The End of An Era: Showtime Boxing (1986-2023)

It is a sad day for the combat sports community. The final hour is upon us. Showtime Championship Boxing has officially announced that it will be shutting down after its final card, David Morrell vs. Sena Agbeko. The rumors were running rampant across the boxing world and were first reported back in September by world-renowned podcast ThaBoxingVoice. Nestor Gibbs was able to put the puzzle pieces together, recognizing that Stephen Espinoza was looking to pull Showtime out of boxing sometime soon. This is a shocker for many because Showtime Championship Boxing and PBC have been putting on fights that have sent shockwaves throughout the combat sports community. Canelo's signing to PBC this past summer alone was monumental, causing a shift in the super-middleweight division that has not been seen since the days of Tommy Hearns. Errol Spence Jr. and Terrence Crawford's 9-round war for the Undisputed Welterweight World Championship sent fans into a frenzy, and none of it was possible without Showtime Championship Boxing and PBC. PBC-Showtime was one of the biggest boxing promotional powerhouses worldwide, hosting fighters such as WBA Lightweight Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, André Berto, WBA Super-Middleweight Champion David Morrell, Danny Garcia, Errol Spence Jr., and arguably the greatest fighter of all time, Floyd Mayweather Jr. Since 1986, Showtime Boxing has given the combat sports community star-studded cards and world championship contests. The very first broadcast, hosted on March 10th, 1986, was a clash between “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler and John “The Beast” Mugabi. Hagler crushed Mugabi inside 12 rounds, brutally knocking him out in the 11th after pushing the pace in his favor in the middle rounds. This set up Showtime Championship Boxing for instant success and built its promotional value to new heights. Showtime Championship Boxing became so enticing that Mike Tyson headlined several cards himself, along with former WBC Super-Middleweight Champion Nigel Benn. In fact, Showtime was the promotion that hosted Tyson’s infamous second matchup against Evander Holyfield in which he bit off a massive part of his ear. Showtime made waves by giving prime-time women’s boxing pioneer Christy Martin exposure, featuring her at mid-card on major pay-per-view shows. The impact that Showtime Championship Boxing has had on the sport is incredible to look back on, and it breaks my heart that we are finally at the end of the road. Fights that my parents, grandparents, and now I have watched, all a part of international history, ended in the blink of an eye. David Morrell’s knockout of Sena Agbeko paired with André Berto’s swan song against Robert Guerrero was a sweet and tearful goodbye to Showtime Championship Boxing. Jimmy Lennon Jr., Abner Mares, Brian Custer, Mauro Ranallo, International Boxing Hall of Famer Steve Farhood, and Jim Gray all entered the ring after the broadcast was wrapped up, and shared a very emotional embrace. This broadcast team is legendary, and the combat sports community is eternally grateful for the work they have done in each of their careers respectfully, as well as a collective. For Jimmy Lennon Jr., Steve Farhood, and Jim Gray, the end of Showtime marks the end of a significantly large period of their lives. These three men have dedicated over almost two decades of life to the promotion, so it is unsurprising that they were affected the most by the shutdown. It was truly gutwrenching to see all of these men share one last moment together, never fully removed entirely from the sport of boxing. When people often say "appreciate them before its too late," it's true. We will never be able to get back all of the precious moments that Jimmy Lennon Jr. and friends have provided the world. Athletes and fans alike will never forget what Showtime has done in its 37 years of existence. All hope is not lost yet, though. With Amazon-PBC resting on the horizon, the sky is the limit for Al Haymon’s promotion.

What does the move to Amazon mean for fighters signed to Premier Boxing Champions? Firstly, it gives consumers the chance to watch their favorites in a more accessible way. For many people around the world, Showtime is a paid-service channel. Countries like Australia don’t have an equivalent to Showtime, so their fights are streamed through a different service called Main Event. Easy, simple, and quick access to the product is one of the most important things involved in boxing streaming and pay-per-view. DAZN came under fire for this specifically- many felt that their user interface was too complicated and ran into one too many issues when it came time to watch Canelo vs. Plant. A large number of their consumer base also had complaints about not being able to locate certain fights, such as Kurt Scoby’s impressive victory on OTX (Overtime Boxing). Amazon’s user interface is not only simple, it is relatively easy to find what one is looking for, whether it’s a product, a film, or a television show. More likely than not, Amazon will bridge boxing content in a similar fashion to how Amazon provided coverage of the National Football League. The only troubling thing about PBC’s move to Amazon is that they have announced 14 dates through 2024. 14 dates, or 14 cards, means that there will be fewer opportunities for many people on Al Haymon’s roster. As many combat sports athletes and pundits are aware, PBC has one of the largest rosters in all of boxing. It’s difficult to say whether or not all of the fighters in each weight class will see action because of the number of cards announced within the year, and this means that fighters will either be released or sit on the shelf. Inactivity is a fighter's worst nightmare, regardless of whether it is boxing, MMA, or Muay Thai. Surely Al Haymon will recognize this and answer the question that's been on everyone's mind. Will the forbidden door be opened once again? Will Al Haymon be willing to work with Oscar de La Hoya, Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn, and Kalle Sauerland? Hopefully, the answer is yes and there will be greater opportunities for more cross-promotion cards, such as the record-breaking match between Ryan Garcia and Gervonta “Tank” Davis. That event shattered gate and pay-per-view expectations, but it only happened with the combined powers of Showtime-PBC, DAZN, and Golden Boy. Naturally, it should be expected that a corporation such as Amazon would support cross-promotional activities- as the saying goes, follow the money. The profits from cross-promotional cards are too enticing to ignore, and in the future, I hope that Amazon-PBC will make the biggest fights happen with all the power accessible.