BoxRec

Back in the '80s, our local network affiliates were in the habit of frequently preempting boxing telecasts here in the Buffalo, NY area so that they could show paid-programming. They didn't do it all of the time, but they did it often enough for it to be a real nuisance. So, on those occasions, I either had to miss the fights or drive outside of town to catch them.
Two such occasions that stand out in my memory are when I had to drive two hours away in a snowstorm to Erie, PA in order to catch the Mike Tyson - Jesse Ferguson/Mike Weaver - Carl Williams doubleheader & when I drove about an hour away to Rochester in order to see the first Vinnie Pazienza - Greg Haugan contest.

I often drive south to Mexico (about 3 hours) to catch some PPV fights, usually those involving a major Mexican fighter.

These fights are pretty much televised free on Mexican networks or the US PPV broadcast is shown.

It's not that I have to. I could buy the fights and stay home. But I enjoy betting on the bouts at the Mexican sportsbook and the overall wild atmosphere.

In 1975, I hitch-hiked 570 miles in 22 hours to watch the closed-circuit telecast of The Thrilla in Manila at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. I arrived in the city about 10 hours before the telecast and was staying at my sister's apartment. The Coliseum was sold out, but I managed to win 2 tickets and a $50 restaurant gift certificate from a radio station that was running a contest for the best "Ali-like" poem about the fight, with listeners invited to phone in their entries. My winning rhyme was: "During the fight in Manila tonight, Ali will float like a cloud in heaven. Joe Frazier will cower under Muhammad's sheer power, and go down for the count in 11."