Some last minute Joshua Klitschko TV company bickering is currently underway in the US ahead of the broadcast starting shortly.
For only the third time in history TV giants Showtime and HBO will work together with one another for tonight’s Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko mammoth event in London.
The other two occasions were Mike Tyson vs Lennox Lewis and Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao.
ESPN’s Dan Rafael has reported that there has been some last minute arguments between the two however relating to announcer Michael Buffer:
Even after deal made still Showtime/HBO bickering over exact way Buffer will refer to US TV networks in #JoshuaKlitchsko intros. Seriously.
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) April 29, 2017
Dan Rafael makes a good point. Something as small and trivial as to how the networks are referred to really should not be a cause for concern for either company.
Obviously they are big companies and are looking to protect their brands, but what’s most important is the fight itself and that the two fighters performing in the ring.
Traditionally the two rival networks have not worked together easily at all.
HBO’s boxing output has dropped a bit in recent times compared to what it used to be but their parent company has been involved in a merger recently, which was always going to throw some spanners in the works.
It’s good to see them working together on something like this tonight though. Perhaps if it was done more often fans would get to see big fights more regularly.
