Amir Khan’s United States debut against Paulie Malignaggi in New York next month looks set to mark the sport’s return to terrestrial television.
Khan, 23, makes the second defence of his WBA light-welterweight title against the former IBF champion from New York at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden on May 15.
ITV and BBC are understood to be among the four broadcasters to have made offers to screen the bout, with some sources claiming ITV had already agreed a deal. It would mean that, while the contest will take place in the early hours, it should reach a wider audience than Khan’s past five bouts, which have been on pay-per-view on Sky Box Office.
Talks had been continuing for the bout to be part of a joint Sky Box Office presentation, alongside Kevin Mitchell’s interim WBO lightweight contest against Michael Katsidis that night at Upton Park.
The Mitchell bout will now be part of a three-hour show on Sky Sports 1, which will also feature James DeGale, the 2008 Olympic middleweight gold-medal winner, facing Sam Horton in his first 12-round contest.
Khan’s bout will be his first since signing with Golden Boy, the US promotional company. He has been trained by Freddie Roach in Hollywood since his only defeat, by Breidis Prescott, in 2008 and believes he can become a star across the Atlantic.
The bout with Malignaggi, best known in Britain for his 2008 loss to Ricky Hatton, will be Khan’s first appearance on HBO, the giant US cable company.
“Malignaggi has come on a lot since his fight with Ricky Hatton, he’s coming off a good win over Juan Diaz but I’m ready for it,?Khan said. “He’s a big name in New York, but I can start getting fans in America, because the market there is massive compared to England.
“I know with my style of boxing I can do well. They have heard of me in America and now they will be able to see me. I’m excited about New York but I’m not leaving England. I want to fight in England later in the year.?br />
It was Khan’s performances on his way to winning a silver medal as a 17-year-old at the 2004 Olympics in Athens that encouraged ITV to end a ten-year break from the sport.
They screened his rematch with Mario Kindelán, who beat him in the Olympic final, and his first 18 bouts as a professional. But in recent times ITV cuts have led to its boxing department being mothballed.
The last bout shown live on ITV1 was Carl Froch’s WBC super-middleweight title win over Jean Pascal in December 2008. The contest was a thriller, but Froch has found it difficult to nail down support from a broadcaster since.
His first defence, a final-round stoppage of Jermain Taylor in the United States, was not shown live in the UK, with ITV1 showing it the next evening, while fans will have to pay ?4.95 to watch his defence against Mikkel Kessler in Herning, Denmark, on April 24 on Primetime, which is channel 480 on Sky or ****** on-demand.
The BBC showed the early bouts of David Haye and Froch, as well as Khan’s Olympic adventure, but has not shown a live professional bill since 2005.
Boxing was hit badly by the demise of the British arm of Setanta last year. With ITV4 also ending its regular shows last November, Sky is now the only broadcaster regularly showing British boxing, leading to a scramble for available dates between promoters.
Enzo Maccarinelli, the former WBO cruiserweight champion, must travel to St Petersburg when he faces Alexander Kotlobay, of Russia, for the vacant European cruiserweight title on April 27. Should he win, it would mean that of the 14 European titles, a remarkable ten would be held by boxers from the UK.
Khan, 23, makes the second defence of his WBA light-welterweight title against the former IBF champion from New York at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden on May 15.
ITV and BBC are understood to be among the four broadcasters to have made offers to screen the bout, with some sources claiming ITV had already agreed a deal. It would mean that, while the contest will take place in the early hours, it should reach a wider audience than Khan’s past five bouts, which have been on pay-per-view on Sky Box Office.
Talks had been continuing for the bout to be part of a joint Sky Box Office presentation, alongside Kevin Mitchell’s interim WBO lightweight contest against Michael Katsidis that night at Upton Park.
The Mitchell bout will now be part of a three-hour show on Sky Sports 1, which will also feature James DeGale, the 2008 Olympic middleweight gold-medal winner, facing Sam Horton in his first 12-round contest.
Khan’s bout will be his first since signing with Golden Boy, the US promotional company. He has been trained by Freddie Roach in Hollywood since his only defeat, by Breidis Prescott, in 2008 and believes he can become a star across the Atlantic.
The bout with Malignaggi, best known in Britain for his 2008 loss to Ricky Hatton, will be Khan’s first appearance on HBO, the giant US cable company.
“Malignaggi has come on a lot since his fight with Ricky Hatton, he’s coming off a good win over Juan Diaz but I’m ready for it,?Khan said. “He’s a big name in New York, but I can start getting fans in America, because the market there is massive compared to England.
“I know with my style of boxing I can do well. They have heard of me in America and now they will be able to see me. I’m excited about New York but I’m not leaving England. I want to fight in England later in the year.?br />
It was Khan’s performances on his way to winning a silver medal as a 17-year-old at the 2004 Olympics in Athens that encouraged ITV to end a ten-year break from the sport.
They screened his rematch with Mario Kindelán, who beat him in the Olympic final, and his first 18 bouts as a professional. But in recent times ITV cuts have led to its boxing department being mothballed.
The last bout shown live on ITV1 was Carl Froch’s WBC super-middleweight title win over Jean Pascal in December 2008. The contest was a thriller, but Froch has found it difficult to nail down support from a broadcaster since.
His first defence, a final-round stoppage of Jermain Taylor in the United States, was not shown live in the UK, with ITV1 showing it the next evening, while fans will have to pay ?4.95 to watch his defence against Mikkel Kessler in Herning, Denmark, on April 24 on Primetime, which is channel 480 on Sky or ****** on-demand.
The BBC showed the early bouts of David Haye and Froch, as well as Khan’s Olympic adventure, but has not shown a live professional bill since 2005.
Boxing was hit badly by the demise of the British arm of Setanta last year. With ITV4 also ending its regular shows last November, Sky is now the only broadcaster regularly showing British boxing, leading to a scramble for available dates between promoters.
Enzo Maccarinelli, the former WBO cruiserweight champion, must travel to St Petersburg when he faces Alexander Kotlobay, of Russia, for the vacant European cruiserweight title on April 27. Should he win, it would mean that of the 14 European titles, a remarkable ten would be held by boxers from the UK.
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