ESPN’s Dan Rafael reports that Saturday night’s HBO Boxing event featuring Miguel Cotto taking on Daniel Geale drew an average of 1.589 million subscribers for the night. The one fight event which lasted less than an hour as Cotto stopped Geale in 4 rounds peaked at 1.621 million viewers.
The ratings reflect a great run for boxing on HBO, and for the sport in general. Saturday night’s ratings were the third-highest of the year for the network. Notably, the highest rating for this year was last month’s Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland fight which drew 2.146 million HBO viewers. It’s rumored that Cotto-Canelo will be next and should provide some spark to HBO PPV this September.
Sports TV Ratings breaks down the HBO Boxing ratings even more from Saturday:
10:31pm-10:52pm ET 1.289 million viewer average
10:52pm-11:05pm ET 1.589 million viewer average
11:05pm-11:17pm ET 1.361 million viewer average
HBO Boxing Ratings for 2015 (main event fights only)
January 2015
Rios-Alvarado: 1.252 million viewers
February 2015
GGG-Murray: 862,000 viewers
March 2015
Kovalev-Pascal: 1.152 million viewers
April 2015
Klitschko-Jennings: 1.63 million viewers
May 2015
Canelo-Kirkland: 2.146 million viewers
GGG-Monroe: 1.338 million viewers
June 2015
Cotto-Geale: 1.589 million viewers
Let me know if I missed any HBO boxing events and we will try to fill in the blanks.
Payout Perspective:
It’s clear that boxing is gaining steam not only with PBC but it seems that HBO (and possibly Showtime) are benefitting from televised boxing. Cotto’s performance on Saturday clears the way for two big fights in the future. First, he will be the B-side to Canelo Alvarez in September and then a possible fight with GGG next year. All of a sudden, boxing is producing some interesting matchups.
saldathief says
Yea Maypac will hurt boxing ?? bahahahahhaha
joe says
Great showing so far
d says
Haha. Better than PBC on NBC.
Also, they are producing 2 interesting matchups and they are losing their two biggest stars. It is all pretty much down from here, not up.
saldathief says
Bhahaha D keeps saying that and boxing numbers continue to go up and ufc numbers continue to go down haha
tops E says
Boxing is really doing great….a lot of media exposure this past months…because its on tv….pbc is on mmapayout regularly as well as other media outlets…where as before wilder,thurman etc early in theyre careers they fought non televised bouts…while now the newer boxers are on the undercard on pbc
d says
Boxing numbers are in the shitter, spin doctors like Saldaqueer and tops are in denial. The PBC numbers are atrocious and only the big stars in boxing produce decent numbers. The UFC ppv numbers are back to 2013 levels and their tv ratings are climbing on FS1. PBC is going to lose more money than any sports league in the history of professional sports. 500 million right down the shitter! HAHAHA!!!
Joey Garcia says
Pbc has the potential to be bigger than the Super Bowl. It’s already proven. Boxing big fights puts people in front of the TV which the networks starve for. Good move by the Haymon people. Continue with the great fights there’s no looking back.
saldathief says
D is a complete idiot, he finds an occasional low boxing number, and not from Top Rank or Golden boy mind you, and tries to run with it. UFC numbers are the lowest ever across the board. Boxing is having a good run here with some nice fights coming up. Funny how all the boxing numbers still did as well or better then the UFC wso and glory combined. D cant figure out why the UFC can only do 2 or 3 shows a year that are successful. Talk about pissing 500 million away, the ufc has pissed that and more away and have only Rousey to show for it. bahahaha
d says
Sal is so delusional it is unreal. He fabricates numbers and then acts like the real numbers don’t exist. He is a brain dead moron who has no concept of reality. This nut job is 50 years old and just rants and makes up shit as he goes along. For someone to say that the UFC can only do 2 or 3 shows that is successful and imply boxing can do a number is so delusional and completely ass backwards it is unreal. Boxing can’t do shit other than 2 or 3 shows and has proven it. The UFC is the opposite, they sell with multiple stars.
By the way in a jam, even if the UFC was going under, the name would be worth a lot to another investor. PBC, wouldn’t be worth a pair of boxing gloves. HAHAHA!!!
d says
Alias “Joey Garcia”, you are as insane as Sal if you think PBC could be as big as the Super Bowl or even big in general. The ratings are horrible and have proven only that they will be out of business after losing 500m. They are pulling ratings considerably lower than UFC on FOX with at least triple the overhead. And they can’t fall back on ppv/merchandising, etc. because it doesn’t exist for the league.
