Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Top Rank and ESPN have re-entered discussions to sign a new broadcast deal.
After an eight-year run, ESPN and Top Rank parted ways in July 2025. Top Rank reportedly sought out new partners with suggestions that preliminary talks took place with Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. This comes after Arum confirmed last year that talks were ongoing with other outlets once it became clear that Top Rank and ESPN would not renew their deal.
While that may have been the case, Arum remained coy over the names that were involved. However, given that talks with ESPN are now underway, Top Rank could find itself back with a familiar broadcast partner.
“Well we understood that going forward that the future of television was in streaming and we are currently negotiating a streaming deal and also, you know, we’ll still have a presence on over-the-air television and I think our schedule going forward will be very, very robust. While negotiations are going on you’re better off not saying who, because we’re talking with everybody, but it’s not to say who you’re really favoring going forward until a deal is struck,” Arum said
Will It Happen?
On January 1, 2026, the UFC officially moved its content to Paramount+ under a seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement, leaving ESPN with a gap to fill in their combat sports schedule. Furthermore, the departure of Matt Kenny and Glenn Jacobs, who both left ESPN for Paramount—is viewed as a turning point. That has now raised suggestions that a new deal could be signed.
Al Bernstein, who was a broadcaster for 24 years with ESPN, had this to say. “I worked at @espn for 24 years. Their relationship with the sport of boxing has always been schizophrenic. They get enamored for a while, then not so much, then a little interested, then indifferent sometimes even condescending & dismissive. This process will never change. So, if this story is true it doesn’t shock me,” Bernstein said
Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Top Rank and ESPN getting back together is NOT good news for boxing and its fan base.
Obviously, nobody else wants to do business with Top Rank.
DAZN the "global home of boxing", Netflix, Paramount etc........can't be bothered with Top Rank so they come crawling back to ESPN.
This means ESPN will get Top Rank content dirt cheap, which means Top Rank will give the network dirt cheap, garbage, similar to what they gave Spike tv a while back.
Top Rank had its glory days...........those days are decades past.........it is time for the sport to get rid of them.
Obviously, nobody else wants to do business with Top Rank.
DAZN the "global home of boxing", Netflix, Paramount etc........can't be bothered with Top Rank so they come crawling back to ESPN.
This means ESPN will get Top Rank content dirt cheap, which means Top Rank will give the network dirt cheap, garbage, similar to what they gave Spike tv a while back.
Top Rank had its glory days...........those days are decades past.........it is time for the sport to get rid of them.
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
I never bothered with ESPN+ when all they had was Crawford and Inoue. The way I look at it, if you have great fighters and nobody for them to fight, you have nothing.Perseus wrote: ↑25 Feb 2026, 22:40 Top Rank and ESPN getting back together is NOT good news for boxing and its fan base.
Obviously, nobody else wants to do business with Top Rank.
DAZN the "global home of boxing", Netflix, Paramount etc........can't be bothered with Top Rank so they come crawling back to ESPN.
This means ESPN will get Top Rank content dirt cheap, which means Top Rank will give the network dirt cheap, garbage, similar to what they gave Spike tv a while back.
Top Rank had its glory days...........those days are decades past.........it is time for the sport to get rid of them.
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Top Rank is by far the most prolific at providing disgraceful mismatches and blatantly avoiding competitive fights as much as possible.
Last edited by Perseus on 25 Feb 2026, 22:56, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Yes......in the past.
Now.......and for the past two decades they provide more mismatches than any other promoter in history.
It is time to retire them
Last edited by Perseus on 25 Feb 2026, 23:01, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Not as much as Top Rank.
Once Top Rank is gone, Golden Boy would be next on my " to go" list.
I am all for sweeping out the "old guard".
Once Top Rank is gone, Golden Boy would be next on my " to go" list.
I am all for sweeping out the "old guard".
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
I hope it happens. More boxing content available the better, and especially a promoter such as top rank.
Re: Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
I am in agreement but to an extent. The old guard may have built the modern structure of boxing promotion but they are now often holding it back. Who fills the gap left by them? If it's a relative, protoge or business partner filling the gap within the company then it probably wouldn't be too different. If it's a new promoter filling the gap in the industry then who are they and why aren't they carving their own space in the industry already?