Manny Pacquiao fights have been airing over HBO pay-per-view for many years. But this time, as the Pambansang Kamao returns to the ring on November 5 after a very short retirement, HBO will not be around.
The fight will still be a pay-per-view event, but Top Rank big boss Bob Arum is doing the production himself, a move to change the “status quo” of pay-per-view productions.
“For years we’ve had… HBO distribute and it was convenient,” said Arum in an interview with RingTV.com. When issues arose because of Pacquiao’s fight night against WBO welterweight titleholder Jessie Vargas being close to the November 19 Ward-Kovalev fight, Arum decided to drop HBO.
Arum said this is a good move as he can save the 7.5 percent charge from the fight sales that goes to HBO’s production arm. There will be no 24/7 series on the fight in the same format, but Arum plans to supplement the promotion by selling programming to networks like CBS, NBC and ABC.
“I think it’s going to be much more innovative. We’re going to do major pieces that have never been seen before. We’re going to take cameras right into the Senate, see them considering bills. I think it’s going to be fascinating,” added Arum.
Another change will be the new voices of the commentating team, which remains unknown as Arum has yet to work out any official deal with the major names he said he has contacted. The familiar voices of Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman will not be heard anymore.
The Pacquiao-Vargas event will take place at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
