HBO and Showtime usually operate in separate orbits of the boxing universe: Linked to different promoters, they feature different fighters.
But on Saturday night, the interests of the rival networks will align as Floyd Mayweather Jr. fights Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a welterweight title bout that is expected to generate more pay-per-view revenue than any bout in history. Pent-up demand for the fight has fostered expectations that it will exceed the records for pay-per-view boxing purchases (2.48 million for Mayweather’s win over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007) and for revenue ($152 million for Mayweather’s defeat of Saul Alvarez, known as Canelo, two years ago).