Similar Major League Baseball, The Baseball Network, Sportsworld, NBC SportsTalk, Premier Boxing Champions | ||
Boxing on NBC is the de facto title for NBC Sports' boxing television coverage.
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Gillette Cavalcade of Sports
The earliest incarnation of NBC's boxing telecasts could be traced back to 1944. Although technically, an anthology program, the Cavalcade of Sports was best known for Friday night boxing (from Madison Square Garden) on NBC from 1944 through 1960, and (after NBC decided against featuring boxing due to sensitivity over criminal allegations in the sport) then for several more years on ABC. When Cavalcade of Sports closed up shop on June 24, 1960 after a 14-year period, it marked the longest continuous run of any boxing program in television history.
Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena
Another boxing program called Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena aired on NBC during the same period (more specifically, from 1946–1948) as the Cavalcade of Sports.
Sportsworld and partnership with Telemundo
In 2003, NBC entered a joint venture with Telemundo and boxing promotional group Main Events. On three consecutive Saturday afternoons - May 3, 10 and 17 - NBC Sports and Telemundo provided live coverage from the same Main Events-promoted boxing event. It marked the first time that NBC broadcast professional boxing since 1992, when Sportsworld ended its run after 14 years.
The following year, NBC and Telemundo renewed their partnership with a series of five Saturday cards beginning April 17.
NBCSN's Fight Night
Beginning in 2006, when the NBCSN was known as Versus, they began airing matches from Bob Arum's Top Rank group. Nick Charles was one of the announcers. In 2010, Versus broadcast the World Series of Boxing.
NBCSN's Fight Night series premiered on January 21, 2012 from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia with Kenny Rice and trainer Freddie Roach on the call and Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated serving as reporter and researcher.
Premier Boxing Champions
In January 2015, NBC announced that Al Michaels would host ringside along with blow-by-blow man Marv Albert and color commentator Sugar Ray Leonard for the PBC on NBC Saturday night bouts. In partnership with Haymon Boxing, NBC would televise 20 PBC on NBC events (beginning on March 7), including five to be shown in prime time on Saturday nights.