| Thursday, December 21 ESPN Int'l to present 1-2 punch for boxing fans | |||||
May 23, 2000
ESPN International will provide two boxing programs -- Big Fights Boxing Hour and Behind the Fights -- to ESPN in Latin America, ESPN Pac Rim and ESPN Atlantic (the Middle East and Africa), starting this summer. These one-hour shows feature virtually all of the legendary fights and fighters, and will begin airing in July or August.
Big Fights Boxing Hour and Behind the Fights are produced by ESPN Classic, which is seen in more than 25 million homes in the United States. Original footage is from the ESPN Big Fights Library, which contains more than 10,000 individual pieces of rare footage, featuring some of the world's all-time greatest fighters - World Boxing Champions at their peak - from Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis to Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. The ESPN Big Fights Library boxing footage dates from the late 1800s and consists largely of vintage boxing matches.
Programming description Big Fights Boxing Hour Hosted by Al Bernstein, each episode looks back at the fights and times of such greats as Muhammad Ali, Archie Moore, Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and others. Bernstein provides historical context and perspective to all eras of boxing. Behind the Fights This series goes behind the scenes of the biggest bouts in boxing history. Host Dick Schaap -- through first-hand accounts from special guests like Buster Douglas, Jack Newfield, Pete Hamill, Mills Lane and Jimmy Breslin -- provides insight into champions such as Rocky Marciano, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson and Joe Louis. Distribution plans Pac Rim Will air Big Fights Boxing Hour and Behind the Fights back-to-back on a two-hour boxing block on Sundays from 7-9 a.m. ET (9-11 p.m. in Australia). Latin America Will air Big Fights Boxing Hour on Saturdays from 9-10 p.m. ET (10-11 p.m. in Argentina). Atlantic (Middle East, Africa) Will air Big Fights Boxing Hour on Wednesdays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET (7:30-8:30 p.m. in South Africa). |