Thank you Channel 5

[wrimc]

This is outstanding news for boxing just goes to show what it can do when its given a chance. Lets hope that this means that channel 5 will be looking at getting more involved in quality matchups.

[Johnny Cucumber]

Great show last night, and the presentation was different class to Sky !!

These viewing figures are incredible for 5

Well done to all at Hennessey sports and 5

[TheCobra]

Boxing NEEDS to be on terrestrial tv for its survival. Sky are just preaching to and milking from the converted.

[TheCobra]

I have to say I enjoy Jim Watt's commentaries, however Channel 5 pulled a couple of great master strokes, getting Al Bernstien, impartial and accurate and the Legend that is Jim Rosenthal.

Both, smooth, professional and to be honest, its criminal that Rosenthal is not used much nowadays as a Boxing front man. He is head and shoulders above anyone else.

Yeh I think Rosenthal is a very good anchor man.

[Final round]

Thank you Channel 5, and please may we have Tyson Fury vs David Price in the near future?

Agreed DD

[Jeff Thomas]

Great show last night, and the presentation was different class to Sky !!

These viewing figures are incredible for 5

Well done to all at Hennessey sports and 5

Bit harsh, different feel - but hardly a different class. They showed one fight, Al bernstein didn't seem to know who Dean Powell was constantly somehow mixing him up with Don Charles.

That said it was highly entertaining and I liked the prefight mini documentry - definately had that old ITV feel to it- which is great.

[allahsnackbar]

In fairness, the style of chisora made the fight as interesting as it was, even though he came in fat

[FIGHTFANs]

Boxing NEEDS to be on terrestrial tv for its survival. Sky are just preaching to and milking from the converted.

x2

[dondada]

Sky does a lot for boxing, IMO, but I've said the obvious for years - boxing needs to be on terrestrial telly in some form to continue to prosper.

That, along with cleaning up the belts, is the best thing that could happen to the sport.

Great news!

[Josh1111]

brilliant news. Alot could be improved with Channel 5 coverage and hopefully they will learn but all in all, great night and great for the sport

[THEBUTCH]

2.3 Million is tremendous and clearly indicates there is strong future for boxing... if Channel 5 are prepared to commit to it. Again Hennessy has delivered and so has Fury, who simply dominated Chisora. I can see a a big following staying tuned and also growing on Channel 5 if they screen his British/Commonwelth title defences.

[damianhucker1]

Heres something ive wondered , a programme like eastenders or coronation street draws huge figues of something like 7million viewers , what would it take for boxing to reach that level on a regular basis and also how much of a difference in cost is an episode of a well know soap in comparison to boxing being on tv

[stujones]

great figures, it hardly got alot of promotion in the build up. I saw more adverts for the Khan fight than this one.

[NazNaci1]

Great! Almost 3 mill viewers. And that was for a British title fight.

The market has always been there, all it needed was a TV Bigwig to see the potential and give it a chance. With the right level of promotion, Boxing outstrips practically all other sports and most terrestial viewing....it always has.

Granted, Audley kind of killed it on the BBC but past mistakes can be remedied.

[Syntax Error]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a33 ... nel-5.html

Excellent news.

That should persuade the suits as Five to invest in big time boxing.

Obviously they aren't going the biggest fights, but if they can sign up a guy like Fury, who is a game & exciting fighter, who is willing to take on all comers, it should be worthwhile for them.

[Syntax Error]

Great! Almost 3 mill viewers. And that was for a British title fight.

The market has always been there, all it needed was a TV Bigwig to see the potential and give it a chance. With the right level of promotion, Boxing outstrips practically all other sports and most terrestial viewing....it always has.

Granted, Audley kind of killed it on the BBC but past mistakes can be remedied.

Parcel Force Harrison should be brought to trial for what he did to boxing on terrestrial TV in the UK. :P

[bobmee]

Understand why Harrison gets criticised for that - and he did make some dumb mistakes - but the main responsibility should be with the BBC. Harrison got himself an astonishing deal given the supposed expertise of the people in power. They appeared to assume that because he won an Olympic gold medal and had a bit of personality that he would become a major star - and, of course, heavyweight champion of the world. When that didn't happen, they didn't appear to examine how and why they had messed up - just went into a sulk about boxing as a whole. I don't have a lot of sympathy for Harrison, but even less for the BBC. Sorry - slightly off topic.

[TheCobra]

Understand why Harrison gets criticised for that - and he did make some dumb mistakes - but the main responsibility should be with the BBC. Harrison got himself an astonishing deal given the supposed expertise of the people in power. They appeared to assume that because he won an Olympic gold medal and had a bit of personality that he would become a major star - and, of course, heavyweight champion of the world. When that didn't happen, they didn't appear to examine how and why they had messed up - just went into a sulk about boxing as a whole. I don't have a lot of sympathy for Harrison, but even less for the BBC. Sorry - slightly off topic.

Yeh the BBC's ignorance of boxing since then has been utterly shocking. Seems like someone at the top of sports is really anti-boxing.

[ThereByTheGrace]

Hey wait a minute here!!!

Am I the only one who noticed in the middle of the second round some crazed lunatic fan shouting:

"Git yer f&$#ing hands up Tyson!!!"

That said, I really enjoyed the fight and the show, again peeved they never put the undercard on for a few men rolling about in a cage but there ye go, first time they've done it and if the ratings continue like that then they will put undercards on in future.

Good effort - remember this fight was on PPV in the US so maybe that made a difference to the presentation of the show.

[THEBUTCH]

Good post BobMee. The BBC should hold their hands up and say "we messed up big, blowing a fortune on a prize tit like Harrison". Whilst dumping pro boxing post A-Farce, they seemed to have forgotten all about Hennessy's stella shows he had been putting on.

At last another terrestial channel has recognised what excellent entertainment Hennessy can deliver.

[stujones]

Understand why Harrison gets criticised for that - and he did make some dumb mistakes - but the main responsibility should be with the BBC. Harrison got himself an astonishing deal given the supposed expertise of the people in power. They appeared to assume that because he won an Olympic gold medal and had a bit of personality that he would become a major star - and, of course, heavyweight champion of the world. When that didn't happen, they didn't appear to examine how and why they had messed up - just went into a sulk about boxing as a whole. I don't have a lot of sympathy for Harrison, but even less for the BBC. Sorry - slightly off topic.

It wasn't entirely the BBC's fault - yeah mistakes were made but Audley's choice of opponent on these bills had alot to be desired.... having said this, Audley's first few fights did okay ratings wise.

[bobmee]

No, not entirely the BBC's fault. Harrison had to accept some responsibility too because to all intents and purposes he promoted himself. However, the contract, as I understand it, allowed no power of veto over the opponents he chose - which was an extraordinary oversight.

[chinny]

Yes Audleys team were making it up on the hoof. I recall they had to shred all the posters because they had that most protected/ trademarked of all logos plastered all over them - the Olympic rings!

[foxwoods]

the BBC were clearly not prepared to deal with the shenanigans that boxing people get up to. they must have thought harrison would have treated them with respect, fought decent opponents in an effort to prove himself and also backed up his boasts outside the ring with victories inside it. how naive. no wonder they ditched the sport.