PPV and HBO

HBO's first fight was Foreman-Frazier in '73. However, it wasn't until around '82, maybe '81, that an HBO fight was more prestigious than a prime time network TV fight. Holmes-Weaver, for instance, was rejected by the networks before it was picked up by HBO.

PPV was preceded by Closed-Circuit TV showings of big fights in theaters and auditoriums. For a long time that was how you'd see the big fights. Unfortunately, the sound was often bad or non-existent, reception was sometimes iffy, and, at least in Northern California, even CC TV showings were black & white until '81 or so.

I could be wrong, but I believe the first PPV fight might have been Hagler-Hearns in '85. You did have to have cable tv to get the PPV fight. If you didn't have a cable box, and many people didn't back then, someone from the cable company would come by that day with a box. (Again, someone correct me if I'm mistaken about this. It's been awhile.)

 

I think you're close if not dead-on sweetsci. I remember Hagler-Hearns being PPV. Hearns-Duran MAYBE was PPV before that. I'm not positive on that though. I remember, at least in my area, that Leonard - Hagler was Closed Circuit and I had to go to a resort to watch it. So even though PPV burst on to the scene it didn't immediately eliminate Closed Circuit shows.

 

p.s. My Closed Circuit experiences: Leonard-Hearns, Holmes-Cooney, and Leonard-Hagler were really good. It was cool seeing these great fights and the guys were literally larger than life on the big screen. Plus the crowd made it as close as you could get to actually being there.

 

I still like closed circuit ......with all the "Honeys" walking around with most everything out on display.

Boxing & Babes should always be available forever.

 

I always thought Foreman-Holyfield was the first PPV or maybe it was the first TVKO one.

 

..............Harkening back to the days of Joe Louis, I listened to round-by-round updates of Hagler-Hearns on the radio. :bart