HBO

HBO (Home Box Office) is an American subscription-only cable television network that frequently broadcast boxing shows in the past: HBO World Championship Boxing, HBO Boxing After Dark and HBO Pay-Per-View (formerly TVKO) events.

HBO World Championship Boxing

A boxing television series premiering in January 1973, that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades.

Commentators

• Emanuel Steward
• Barry Tompkins
• Fran Charles
• George Foreman
• Gil Clancy
• Harold Lederman
• Howard Cosell
• Jim Lampley
• Larry Merchant
• Lennox Lewis
• Max Kellerman
• Roy Jones Jr.
• Sugar Ray Leonard

HBO Boxing After Dark

A boxing television series premiering in April 1996, with commentators Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant, that usually shows fights between prospects, top contenders, and occasionally title fights. The first fight shown was an exciting 12-rounder featuring a then-unknown Marco Antonio Barrera and Kennedy McKinney. Barrera won by TKO.

In April 2006, BAD entered its tenth season with an all-new lineup. Lampley and Merchant would now call only WCB and pay-per-view fights. Replacing them were Fran Charles, former ESPN and Fox Sports Net analyst Max Kellerman and former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. Kellerman and Lewis had previously appeared on world championship and pay-per-view events for HBO as analysts and continue to do so. On March 13, 2007, Fran Charles was replaced by Bob Papa due to scheduling conflicts with the NFL Network. Lampley has also on occasion stepped in for Charles.

KO Nation

A short-lived boxing television series which featured up-and-coming boxers in a hip-hop format. Shown on Saturday afternoons throughout 2000 and 2001, the show featured dancers and hip-hop performances, and was hosted by Fran Charles and Kevin Kelley. Ed Lover was the "face" of the show, and was the ring announcer. The show ultimately failed to attract its target audience and drew low ratings. The show was cancelled in 2001.

Televised Fights

1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s

External Links

HBO official site: click