Canelo to Explore Options Once HBO Deal Expires After Saturday

[Ruthless-RKO]

Win, lose or draw, Canelo’s Alvarez’s rematch with Gennady Golovkin could be the Mexican superstar’s last fight with HBO.

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that Alvarez’s exclusive contract with HBO expires after his pay-per-view main event versus Golovkin on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. Oscar De La Hoya, whose company promotes Alvarez, told the newspaper that he’ll consider a new television or streaming partner for Alvarez because he’s not certain about HBO’s long-term commitment to boxing.

“It makes me wonder if HBO even wants to be in boxing,” De La Hoya told the Los Angeles Times.

Competitors Showtime, ESPN and DAZN, a well-funded streaming service set to launch September 22, all would be interested in doing business with Alvarez, boxing’s most proven pay-per-view star.

“HBO’s been my family since I started boxing and it has been my family up until today,” De La Hoya said. “I’ve always given HBO the first and last opportunity, but this is a business and I must do what’s best for my fighters. I want to do what’s best for Canelo’s career and, right now particularly, boxing is big business on television, with more than 200 fights on a year.”

Depending on what happens Saturday night, the 28-year-old Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) could return to the ring in December for a lower-profile fight. That possibility will make De La Hoya act quickly to secure Alvarez’s next television or streaming contract.

“I’m going to carefully analyze everything,” De La Hoya said, “and right after the final bell Saturday, I’m moving forward with this decision to explore what’s in Canelo’s best interest.”

Alvarez returned to fight exclusively for HBO after he edged Erislandy Lara in a Showtime Pay-Per-View main event in July 2014. He fought live on HBO in the first fight of that agreement – a third-round knockout of James Kirkland in May 2015 – but his rematch against Golovkin will mark his sixth straight HBO Pay-Per-View fight since he defeated Kirkland.

“Given the circumstances that boxing is in at this moment,” De La Hoya said, “with ESPN, DAZN and the fact that FOX television has paid millions and Showtime’s doing many things, it’s going to be very interesting for us and Canelo to see what HBO can do to keep him.”

[Enlightened-One]

With Sergey Kovalev seemingly being released from his exclusive contract, coupled with GGG and Canelo’s contracts coming to end... and with all three fighters considering offers from other networks, does this mean that HBO will cease to cover marquee boxing events in the future?

Could Danny Jacobs be released from his own contract with HBO, with Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Dmitry Bivol moving to other networks?

Has Al Haymon, Eddie Hearn and Bob Arum’s deals with Fox, Showtime, ESPN and DAZN compelled HBO to "throw in" the proverbial "towel" and walk away from the sport of boxing altogether?

It’s a sad day if this is truly the case!

Where does this leave HBO promoters like K2, Golden Boy and Main Events?

Kathy Duva and Oscar De La Hoya both have much better relationships with Eddie Hearn and Bob Arum than they do with Al Haymon. Could we see DAZN and/or ESPN becoming a much more influential force in the sport of boxing if all three former HBO promoters join forces with Matchroom or Top Rank, due to HBO’s departure from the sport?

Of course, everything I’ve written is purely speculation, but all signs appear to point in the same direction, with HBO ceasing to cover boxing at some point in the near future. I could be wrong and part of me hopes I am.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Could Danny Jacobs be released from his own contract with HBO, with Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Dmitry Bivol moving to other networks?

Only SuperFly left on HBO..

HBO already turned down Berchelt vs. Roman too.

Not looking good is it.

[walter5]

Danny Jacobs' contract with HBO expires after the Dereyvenchenko fight.

[SenorPipino]

I guess it won't be long before I cancel my HBO.

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

It's sad. There was a time that when you thought of premier boxing events, you immediately thought HBO.

Now it appears that the network wants little to do with the sport.

Goodbye H(ates) B(oxing) O(fficially).

[tiny_acres]

I guess it won't be long before I cancel my HBO.

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

It's sad. There was a time that when you thought of premier boxing events, you immediately thought HBO.

Now it appears that the network wants little to do with the sport.

Goodbye H(ates) B(oxing) O(officially).

Man back in the day if you didn't have HBO you didn't see good boxing.
How the times have changed

[Ruthless-RKO]

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

Unless you watch Game of Thrones..

[Ruthless-RKO]

Shouldn't have really put DAZN and ESPN+ on the poll.. They're exclusive to Uncle Bob and Eddie.

[SenorPipino]

I guess it won't be long before I cancel my HBO.

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

It's sad. There was a time that when you thought of premier boxing events, you immediately thought HBO.

Now it appears that the network wants little to do with the sport.

Goodbye H(ates) B(oxing) O(officially).

Man back in the day if you didn't have HBO you didn't see good boxing.
How the times have changed

My first fight watching HBO was Lyle vs Cooney. Maybe that was 1979.

Not much of a fight, but things picked up.

For some reason when I think of HBO boxing, Arguello vs Pryor l always pops into my head. 1982.

Just a super matchup that made HBO a must have network for boxing fans.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Showtime might offer him a similar deal to what they offered Mayweather. I believe Mayweather's was a 6-fight deal..

Only thing is, Showtime would want better opposition than the likes of Liam Smith ..

[SenorPipino]

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

Unless you watch Game of Thrones..

I've never watched an episode. I'm not a television guy.

Except for news and sports, I don't really watch the telly.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

Unless you watch Game of Thrones..

I've never watched an episode. I'm not a television guy.

Except for news and sports, I don't really watch the telly.

Ah. I don't watch it either tbh..

[tiny_acres]

I only watch it for boxing anyways. It's not worth the $23 monthly for an occasional Superfly card.

Unless you watch Game of Thrones..

Never seen it