. As a paying customer, how they can wrap up what is essensitally an undercard fight as a main event? comparison :-

433 Premier Sports TV :-

6th March: Zab Judah vs Kaizer Mabuza

20th March: Lucian Bute vs Brian Magee

26th March: Dimitry Pirog vs Javier Maciel

Sky Sports :-

5th March : Gary Sykes v Carl Johanneson

12th March: Ricky Burns v Joseph Laryea (who?)

19th March: Liam Walsh v Jon Kays (who?)

- Now when you compare the above, rewind back to the Hennessy show on Premier, we had Fury vs unbeaten Brazilian, then we had a great fight in Watson vs Odonnell and then the main event - a cracker between Theophane and Daws all on one card.

My point is, Sky's shows are not only lacking, but even if you perhaps squashed them all onto one event - it would only then be classed as reasonably decent.

It would seem that folk are fleshing out these 'rare sky dates' with one of their underling fighters against some pony visitor brought in out of nowhere.

As a paying customer I've got to say it's an absolutely cack approach from what is regarded as the No1 UK sports broadcaster.

What makes the contrast worse, is they fly to Miami (sorry L.A) for a 1 hour special with De La Hoya, yet cant broadcast one of his company's promotions with Matty Hatton (a sky favourite) involved as it happens live.

[Ezzard]

As a fan yourself, you will know how important it is to watch a fight with no clue whatsoever as to what is going to happen when the first bell sounds. To this end, please have a word with Dave Darts, or whoever will present, and explain that opening comments such as 'don't blink' (translation: short fight) and 'sit back and enjoy the action' (translation: long fight) rob us of that element of suspense which is so crucial to the enjoyment of a fight. Also, any trailers for the show on Sunday that contain action from the fight would do the same — it's been noted that on Fight Nights the 'join us after the break' links often feature action from the next fight to be shown, which tells the viewer 'this one didn't end with an alarmingly quick KO then'. We really don't need to know that, it robs us of some of the anticipation and enjoyment.

The points I make could be applied to any non-live fight situation, but as those of us who will not be choosing the live internet option will spend most of Sunday actively trying to avoid the result, it would be a shame if Sky was to undermine its good work and our efforts (which will be considerable, it's horribly tense trying to avoid a result — and requires a fair degree of self sacrifice [no TV, no radio, no internet, the vetting of texts and phone calls]) by blowing it with ill-thought out 'wiseguy' comments or trailers.

Glyn, this is absolutely spot on. These are details that make a HUGE difference.

Really pleased this is on. Big thanks to SKY!

[MightyWarrior]

Yep agree with all these comments - good they're showing it, but seeing as they're repeating the Sat night fight at 10am Sunday, why on earth not switch the spots so we get Hatton at 10am, followed by Johansson repeat at 6pm - makes complete sense ?

[freddydoesdallas]

Is this the way it's going to be for the lesser known fighters going for world titles now? Didn't the same thing happen with Munroe?

[banjo]

Cant say I'm overly impressed like the rest of this board.

If I cant stop up and watch it live, then at least I want it avaliable on my sky+ box or a repeat transmission first thing Sunday morning. ... 6.30pm Sunday night ? - I will not be able to train in the gym, no facebook, no twitter and no boxing websites during the course of the entire day to watch this? that's basically going to write-off my day.

It's not just this - I really think the Sky boxing team need to address their rota. As a paying customer, how they can wrap up what is essensitally an undercard fight as a main event? comparison :-

433 Premier Sports TV :-

6th March: Zab Judah vs Kaizer Mabuza

20th March: Lucian Bute vs Brian Magee

26th March: Dimitry Pirog vs Javier Maciel

Sky Sports :-

5th March : Gary Sykes v Carl Johanneson

12th March: Ricky Burns v Joseph Laryea (who?)

19th March: Liam Walsh v Jon Kays (who?)

