Lost in the shuffle that was UFC 231, Top Rank Boxing on ESPN, and even the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury replay was the final show for HBO Boxing after 45 years in the business. The crowd at StubHub Center was sparse, the fights — wins for women’s boxing champions Cecilia Braekhus and Claressa Shields, as well as Juan Francisco Estrada — were neither interesting nor competitive. It was a sad end to a revered franchise.
As boxing in 2019 shifts predominantly to Showtime, DAZN, ESPN, and FOX Sports, we shouldn’t overlook HBO’s long-lasting impact on the sport over the decades.