Carnage
06-06-2009, 12:42 PM
PROMOTER Mick Hennessy says ITV would be "crazy" if they pulled the plug on boxing again.
ITV only returned to the sport two years ago and got massive figures for Carl Froch's WBC title win over Jean Pascal in Nottingham last year.
ITV4 have also been showing Hennessy's successful small-hall shows, but their deal expires at the end of the year.
It casts another shadow over Froch's proposed unification fight with IBF champion Lucian Bute, which he hopes will be in Nottingham on September 5 or 12. Talks have already stalled after the Canadian -based Romanian apparently upped his demands and a new date of October 3 has been mentioned.
And if Hennessy cannot get television coverage over here, the fight may have to be switched to Las Vegas or Canada, where Bute is big box office.
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The BBC pulled out of boxing after getting their fingers burned by Audley Harrison while Setanta, who are in financial trouble, also declined to screen Froch's last fight.
This was eventually bought by Showtime and was also shown live on pay-per-view on the internet. ITV screened it the following day.
A spokesman for Hennessy Sports said: "Carl was never signed up exclusively to ITV so if these rumours ever turn out to be true it will not affect Carl's next fight.
"Currently Mick is in discussions with all UK broadcasters regarding TV rights."
ITV only returned to the sport two years ago and got massive figures for Carl Froch's WBC title win over Jean Pascal in Nottingham last year.
ITV4 have also been showing Hennessy's successful small-hall shows, but their deal expires at the end of the year.
It casts another shadow over Froch's proposed unification fight with IBF champion Lucian Bute, which he hopes will be in Nottingham on September 5 or 12. Talks have already stalled after the Canadian -based Romanian apparently upped his demands and a new date of October 3 has been mentioned.
And if Hennessy cannot get television coverage over here, the fight may have to be switched to Las Vegas or Canada, where Bute is big box office.
[Only registered and activated users can see links] ([Only registered and activated users can see links])
The BBC pulled out of boxing after getting their fingers burned by Audley Harrison while Setanta, who are in financial trouble, also declined to screen Froch's last fight.
This was eventually bought by Showtime and was also shown live on pay-per-view on the internet. ITV screened it the following day.
A spokesman for Hennessy Sports said: "Carl was never signed up exclusively to ITV so if these rumours ever turn out to be true it will not affect Carl's next fight.
"Currently Mick is in discussions with all UK broadcasters regarding TV rights."