HBO Boxing (1973– )

For over three decades now HBO has brought us great fight after fight on it's ever popular series "World Championship Boxing". Over the years I've watched De La Hoya, Lewis, Holyfield, Mosley, and many others carry the sport to new heights on HBO. Many people forget that boxing started on HBO in 1973 at a time when Ali, Frazier, and Foreman ruled, and HBO is still king of boxing today. The network has always featured the best champions and high quality fights from places like Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and New York City's Madison Square Garden. Many champions would fight fights in their hometown, like Lennox Lewis defending in London, or Wladimir making a defense in the Ukraine. The broadcast team is the best in the business and Jim Lampley is boxing's all-time best blow by blow man, yes even better than Howard Cosell! Lampley knows his stuff, and his vocabulary is unmatched and I love to hear his exciting voice during fights! Plus Larry Merchant who to many seems arrogant does a great job as a big prize fight analyst, who gives between the rounds commentary so well. Plus Larry is a veteran sports reporter who knows his stuff so well. This duo of Merchant and Lampley always keeps you well informed. The diagrams and punch-stat numbers shown on the screen are nice and neat a great way to keep pace of the fight, and it's keeps you interested. Getting back to Larry he gives the post fight commentary so elegantly and graceful, Larry's a tell it like it is guy! Round scoring is also provided accurate by Harold Lederman on each broadcast. Overall if your a boxing fan HBO is the place to be for the best in the business you will see legends made and great fights happening with superstars. So many memories will be made, just remember the shocker in Japan in Feburary 1990 with Buster Douglas defeating Mike Tyson!