HBO Sports Goes 24/7 For Calzaghe-Jones Bout
Three-Part Promo Series Goes Into Training Camps Of Combatants
By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 9/17/2008 8:41:00 AM
HBO Sports will punch up its Sports Emmy-winning reality franchise 24/7 to support its Nov. 8 Joe Calzaghe/Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view fight.
The three-part series, which will take a behind-the-scenes look at the training camps of the two fighters as they prepare for their light heavyweight championship fight, will air over two consecutive Sundays beginning Oct. 26, according to HBO. The finale will air Nov. 6, two days prior to the bout.
HBO debuted the series in April 2007 supporting the Cinco de Mayo clash between Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather, boxing's all-time pay-per-event, and aired it again last November prior to the Dec. 8, 2007 Mayweather-Ricky Hatton fight.
HBO president Ross Greenburg believes that the compelling back stories behind the United Kingdom-based Calzaghe and the veteran Pensacola, Fla-native Jones justifies the exposure through 24/7.
“We want to see if a Mayweather-less 24/7 has the same appeal for viewers,” he said. “We are looking forward to presenting the contrasts of these two fighters.”
As for future sports projects, Greenburg said the network will air a documentary that looks at how college football played a role in desegregating the South in the 1940’s and 1950s.
He added that HBO will air later this year a live Bob Costas Now episode that will look at the biggest sports events and stars of 2008.
