Share

Floyd's fight not a TV knockout

New York - Floyd Mayweather’s fight against Robert Guerrero generated more than a million pay-per-view television sales.

The fight, which Mayweather won in Las Vegas last weekend, was an artistic success, but not a box-office smash.

Early figures showed the fight would exceed a million pay-per-view buys, the Showtime network said on Friday. That is short of the 1.5 million buys for Mayweather's fight against Miguel Cotto last year.

"It's a number we're very pleased with," said Stephen Espinoza, head of Showtime Sports. "That the event generated at least a million buys and did not have the benefit of an opponent who had been in pay-per-views or was a well-established name in the sport is a huge testament to Floyd's buying power."

The bout was the first for Mayweather under a six-fight deal that lured the champion from his former home at HBO. Mayweather won on points to remain unbeaten in 44 fights.

Espinoza said the lack of a big-name opponent and Guerrero's arrest on gun charges in New York were factors in the fight not doing better. Showtime promoted the bout with 100 hours of programming, including a documentary on sister network CBS that aired in prime time before the fight.

The fight drew 15 880 spectators who paid $9.9 million (about R90 million).

Espinoza said negotiations had begun for Mayweather's next fight, to be held on September 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. A possible opponent could be Mexican star Saul Alvarez, although that fight could be delayed until next May to build a bigger audience.

"For my money the biggest fight out there is Mayweather against Alvarez," Espinoza said. "So far talks are going well. I believe everyone involved is going to be working to make it happen.

“Breaking the pay-per-view record of Oscar De La Hoya and Mayweather would be our goal in that fight."

Mayweather’s fight against De La Hoya in 2007 was the biggest pay-per-view in boxing, generating sales of 2.5 million.

An American TV network Adult Swim said on Friday it was turning Mike Tyson into a cartoon detective.

The network announced a new animated series called Mike Tyson Mysteries that will feature the retired heavyweight champion.

On the show, a cartoon version of Tyson will solve wacky problems, assisted by a trusty associate; a foul-mouthed pet pigeon. The network said Tyson would voice the animated character, as well as make live-action appearances.

The show is targeted for next season, but no launch date was specified.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1817 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1777 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1083 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 460 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE