Was HBO Boxing the best boxing television series ever?

It was before Max Kellerman showed up.

 

Yes. In my opinion the production value and commentators were an obvious level above showtime. I thought this when I was a teenager in the 90s, and I still feel that way now when I rewatch fights. The commentators weren’t afraid to admit a bout was a mismatch, call out the corrupt Don King, state the WBO wasn’t a legitimate belt, etc. They were definitely biased to some fighters but anything is better than listening to Ferdie Pacheco.

 

It was awesome. I don’t necessarily rate it above all the other networks of its time but I have no complaints about it either

 

It was better than Showtime for the comparative lack of Bobby Czyz.

 

I preferred ABC's wide world of sports myself, although that wasn't strictly a boxing program.

 

HBO was my favorite but I also really liked ESPN Friday night fights. The matchmaking was superb!

 

I sure enjoyed it!

 

Honestly, I would take Tuesday Night Fights on USA Network over HBO.

Not that it had the same ‘big-event’ feel or production values, but it brought us about as good a picture of what boxing is on a weekly basis across American (or the continental 48 states anyway) from occasional world championship fights to four-round club fighters getting their moment in the sun when a fight ended quickly and they needed to fill the air time.

Sean O’Grady and Steve Albert (or whichever Albert it was) were a good pair. It’s one thing to get across ‘this de la Hoya guy is a big deal’ and another to get across ‘these two journeymen are going at it for pride, a win here might open a door but whether it does or not let’s see what they bring to the table tonight.’

HBO deserves its flowers but it’s an inconsistent show from the horrid early days of snagging a fight the networks passed on (like Holmes-Weaver) with Don Dunphy calling it like it’s on the radio (‘a left and a right and a left’) and some celebrity who knows nothing babbling on.

It got better when they settled on a crew and paid for high-level production, but while we look back on it fondly … at the time mostly people criticized the announcers (‘Merchant is a drunk, George makes no sense, Lampley is a homer for HBO house fighters,’ etc) and a lot of time the matchups they made — forcing Michael Grant down our throats, as one for-instance, or letting Roy Jr dictate terms so he could play basketball in the afternoon and dominating a no-hoper at night.

Like the old football coach once said, hindsight is 50/50. Some things fight fans cherish today about HBO are the same things they ranted and raved about when we had it.

 

I tuned in for the Tuesday Night Fights too, but overall felt they relied far too heavily on their own “house fighters.” A 40-something Holmes or Duran against some no-hoper just to stay busy, or Alex Garcia. I did like Anthony Boyle and Charles Brewer though. They seemed more into novelty fights than good quality championship-level things. Given their comparative budgets, it’s easy to see why, but still….

 

Yes along with CBS Tim Ryan and Gil Clancy