ITV’s schedule for Saturday night suggests the network and Sports Network, Frank Warren’s promotional company, has finally reached at least a short term agreement. Following weeks of debate on various boxing forums and presumably hours of negotiation between the two sides it is a relief for British boxing in general that Saturday’s bill will be widely available to the British public.
Amir Khan’s first step into championship class, proper championship class as opposed to the IBF Inter-Continental distraction he held for about 45 seconds, will be the key draw though the Commonwealth Title fight between Michael Sprott and Matt Skelton and Nicky Cook’s bid for the WBO Featherweight belt are, technically at least, the senior bouts on the card.
Saturday July 14
ITV4 – 2000-2100 – Nicky Cook v Steve Luevano
ITV1 – 2110-2310 – Amir Khan v Willie Limond; Matt Skelton v Michael Sprott
ITV4 – 2315-0000 – Kevin Mitchell v Alexander Hrulev
Where this leaves the Enzo Maccarinelli card the following week remains to be seen, although I’d like to see Sports Network forced, through the availability of competition, to put together cards of the quality fans are about to enjoy on he 14th and 21st on a more regular basis because the unifying complaint among fans is the lack of competitive and entertaining fights currently being arranged. One assumes ITV’s executives have arrived at a similar conclusion.
To view ITV’s full boxing schedule click here.
BOXINGWRITER.CO.UK 
Congratualtions to Britain’s man of integrity Frank Warren for delivering, as promised, quality boxing to terrestrial television.
The next generation of potential fans, just like the last, has been deprived of the opportunity to grow up watching the noblest of arts. Instead, we have the dubious pleasure of watching Khan, Bolton’s mollycoddled child of cotton-wool exterior, get to knock over a succession of stiffs, then wake up one day to realise he’s run out of time and no-one cares anymore. I suppose we have Warren to thank for Britain’s ‘greats’, Calzaghe and Hatton. Not that we’d know, we never get to watch them.
Mission accomplished, you idiot.
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A real shame, Im disapointed. BUT I believe that ITV have had some success with the boxing.
Im hoping that they are planning to show other promoters. Part of the deal they supposedly wanted with Warren was the right to show his cards, and the cards of other promoters. They wanted the right to pick and choose, I hear – which is good. They wanted quality. Hopefully, thats exactly what they will do, and exactly what we will get.
Bit silly though, that Calzaghe and Enzo both potentially have huge fights coming up – and both will potentially not be viewed by a huge audience that only terestrial can reach – just as peoples interest is beginning to pick up again.
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A shame.
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Not all of Warrens cards will be shown on ITV, only cards featuring Khan and also the July 21st bill.
Over the next 12 months, it appears ITV will show 7 shows.
Its on ITV’s website. Apparently there will be some “extra output on ITV4”, but Im not sure if they will just do what their doing this weekend, showing Amir on ITV1 and the rest of ITV4.
http://www.itv-boxing.com/News/Story_Page/0,14442,6164_2491845,00.html
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Warren knows when to stick and twist.
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Great news, not only will boxing be on mainstream TV, but Mr Warren is putting together some decent cards. He has so many top fighters who should be pitted together.
Interesting to see the two cards squeezed within a week of each other though.
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