Final Countdown to ESPN, Top Rank Deal Begins as Boxing Insider Reveals Future Plan for Bob Arum’s Promotion

Bob Arum‘s Top Rank will close the year with the Naoya Inoue showdown. ESPN+ will broadcast the title defense between ‘The Monster’ and Sam Goodman. It will be some time before the promotion’s schedule for early 2025 surfaces. Nevertheless, fans and followers will have to bookmark a particular date. Reportedly, on Saturday, July 26, 2025, ESPN will air the final Top Rank event.

It was in the early 1980s that Top Rank and the sports network joined hands. A weekly boxing event on the cable network commenced. The inaugural event featured the April 1980 fight between middleweights Frank Fletcher and Ben Serrano. The agreement witnessed a renewal in 2018. ESPN decided to extend the contract up to 2025. Veteran boxing insider shed some light on the latest development.

Bob Arum and Top Rank to embark on a new journey

“Told by a quality TV/Media source that #TopRank’s last ESPN #Boxing show in the #TR/#Disney/#ESPN deal will be Saturday, July 26,” read Rick Glaser‘s tweet. He further elaborated that over the next seven months, Top Rank will have only ’10 ESPN dates’.

Expected to commence from August 2025, Glaser pointed out that Bob Arum‘s Top Rank is actively negotiating a new broadcasting rights deal with a different media platform to ensure a smooth changeover when the current deal expires.

Roughly a month ago, speaking at ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’, Top Rank’s Todd DuBoef offered some details on the development. “Speaking of ESPN, ESPN Plus, the fight life, the event this Friday, your deal is coming up with ESPN, I believe. Uh, does it come to an end in August of 2025?” asked the 2023 MMA Journalist of the Year Award recipient.

Anticipating the endless opportunities that lie ahead

DuBoef acknowledged that the contract will expire in ‘midsummer 2025’. He was not in a position to share the details about the negotiations that are currently taking place. However, he revealed, “We’re out there talking to everybody.” The Top Rank President emphasized that they value the current relationship with ESPN. However, the sports media landscape has evolved.

He cited the examples of the NBA and NFL, who expanded their partnership with multiple media companies. The shift displays the increasing complexity and opportunities in sports broadcasting. He also mentioned that when considering future media deals, it’s important to decide whether they should focus on a specific country (domestic rights) or aim for worldwide distribution (global rights).

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DuBoef replied in the affirmative. However, timing wasn’t the primary concern here. DuBoef shared that they didn’t want to rush into making decisions about media partnerships. They want to carefully consider all options. Ensure the strategy is sound, and work with trusted professionals to choose the best platform and partners for the future.

What would your ideal media partner look like? Share your vision with us in the comments below.