WealthTV, which calls itself "the premier lifestyle and entertainment network," is taking the plunge into boxing programming.
The San Diego-based cable network, which is only available in about 15 million homes, announced on Wednesday that it has made output deals with Canadian promoter Yvon Michel's GYM Promotions and British promoter Mick Hennessy's Hennessy Sports.
Under the deals, WealthTV announced it will carry 12 live boxing cards through 2013. Six cards will be from Michel's "Fast and Furious" series in Montreal, with the other six coming from Hennessy's British-based "Next Generation" series.
The initial 12 dates the network has committed to are just the start, according to WealthTV CEO Robert Herring.
"We're dedicated to featuring the best boxers from around the world for our viewers," Herring said in a statement. "As we ramp up, we anticipate airing 20 to 30 live events in 2013. Hennessy Sports is allowing us to deliver on that promise."
WealthTV has been dabbling in boxing recently, although none of the fights have been anything to get excited about so far.
It televised a Don King-promoted show in November in which cruiserweight titlist Guillermo Jones knocked out Michael Marrone in the sixth round of an utter mismatch.
In July, WealthTV featured two more expected blowouts, a Hennessy-promoted card headlined by heavyweight Tyson Fury's destruction of Vinny Maddalone and a pay-per-view card from Las Vegas headlined by junior middleweight Anthony Mundine of Australia thrashing over-the-hill Bronco McKart.
WealthTV is also airing the Sept. 8 Main Events card headlined by heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek against journeyman Travis Walker.
Under the new deal, the Michel-promoted cards will air on Friday nights and the Hennessy Sports shows from Europe will air on Saturday afternoons. WealthTV and Hennessy Sports are scheduled for at least four live cards for the rest of the year -- Sept. 21, Oct. 12, Oct. 27 and Dec. 14.
Hey, I'm all for as much televised boxing as possible. But I just hope the fights are more legitimate than the ones WealthTV already has been involved in.
The San Diego-based cable network, which is only available in about 15 million homes, announced on Wednesday that it has made output deals with Canadian promoter Yvon Michel's GYM Promotions and British promoter Mick Hennessy's Hennessy Sports.
Under the deals, WealthTV announced it will carry 12 live boxing cards through 2013. Six cards will be from Michel's "Fast and Furious" series in Montreal, with the other six coming from Hennessy's British-based "Next Generation" series.
The initial 12 dates the network has committed to are just the start, according to WealthTV CEO Robert Herring.
"We're dedicated to featuring the best boxers from around the world for our viewers," Herring said in a statement. "As we ramp up, we anticipate airing 20 to 30 live events in 2013. Hennessy Sports is allowing us to deliver on that promise."
WealthTV has been dabbling in boxing recently, although none of the fights have been anything to get excited about so far.
It televised a Don King-promoted show in November in which cruiserweight titlist Guillermo Jones knocked out Michael Marrone in the sixth round of an utter mismatch.
In July, WealthTV featured two more expected blowouts, a Hennessy-promoted card headlined by heavyweight Tyson Fury's destruction of Vinny Maddalone and a pay-per-view card from Las Vegas headlined by junior middleweight Anthony Mundine of Australia thrashing over-the-hill Bronco McKart.
WealthTV is also airing the Sept. 8 Main Events card headlined by heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek against journeyman Travis Walker.
Under the new deal, the Michel-promoted cards will air on Friday nights and the Hennessy Sports shows from Europe will air on Saturday afternoons. WealthTV and Hennessy Sports are scheduled for at least four live cards for the rest of the year -- Sept. 21, Oct. 12, Oct. 27 and Dec. 14.
Hey, I'm all for as much televised boxing as possible. But I just hope the fights are more legitimate than the ones WealthTV already has been involved in.
Dan Rafael
Boxing- ESPN.com boxing writer since 2005
- Writes pound-for-pound rankings
- Five years at USA Today
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Dan Rafael
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer. Rafael began writing for ESPN.com in March 2005 after working for five years as the boxing writer for USA Today. He can be reached on Twitter at danrafaelespn.
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