Pink Pig says
Very good number! Boxing is making a roaring comeback in 2015
Logical says
Those are amazing numbers for a premium channel–also, taking into consideration that Cotto single-handedly carried the entire event makes it even more impressive. Now as far as PPV, The Canelo vs. Cotto match-up will easily surpass 1 Million buys, especially considering how entertaining both of their last fights were, the historic boxing rivalry between México & Puerto Rico, and the enormous fan base they both have.
Chris says
Good number, about what you’d expect guys like Cotto/Canelo to do.
HBO is owning boxing right now. they lost their spot a few years ago when Showtime was making moves but Showtime is dead, HBO is king and Haymon and PBC are trying to do something but its not going as well as they hoped.
HBO is still king, HBO is still the best network on tv period. Only network worth paying 15 bucks a month for.
FightBusiness says
sweet lord sweet science. you never stop amazing me. I can hear the jealous dry humping haters ” you dont understand, the 4.5 million ppv’s dont count, and after Canelo there will be no more stars.” lol . shits too damn easy. boxing fans lets not address haters. shits too damn easy for boxing and haters will just hate. lets talk amongst ourselfs about Boxings combat sport domination. Canelo vs Cotto does 1 million ppv buys and if held in a stadium in Texas can sell close to 60k seats.
joe says
After the way Cotto handled his fight last weekend I told a friend him v. Canelo could do 2 million buys.
I really think they can. I hope they make it happen either in NY for all the PRicans or Texas for all the Mexicans. These guys have great followings and are entertaining for casuals.
d says
Fagbusiness loves it when they dry hump from a standing position and when tranny and homosexual boxing promoters fabricate their numbers. HAHAHA!
“boxing fans lets not address haters”
Haha. Delusional idiot. This is a mma website where YOU, yes YOU have been trolling.
Let me know when boxing can dominate the ppv industry like the UFC has. Especially with all of their old stars.
d says
Canelo-Cotto will never do 2m buys. Only with Mayweather in it would anyone in boxing do 2m buys.
FightBusiness says
boxing already does dominate ppv. 4.6 million pp buys. LOL LOL. it one the battle last year and will do it again this year. 4.6 plus 1 million for mayweathers september fight and cotto vs canelo. thats 6.6 for the year. if pac had fought it would have been 7 million ppv buys. if soeone grew a set a balls and fought GGG. he’d be banking 500k ppv buys also.
FightBusiness says
mayweather vs pac will never do over 3 million. facepalm.
saldathief says
Even when you show D numbers, he cant mentally accept it, free fight pass must be a strong thing for someone to act like a complete retard online! THE ufc HAD ITS TIME AND THEY BLEW IT! Too bad they got cocky and stupid, I feel bad for the fighters and us fans. Boxing will always be the king of CS. Double again in 2015 bahahahahaha
d says
Yeah, that’s why the UFC outdrew boxing in both buys and revenue in 7 out of the last 8 with last year being the first in 8 years only because of every headliner getting injured. Pathetic. HAHAHA!
Your numbers are delusions and you make up lies about what other people state.
d says
Sal is mentally ill. Everything he accuses others of, he is guilty of himself. He’s too busy ranting to even remember what he said a few hours ago, let alone all the crazy shit he’s said throughout all of his posts.
Pure lunatic.
JF says
Boxing has been around for hundreds of years and will continue to exist for as long as we feel the need to watch people fight.
MMA is new as a legitimate sport with rules and guidelines. It is marginal but popular enough to exist for a long time too. There’s room for both.
Now you guys make up!
saldathief says
8 posts by d on a boxing thread, desperation is a sad state to be in!! bahahahahah
d says
Sal posts an average of 20x on the mma articles. Talk about desperation.
FightBusiness says
by the way people dvr the fight also and watch the replays so the numbers are actually bigger
Matt Malloy says
someone said this…
“Pbc has the potential to be bigger than the Super Bowl. It’s already proven. Boxing big fights puts people in front of the TV which the networks starve for.”
