ESPN Classic

chinny · Post by **chinny** » 09 Jul 2007, 08:16

It started off as a breath of fresh air but there is nothing in the schedules now that they haven’t shown before.
In my Vegas hotel bar a couple of weeks ago the US version was showing Bowe-Golata 2 (ouch).
The two channels must be linked so hopefully fights like this will end up on our version soon.
I can’t imagine the rights to 80s/90s fights could cost much. I’d love to see some old Chavez, Norris, and Whitaker again
Anybody know any more?

Stegsie · Post by **Stegsie** » 09 Jul 2007, 08:29

I agree that this chanel has gone down the pan a little. When it first came about I couldn;t get enough of it.

Nowadays it is just repeats.... a shame

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 09 Jul 2007, 08:31

Chinny you are on the money.

For many years ESPN Classics in the States suffered the same problem as the British incarnation currently does: continuous re-runs and re-hashes of the same old footage.

The UK version has tried to tailor itself to the market over here. They are showing Benn and Eubank fights (which, for all but the youngest of whipper snappers is nothing they haven’t seen before) along with having an English guy voice over the majority of the vintage material (something that I am not particularly fussed with, although his style of commentating as though it is a contemporary fight is a little irritating.)

In all honesty I think it would require a concerted drive from viewers specifying the sort of material they want (in my case lesser seen US fights from the 70s, 80s, 90s etc) to see them change.

The programmers probably feel they are giving UK boxing fans what they want but for the hardcore (such as ourselves) they are falling way short.

All in all ESPN Classics has turned out to be a bit of a disappointment from my point of view, after a good start.

pm · Post by pm » 09 Jul 2007, 08:37

Am I think of the right channel here??? Whenever I seem to put this channel on all I seem to get is vintage footy, rugby and . . . cricket!!

Are the boxing re-runs on at a certain time??

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 09 Jul 2007, 08:43

pm wrote:Am I think of the right channel here??? Whenever I seem to put this channel on all I seem to get is vintage footy, rugby and . . . cricket!!

Are the boxing re-runs on at a certain time??

Usually 11pm or midnight-ish..

With reruns in the wee small hours

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 09 Jul 2007, 08:59

They are showing Tyson first 25 pro fights which is decent

expect for larry sims which doesnt exsist.

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 09 Jul 2007, 09:01

REAL_DEAL wrote:They are showing Tyson first 25 pro fights which is decent expect for larry sims which doesnt exsist.

It is if you havent already got his complete pro career I suppose.

For me, the vaults at ESPN hold far more valuable gems then those..

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 09 Jul 2007, 09:08

Its been disapointing so far. ESPN must have a huge fight database, but choose to show Ali, Frazier fights. Most of which we've all seen loads B4.

They do now show the odd Benn or Eubank ones which is a bit better, but they should show some of the classic fights from 80/90s, not just the well known faces

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 09 Jul 2007, 09:10

Old bones Ian wrote:Its been disapointing so far. ESPN must have a huge fight database, but choose to show Ali, Frazier fights. Most of which we've all seen loads B4.

They do now show the odd Benn or Eubank ones which is a bit better, but they should show some of the classic fights from 80/90s, not just the well known faces

Absolutely spot on Ian.

They have such a wealth of fights it seems criminal not to make use of them.