Sports Network/ITV

[Max Molyneux]

I thought his one handed display showing he can adjust while in the ring wasn't that bad.

They'll have you knocking on peoples doors trying to convert them to SN and the WBU soon

Haha, like I'd ever promote.

Plus that fight was for the WBO.

[bennie]

I'll pass on your observations to Mark Sharman, Head of ITV Sport. He's a big boxing fan and only wants the best for the viewers.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I'll pass on your observations to Mark Sharman, Head of ITV Sport. He's a big boxing fan and only wants the best for the viewers.

Well having an exclusive contract with a single promoter is unlikely to aid him in that. That's not a knock on Ssports Network, it would be the same with any single promoter, it doesn't encourage broad and representative coverage of the sport. ITV seems to merely be a showcase for British fighters and in particular Khan, Skelton, Williams and of course Calzaghe when he fights. Harrison is out of the picture.

I think it's ridiculous having any sports channel only showing the fighters belonging to one promoter.

[Max Molyneux]

Calzaghe v Ashira was a good watch?

Max you've been brainwashed.

I thought his one handed display showing he can adjust while in the ring wasn't that bad.

Sky far outstrip ITV in everyway. Sky show more domestic shows and more US shows, when they do a domestic show the boxer knows he has a chance of being on TV and the boxers themselves state this.

Sky are showing good shows but how many really try to watch Sky Sports other than for football and cricket?

The boxer would become a more well known name though if they got exposure on a terrestrial channel though. More people have heard of Khan over most fighters that sky show.

And I suppose more people have heard of Kevin Mitchell, AlexArthur and Michael Jennings than Ricky Hatton?

Every boxing fan catches the Sky shows, if we didn't we'd get nothing but the limited, and sometimes poorly presented, ITV output.

Sky pishes all over ITV for coverage. Do a fight by fight and only a blindly patriotic fool would say ITV are trumping Sky.

More people have heard of Khan than Ricky Hatton, who by the sounds of things could be losing his popularity since leaving Sports Network.

I didn't say they were trumping over Sky. But have had boxing coverage for ages and it's only just now that they've sorted out the crappy titles mess! Like I said I'd give ITV some time as it's only been a year and before they left boxing their coverage was good.

[Autobarn]

when my mates, martial arts fans some of them, watch boxing on ITV they always complain about "fFrank Warren shite". Because for the most, the quality of the matchmaking is crap. They want to see a fight. Now, I won't complain about Calzaghe's win over lacy. or the fantastic Macca-Hobson undercard. But what have we had since? For the most, the main events - involving plodding heavies - have been dreadful. & who wants to tune in to see Khan beat up men from smaller divisions?

ok, we'll have Clinton Woods-Glen Johnson III which will be good. But on the whole Sky offer vastly superior coverage. At least the Sky commentators and panelists can complian when they feel they are watching shite, and even have a camera crane down to sneak up on Maloney rolling his eyes...On ITV, we get Rawling & McKenzie telling us how good what we're seeing is, which alienates them from us when we're watching rubbish (Calzaghe-Ashira for example)

Since we've been complaining about Sky's scant coverage of early 2006, we've had plenty of major fights. Sky haven't let us down this busy summer, and we've been gettig live US fights. Soon, we'll get to see veterans Quartey & Forrest fight each other, and on the other end, welterweight prospect Paul Williams.

Many of us felt that going back to ITV would somehow rejuvenated british boxing. As if it would be like it was in the old days. There won't be 8 million viewers tuning in to any fight. To get a fight that big you have to deal with the Americans who want to show fights on their prime time. Not only are Sky showing top international stuff, they're showing consistently competitive domestic scraps. When Warren left Sky, the quality & consistency of domestic and international bouts went up.

[Autobarn]

when my mates, martial arts fans some of them, watch boxing on ITV they always complain about "fFrank Warren shite". Because for the most, the quality of the matchmaking is crap.

Doesn't Cilla Black do the match making for ITV?

i'd love to see her take one on the chin from Williams, 20 stone behind a punch would surely stop her gob from flapping. she might even be tougher than the guy danny beat on the calzaghe-lacy undercard

[nickd]

Calzaghe v Ashira was a good watch?

Max you've been brainwashed.

I thought his one handed display showing he can adjust while in the ring wasn't that bad.

Sky far outstrip ITV in everyway. Sky show more domestic shows and more US shows, when they do a domestic show the boxer knows he has a chance of being on TV and the boxers themselves state this.

Sky are showing good shows but how many really try to watch Sky Sports other than for football and cricket?

The boxer would become a more well known name though if they got exposure on a terrestrial channel though. More people have heard of Khan over most fighters that sky show.

Come on, Calzaghe v Ashira was a shocking matchup even the staunchest Calzaghe fan has to agree with that. The size difference was ridiculous.

And it was not a good spectacle - you think so as you love Calzaghe but nobody else does.

[Twinkle Toes]

I didn't say they were trumping over Sky. But have had boxing coverage for ages and it's only just now that they've sorted out the crappy titles mess!

I actually laughed out loud at that paragraph - Max you just dont get it do you?

Seriously, the sooner ya mam gets SKY for you the better :)

[lvlarc]

Boxing on ITV is just self promotion for SN. Most of the fights are dire, commentating is annoying, they chuck the good domestic fights on ITV3 or 4. I had to go over a mates to watch the Arthur/Gareth from the Office, which was a good legit European title fight, but Warren prefers to put the fat heavy's that keep getting promised world title shots (ye right) and Amir facing stiffs on ITV1, which may actually be turning people off the sport. Though with that said, they have also had some very good title fights, and with Johnson/Woods 3 coming up.

