Boxing on free-to-air TV is coming!!

In the interview DSS conducted with Keith Ellis on his radio station earlier this week, I'm sure I heard Keiffy say that Channel 10 have 3 x free-to-air boxing telecasts planned before the end of the year.

Not sure if the telecasts involve Keith's cards, or how he knows about this, but standby I guess.

 

It's officially a goer!

One live card a month and on head-to-head against the AFL footy show on thursday nights!

Viewers getting another Ringside seat

Jon Anderson (heraldsun.com.au)

May 15, 2009 12:00am

CHANNEL 10's sporting arm ONE HD is to revise a version of TV Ringside from July.

In a live show to be known as Empire Fight Night and broadcast out of a Port Melbourne warehouse that seats 3000, ONE HD's Thursday night boxing will go head-to-head with Channel 9's The Footy Show.

The first show, set for July 16, is expected to feature Sydney-based super middleweight Sakio "The Scorpion" Bika in a world title fight.

And on the same card will be Melbourne's light heavyweight "Tiger" Tim Bell against a world top 10-rated opponent, putting Bell into a position to fight Danny Green.

TV Ringside was a Melbourne institution in the 1960s and '70s on Channel 7, hosted by the late Ron Casey with the legendary Merv Williams providing special comments.

Some of Australia's finest boxers - men such as Lionel Rose, Johnny Famechon, Tony Mundine, Barry Michael, Hector Thompson and Rocky Mattioli - made their names on TV Ringside.

Lionel Rose v Noel Kunde in 1966 and Tony Mundine v Kahu Mahanga in 1969 are just two of the fights old-timers still recall.

Sadly, TV Ringside died a natural death in the 1980s as viewers' program requirements changed, but ONE HD, after a promising start, is seen as the ideal vehicle to revive the boxing show on a monthly basis.

Viewers can expect 12 shows in Melbourne over a 12-month period, with the live audience expected to be made up largely from corporate tables.

Sydney will also host similar nights, with Fidel Tukel acting as match-maker while the Melbourne nights will be shared between Brian Amatruda and David Deicke.

The aim is to make the nights "must" events for Australian boxing talent.

Other fighters set to be featured include Billy Dib, Jackson Asiku, John Hopoate, Sam Soliman, Soloman Haumono, Mark Quon, Dominic Vea, Frank Lo Porto, Daniel Iannazzo and Ryan Waters.

Bell fights tonight against Kane McKay for a PABA light heavyweight title at the Sunshine Skating Arena.

And on Sunday at Shed 14, Central Pier, Docklands, highly rated Samuel Colomban takes on Guillermo Mosquera for the WBO oriental welterweight title.

Former IBF world junior lightweight champion Barry Michael said it was the break his sport needed.

"It is on a sporting station so won't be judged by ratings, as such, and it's a perfect vehicle for our fighters," said Michael.

"There are some very good kids out there, boys such as Samuel Colomban and Daniel Iannazzo who can really flourish with such exposure."

Channel 10 publicity officer Stacey Mair was unavailable for comment yesterday.

 

Hard to argue with your logic.

Why split the rugby/boxing demographic in half when you could have all of them twice if you made sure the programs didn't clash?