Plant-Lee Fight Drew Peak Viewership Of 1,141,000 For FOX

[Ruthless-RKO]

Caleb Plant’s first title defense drew more viewers than his championship victory six months earlier.

According to Nielsen Media Research, Plant’s third-round knockout of Mike Lee attracted a peak audience of 1,141,000 on Saturday night from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Their scheduled 12-round, 168-pound title bout was broadcast by FOX, just before the FOX Sports Pay-Per-View telecast of the Manny Pacquiao-Keith Thurman card began.

Plant’s previous fight – a 12-round, unanimous-decision win against Jose Uzcategui – peaked at 986,000 viewers January 13 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

The Plant-Uzcategui fight was televised by FS1, FOX’s all-sports, basic-cable channel. FS1 is available in approximately 83 million homes in the United States, roughly 37 million fewer than FOX.

In addition to airing on basic cable, as opposed to network television, the Plant-Uzcategui fight took place on a Sunday night, rare for a live boxing broadcast. That telecast benefited, though, from heavy promotion during an NFL playoff game on FOX that immediately preceded it.

The opener of FOX’s doubleheader Saturday night, a 10-round heavyweight bout between Efe Ajagba and Ali Eren Demirezen, was watched by a peak audience of 901,000 viewers.

[J.Rotherhithe]

Should have been on Comedy Central.

[Best Coast]

The opener of FOX’s doubleheader Saturday night, a 10-round heavyweight bout between Efe Ajagba and Ali Eren Demirezen, was watched by a peak audience of 901,000 viewers.

So Efe Ajagba not only got 10 rounds of much-needed pro experience under his belt last weekend but also managed to get some TV exposure with almost a million viewers!!

[Ruthless-RKO]

The opener of FOX’s doubleheader Saturday night, a 10-round heavyweight bout between Efe Ajagba and Ali Eren Demirezen, was watched by a peak audience of 901,000 viewers.

So Efe Ajagba not only got 10 rounds of much-needed pro experience under his belt last weekend but also managed to get some TV exposure with almost a million viewers!!

Yup. Good news for him. It probably averaged around 800k.. but 10 full rounds is good. He put on a decent performance. Not like he put anyone off him. Yes, some may have been expecting a KO as usual, but he was in there with an equally matched opponent that can actually box and tried to win.

[margaret thatcher]

good development fight for efe for sure, though the scores while right dont show how competitive it was, demi was in all the rounds but just losing them by a bit.

efe a strong specimen but hope he can loosen up, and add a bit more speed snap to his punches

[gilgamesh]

Solid numbers. Plant took care of business the way he should've.

What were the numbers on the PPV I wonder?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Solid numbers. Plant took care of business the way he should've.

What were the numbers on the PPV I wonder?

Usually prelim numbers come out by now.. Maybe over the weekend we'll find out.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

600k buys is the rumor

[Ruthless-RKO]

600k buys is the rumor

Expected around 800k.. but PPV has fallen. We all know this. 600k still ok number.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

It's hard to know what the numbers mean with pbc since salaries are kind of secretive. I would think 600k or a bit more would be ok considering broner did 400k and Keith is less known

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

The number I read was from Sean Gibbons who is a dirtbag convicted fight fixer. So take that for what its worth

[Thomastearns]

Whilst awaiting Dillian Whyte’s response to the cloud of suspicion that now threatens to engulf the whole sport I had a look at the Plant / Lee matchup.

For sure there was a slight comedy angle to it (Mike Lee may violently disagree), but it just shows what happens when a decent brawler meets a sharp boxer.

Impressive intelligent stuff from Caleb Plant who gave a masterclass in how to play the matador against an onrushing bull.

Anyone who boxes at any level could learn something from watching that.