- Now when you compare the above, rewind back to the Hennessy show on Premier, we had Fury vs unbeaten Brazilian, then we had a great fight in Watson vs Odonnell and then the main event - a cracker between Theophane and Daws all on one card.

My point is, Sky's shows are not only lacking, but even if you perhaps squashed them all onto one event - it would only then be classed as reasonably decent.

It would seem that folk are fleshing out these 'rare sky dates' with one of their underling fighters against some pony visitor brought in out of nowhere.

As a paying customer I've got to say it's an absolutely cack approach from what is regarded as the No1 UK sports broadcaster.

What makes the contrast worse, is they fly to Miami (sorry L.A) for a 1 hour special with De La Hoya, yet cant broadcast one of his company's promotions with Matty Hatton (a sky favourite) involved as it happens live.

You could try the ol' go out and get smashed off yer tits on saturday night then wake up at 5pm then you don't have as long to wait.

I would like to know what Sky are up to though, it's not as if they're showing anything else in the early hours of the morning on any of it's 4 sports channels is it?

[banjo]

Is this the way it's going to be for the lesser known fighters going for world titles now? Didn't the same thing happen with Munroe?

That fight was live on a sunday morning.

[earsjohn]

Happy the fight is being shown, would obviously prefer it live, but I wouldn't have got up to watch it in any event!

As for the 6pm timeslot - There's a couple of footy matches and England in a must win Cricket World Cup match against the Saffers on Sunday starting at 9, so it's probably been pushed back to prevent a clash with live action.

All those complaining about how their Sunday is ruined as they'll not be able to go online for fear of ruining the result, you do realise you are in a minority of about 20 (not thousand, just 20), don't you? Sometimes I think Boxing fans consider themselves the only people sky should be thinking of when making scheduling decisions and the hardcore boxing fans, those who subscribe to Sky just for Boxing who probably number somewhere around 20 surely must accept that a successful multinational, multimedia broadcasters' decisions don't revolve entirely around them???

[Chambers2]

Looking forward to seeing how good my fellow Gengus is. I reckon he can do the impossible and make a Mathew Hatton fight look interesting

[Glyn Leach]

I don't think there's any doubting that we're a minority Ears, an ever-shrinking one at that. But our money is as good as anyone else's, we give it to Sky for a service and they happily take it, so we have every right to express our views and I'm sure they're happy to hear them — customer feedback is vital to providing a good service.

[earsjohn]

Indeed Glyn, a right to a view on customer service is entirely reasonable, but maybe some of these views should be a little more closely attached to the realities of the situation.

Some of the general points are particularly valid (more boxing, more varied shows, deeper, quality cards, guarantees of the big US/Global fights, etc) but complaints that Skys scheduling decisions are ruining peoples sundays as they won't be able to go online, watch SSN or vent in a forum are perhaps a little self-centred.

For instance, I consider myself a fairly committed Boxing fan. And while I would like to have been able to watch Hatton-Alvarez live, I am more than happy to have it available on delay. As for the timing, it actually suits me better as Mrs Earsjohn will be otherwise occupied dealing with Earsjohn Jnr and it doesn't clash with my other critical appointments of the day (Football and Cricket being uppermost among them), but I'm not so self-centred as to think that my views are the most important and only ones that matter.

Please don't take my language or comments as a direct criticism; its been a long held view of mine that the members of boxing forums are more forthright and protective about their sport than fans of other sports. I've never been to a Golf or Tennis forum, for example, but I would strongly doubt that the level of opprobrium towards all aspects of the structure of their sport would reach the levels regularly displayed here. That in itself can be a good thing, but at times it comes across as quite narrow-minded.

I actually think Boxing, as a sport generally, is very well placed to take advantage of the way people consume media in the modern age; however I don't believe that those with control of decisions in boxing have fully appreciated the advantages it has and is far too short-termist in its approach, but that's probably a discussion for another day.

[Deno1986]

Any boxing is good boxing.

[Glyn Leach]

The reality isn't pretty Ears, for sure.

[jessi]

Any boxing is good boxing.

no its not ! hatton v alvarez is good though, should be good

[Ezzard]

Got to say that this delayed time slot suits me better too... Please refer to earsjohn's acoount of earsjohn jr etc...

[iwz678]

hear Premier have Martinez v Dzinziruk next week as well, Lee v McEwan on undercard, they are battering Sky this month.

[oliverfennell]

It's really not that difficult to avoid a result until 6pm. I often successfully avoid results these days and used to routinely do it when the BBC carried US fights at midnight or so the next day.

It's a Sunday. If you're not working, go out and do something. Take a trip somewhere, visit family or non-boxing friends.

If you can't or don't want to do that, then you can busy yourself at home by watching a movie, watching non-sports TV, playing video games, whatever. You can also go on any non-boxing site. News sites don't carry boxing headlines on their front pages unless the names are bona fide A-listers or there's some huge incidental event like a tragedy or riot etc.

If you receive an email or text from someone who may be commenting on the result, don't open it. And half a day without Facebook or Twitter? Well, sometimes we have to make even the most painful sacrifices.

[Glyn Leach]

Oliver! We're anoraks who live in bedsits, those of us who don't still live with our mums, anyway. What you suggest is not in our remit.

[Deno1986]

Any boxing is good boxing.

no its not ! hatton v alvarez is good though, should be good

Boxing is a rarity on TV these days so I'm happy to see the fight whether it be live or delayed.

[Dioufy]

It's really not that difficult to avoid a result until 6pm. I often successfully avoid results these days and used to routinely do it when the BBC carried US fights at midnight or so the next day.

Easier to do when you're in Vietnam or Laos, or wherever. I find it impossible to avoid the result. I have to be be put in a induced coma to be guranteed to miss the result. For the Pascal/Hopkins fight, I had to Sky+ it because I was too drunk. I only had to kill an hour when I woke up Sunday morning because the wife was watching something. I waited in peace, and then heard our neighbour, who I don't speak to, speaking on his mobile. I then heard him say "fornicate, B-Hop spanked that albino last night". I then started to cry. And I have a few more examples of the result being spoiled for me, too. I even have to get the misses to look through the paper and cut anything related to boxing out if I wanna stay away from the result - but somehow it gets spoiled for me. Also, for the chap who said don't put Sky Sports on, it's hard, because when I pick up the remote I automatically press 405. It's habit. I ask the misses to hide the remote now, which she does happily, because that's how the Gavin result was spoiled for me last week. I can't tell you how many times I have put 405 on the instantly turned over when I've realised what I've done, but not before I've caught a bit of what they're chatting on about, and with my luck, it's always fecking boxing.

[Glyn Leach]

when I pick up the remote I automatically press 405. It's habit. I ask the misses to hide the remote now, which she does happily, because that's how the Gavin result was spoiled for me last week. I can't tell you how many times I have put 405 on the instantly turned over when I've realised what I've done, but not before I've caught a bit of what they're chatting on.

[/quote]

Same, it's a killer, isn't it. That bloody information bar at the bottom of the screen has done me too many times to mention. But I never worry about them talking about boxing on Sky Sports News, that's not generally a problem.

[Dioufy]

For the Froch/Taylor fight I remember going on a 8-hour dog-walk. No joke. That result was NOT getting spoiled for me.

[oliverfennell]

Easier to do when you're in Vietnam or Laos, or wherever. I find it impossible to avoid the result.

Thailand, to be precise. Well, yes, easier, but hardly impossible. Remember I have lived in Britain far longer than I have lived here and, as said, I used to routinely and successfully avoid results all the way through til midnight on a Sunday when that was when the BBC showed its international boxing.

The remote control thing is just your own foible, and the neighbour thing is just a chance in a million. It could happen to any of us, but with a bit of discipline and the proper precautions, it really isn't difficult.