No comment.
saldathief says
Think about this Johnny come lately matt. How would a Maypac type of fight do on NBC or any other network? Hmmmm makes ya think. But the ufc cant think out of the box so never mind
Pink Pig says
Cotto-Canelo > Any UFC PPV
d says
UFC PPV Buys & Revenue over the last decade> Boxing PPV
UFC on Fox Ratings > PBC Ratings
MMA = 18-49 demo, Boxing = P55 demo(aka senior citizens)
The future of boxing…..bleak with all old stars retiring soon
The future of mma…….constantly growing abroad and domestically
tops E says
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2015/6/10/8756291/ufc-brendan-schaub-fighting-no-longer-makes-sense-with-reebok-deal. CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP
tops E says
http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2015/06/10/forbes-announces-2015-list-of-the-worlds-100-highest-paid-athletes/……MONEY MONEY MONEY…..HAHAHA
Pink Pig says
WOW! Mayweather, Pacquiao, & Klitschko make top highest paid athletes yet AGAIN.
Funny thing is that Canelo & Cotto would both be included on the list with their fight.
5 boxers in the top 100 paid athletes in the world!
FightBusiness says
it does have the potential to be bigger than the superbowl. put on great fights on just one network consistantly and you will make boxing mega events bigger than the superbowl. that was already done on may 2nd. that live gate outdrew the superbowl in a smaller venue and those fighters were only on premium before.
d says
Sampson’s source…..once again Bob Arum! HAHAHAHA!!!
d says
Fagbusiness you are brain dead, delusional and everything you said about Dana White being delusional on, you are even more crazy for what you just said. PBC would be lucky to get a contract on the level of the the PBA judging by their ratings. Even mentioning the NFL in the same sentence is something a nut job would say.
By the way, the Super Bowl made literally around 5-6x what that fight made and that was by far the biggest fight in the history of boxing financially. That isn’t something that happens every year like it does with the NFL. If you put Mayweather-Pacquaio on network tv for free, it wouldn’t even outdraw the NFL wild card round of the playoffs.
You are delusional.
FightBusiness says
so many dry humpig haters. mayweather vs pac on nbc doesnt even do about 15 million viewers. the shit did 15 million with people paying 100.00. 4.6 million ppv buys with 7 people behind each set is 28 million right there. (facepalm). not inclusing more illegal downloads. may vs pa would do 40 million on free tv MIMNIMUM. The superbowl outgrossed may 2nd by 4 times. really the superbowl generated 1.6 billion.? damn lying doesnt stop.
4.6 million. beat that!
d says
Yeah, I know the stand up dry humpers troll relentlessly here.
Your numbers are pure fiction.
Wild Card Football draws ratings over 20 million these days. Also, your delusional number of viewers of the boxing match keeps growing more crazy with the figures you just pulled out of your ass.
NBC paid 1 billion dollars just for the rights fees domestically for the Super Bowl. That doesn’t include the other tons of revenue streams for the event. You have literally no idea what you are talking about and every time you pull another stat out of your ass, you just make yourself look more insane. The revenue from the two events is no where even close to comparable, nor is the viewership. The Super Bowl generated so much more. Boxing ratings are a fraction of Pro Football ratings. Boxing ratings can’t even beat UFC ratings as a whole and most people would agree neither sport is mainstream as a whole. That fight was the Super Bowl for boxing and it wouldn’t have even hit 20m viewers on free tv. Wild Card playoff football outdraws it easy.
You are more insane than Bob Arum and Dana White combined.
tops E says
Hahahahaha…since the ufc has no money for fighters to speak off…d is now representing the nfl…..hahahaha….reebok deal makes them mainstream hahahaha…cheap deal….
d says
Tops represents spit bucket boxing boys.
saldathief says
Hey D so what happened? wow the UFC really took a giant shit! Here is a secret that a fuck tard like you and MaTT wouldn’t know. You are only as good as your last show! 3 years ago is irrelevant, ignorant to refer to and plain out retarded to make some kind of claim. Go tell your boss that 3 years ago you had a great sales average when you are sucking shit now. You would be laughed out the door of any company. But since D has never had a real job and is a google idiot we need to explain the REAL world to morons like him and that Fuck stick Matt . Oh an Mexico isnt sold out yet bahahahahha
d says
You are ranting incoherently again. No one can understand you and it is laced with gay, mentally ill shit. You need meds psycho.