BoxRec

Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jorge Linares was a much more competitive, compelling fight than Lomachenko’s domination of Guillermo Rigondeaux, but it didn’t draw greater ratings.

Nielsen Media Research numbers released Tuesday revealed ESPN’s two-bout broadcast Saturday night, which featured Lomachenko’s 10th-round technical knockout of Linares, drew an average audience of 1,024,000 viewers. The peak viewership for the Lomachenko-Linares battle wasn’t available as of Tuesday afternoon.

Lomachenko’s previous performance, a technical knockout of the previously unbeaten Rigondeaux on December 9 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden, drew a higher average rating for ESPN (1,730,000).

Top Rank’s doubleheader Saturday night began at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT – right in the middle of prime time on the East Coast, but earlier than usual for boxing broadcasts. It began with welterweight prospect Carlos Adames’ 10-round, unanimous-decision victory over Alejandro Barrera.

While lower than Lomachenko’s last fight, the average rating for Lomachenko-Linares was higher than all but one of Top Rank’s first five ESPN offerings in 2018.

The only Top Rank/ESPN broadcast that lured a higher average audience in 2018 was the card headlined by Oscar Valdez’s victory over Scott Quigg in a WBO featherweight championship match March 10. That telecast from StubHub Center in Carson, California, was watched by an average audience of 1,100,000.

Lomachenko-Linares also ranked No. 3 among all shows on cable television Saturday night, sports and non-sports, in viewers ages 18-49, a coveted demographic for advertisers.

Not what I expected TBH.

Maybe it was the start time?

Who knows? I take it as it's an average of the telecast, the Loma-Linares fight must have been viewed by a few more 100k's?

Linares was more dangerous but Rigo had a much bigger reputation than the lightweight champ.

The 2 time gold medalists angle helped to make Loma vs Rigo seem historically special even if it was a physical mismatch.

The early start time may have effected west coast viewership but it was still a good time slot for most of the nation.

I guess it was horrendous for the UK but you guys must be used to that by now.

SenorPipino wrote: ↑15 May 2018, 19:24 Linares was more dangerous but Rigo had a much bigger reputation than the lightweight champ.

The 2 time gold medalists angle helped to make Loma vs Rigo seem historically special even if it was a physical mismatch.

The early start time may have effected west coast viewership but it was still a good time slot for most of the nation.

I guess it was horrendous for the UK but you guys must be used to that by now.

It started after 2am in the UK. Much better than 4am lol