HBO World Championship Boxing vs Showtime Championship Boxing Who delivered the better boxing matches and programing? HBO Boxing - January 22, 1973 – December 8, 2018 Showtime Boxing - March 10, 1986 – Present
I agree 100% especially in regards to Bernstein. I would also take Barry Tompkins over Lampley or Brian Kenny.
Over the entire span of their respective histories? I honestly don't know But I remember when Showtime began to very slowly take over the game. I feel like it began back in 2005/2006. It seemed like HBO's business model was based on delivering fights with big name stars, while Showtime was all about airing the best content possible. Showtime's quality control back in that stretch was amazing. You had the lightweight civil war with Castillo, Corrales, Casamayor, Julio Diaz etc. scrapping it out. You had the biggest upset of the decade, Baldimir vs. Judah, O'Neil Bell's epic come from behind win against Mormeck, Guillermo Jones vs. Wayne Braithewaite etc. Meanwhile HBO was asking us to pony up $50 to watch Barrera vs. Fana, Tarver vs. Jones III, and Hopkins vs. Robert Allen III
I liked Lederman more in earlier broadcasts, where he was calm and measured. When he went all Hollywood and started talking into the mic like he was announcing something, I kind of lost interest.
HBO for a long time but if it was a race Showtime passed HBO somewhere in the last several years of its run with HBO’s budget and promotional ties limited. Eventually HBO’s wheels came off and Showtime lapped it just before HBO closed up shop.
HBO boxing takes it for me. Barry Tompkins and Larry Merchant were great in the 1980's, always looked forward to the future fights HBO broadcast the Marvelous Marvin Hagler title defenses, Camacho vs Rosario in 1986, same year Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick. The one that stuck out for me was Aaron Pryor vs Alexis Arguello first bout on Nov 12 1982. The Larry Holmes title defenses were great to watch on that channel. Jim Lampley was too biased though, you knew who he was rooting for, kind of like Howard Cosell used to be, The later additions were okay but it just was not the same in my opinion. I remember watching Donald Curry lose his title to Lloyd Honetghan on Sept 27 1986, on Showtime. Later on Showtime they broadcast Felix Tito Trinidad stopping Maurice Blocker in 1993, his title defenses, HBO had Oscar De La Hoya. Every month, the subscriber's were mailed a mini sized TV guide of what was going to be shown for the month on HBO.
HBO had some more substance to it, but I like showtime, very solid network. I really don’t have any complaints about it
HBO for the longest time. If you fought on HBO it was huge. But the last years Showtime had risen above HBO. But Tompkins,Merchant and Leonard were tops although Bernstein is my favorite announcer.