But I think Sky beat ITV easily.

[stujones]

I'll pass on your observations to Mark Sharman, Head of ITV Sport. He's a big boxing fan and only wants the best for the viewers.

Bennie,

Can you (or Mark Sharman) clarify what does this "exclusive" contract mean is it.

1) Sports Network are exclusive shown on the ITV network.

or

2) ITV can exclusively only show Sports Network shows.

I think this needs to be clarified before we can have a reasonable discussion on it.

If you can pass on this message then it would be great.

The presentation side of things is acceptable. Jim Rosenthal is always for me the face of boxing, and Barry McGuigan is an excellent analyist. I'm not too sure about the commentary team, although its been the best partnership they have used. I would definately examine the availablitiy of your boxing news co-writer Bob Mee as the colour commentator though.

I still think they should have continued with the old music, it might sound petty but the number of text messages I had saying "this is fecking great" just the minute the music hit in the early shows was quite staggering - and these were from casual boxing fans. I also think a studio based presentation would be better. Still for me my favourite ITV broadcast since its comeback was Nelson vs Cantatore.

I do think they need to utilise more of the ITV sister channels (ITV 4) and improve that coverage with longer/more extensive BOXING coverage especially in the big shows. I think it is criminal that in these days of paper world title fights that a Commonwealth Light Middleweight title fight wasn't even filmed. I understand the time situation and they are worried about rating on ITV 1 with non star boxers (although they yet persist with Celebrity Love Island, which is full of non entities) - but I thought ITV 4 was designed for men and sport.

Even if it a fight from an undercard (even archived) is shown in a weekly round up show (ala Sky's old Ringside) then it would be great. Sky's ringside round up programme unvieled some mini classics on there (like Barnett vs Hibbert).

I understand the need for revenue with adverts, but it can be frustrating viewing. I haven't made a calculation yet, but it would appear (at least) that while ITV and Sky show a similar amount of rounds in a 2 hour show, Sky's analysis side of it is much longer and far deeper than ITV's.

However, the most fundemental thing that ITV must consider, as have been pointed out - is too showcase more boxing on a more regular basis. I understand that if you exclude Warren (ITV), Matchroom (Sky), Hennessey (Sky), Maloney (Sky) and Fight Academy (Sky) there are not many promoters in the UK that have a big enough fighter pool to show on TV. However, the ever expanding European market is an option as well as the non Sky obtained live US fights - is an avenue.

[Max Molyneux]

And I suppose more people have heard of Kevin Mitchell, AlexArthur and Michael Jennings than Ricky Hatton?

Every boxing fan catches the Sky shows, if we didn't we'd get nothing but the limited, and sometimes poorly presented, ITV output.

Sky pishes all over ITV for coverage. Do a fight by fight and only a blindly patriotic fool would say ITV are trumping Sky.

More people have heard of Khan than Ricky Hatton, who by the sounds of things could be losing his popularity since leaving Sports Network.

I didn't say they were trumping over Sky. But have had boxing coverage for ages and it's only just now that they've sorted out the crappy titles mess! Like I said I'd give ITV some time as it's only been a year and before they left boxing their coverage was good.

That's nonsense Max, the name Khan is fading from the public's lips. If anything the BBC made his name and ITV are now burying it somewhat.

Ask people who Khan is and they'll say "Olympics" or "dangerous driving", ask people who Hatton is and they'll know he is a title-holding boxer.

Why are Sky only just sorting out the title mess? Because the crappy titles you rail against are now on ITV.

Khan is more heard of than Ricky Hatton outside of Manchester. I ask the average person who have they heard of more and they'll say Khan.

Sky's own fault for not standing up to Warren then isn't it.

Come on, Calzaghe v Ashira was a shocking matchup even the staunchest Calzaghe fan has to agree with that. The size difference was ridiculous.

And it was not a good spectacle - you think so as you love Calzaghe but nobody else does.

I know it wasn't a good matchup as I said it was only Ashira.

I think it was because of the good adjustment and skill level he shows not because I'm a fan.

I actually laughed out loud at that paragraph - Max you just dont get it do you?

Seriously, the sooner ya mam gets SKY for you the better

I clearly get it thank you.

That post was hardly disagreeing.

Sky were well capale of sorting it out sooner but they waited till a contract ran out in 2005.

Anyway the Calzaghe - Lacy fight was a great way to get started to showing better titles and fights and the September show is another great progress.

[Max Molyneux]

These fans live in a cave?

How am I wrong exactly? People I speak to have heard Khan's name more than Hatton's name.

Doesn't everyone object to something? Whats what wrong it?

Ermm he doesn't have a big US profile yet because he's an 8 fight novice and Hatton's been pro since he was 18 and now 27 so thats why. They've heard of him through the Olympics though and if any SN shows have been played on any channels.

He's been mentioned in the ring too as a prospect so they have heard of him.

I meant domestically, Khan is more heard of.

[lvlarc]

These fans live in a cave?

How am I wrong exactly? People I speak to have heard Khan's name more than Hatton's name.

Doesn't everyone object to something? Whats what wrong it?

I don't think that should be too hard to believe. Khan has got more exposure on news recently, be it from driving dangerously, winning a silver, turning pro. We don't really see much of Hatton on news now, well not since his big win over Tszyu. Anyway I asked my mother and she only knew who Khan was. I'll start asking strangers on street and get back to you.