ESPN’s Multi-Platform Coverage of Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2
Starting Monday, April 7, ESPN will provide extensive coverage surrounding the April 12, 12- round WBO Welterweight title fight rematch between Fighter of the Decade Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs), and reigning undefeated titleholder Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley Jr. (31-0, 12 KOs). Coverage will be provided across ESPN platforms, including daily reports on SportsCenter and ESPN Deportes.
The fight – from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 12 – will be produced and distributed live by HBO-Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET. As part of ESPN and HBO Sports’ boxing programming and marketing agreement, ESPN will have access to key content, including post-fight, in-ring interviews, press conference and weigh-in coverage, HBO’s behind-the-scenes reality series 24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley 2, classic Pacquiao/Bradley fights and Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 non-televised undercard fights.
Television
· SportsCenter: o Boxing experts Teddy Atlas, Dan Rafael, ESPN Friday Night Fights studio host Todd Grisham and bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will be in Las Vegas providing pre-and post- fight analysis and interviews throughout the week. o Live coverage of Friday’s weigh-in during the 6 p.m. hour.
· ESPN Deportes’ Semana de Campeones (Week of Champions): o A Los Golpes: commentators Osuna, Julio César Chávez, Sr., and David Faitelson will provide in-depth analysis and discussion of the fight. (Monday, April 7, 6 p.m.). o Golpe a Golpe: Jorge Eduardo Sánchez, Juan Manuel Márquez, Delvin Rodríguez, Joe Cortez, Claudia Trejos, Osuna, Chávez, and Faitelson will provide the latest news and analysis in a special pre-fight show from Las Vegas (Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m.). Following the fights, ESPN Deportes will air a special post-fight show (Sunday, April 13, 2 a.m.). o ESPN Deportes news and information platforms will have coverage of Wednesday’s press conference and Friday’s weigh- in. o SportsCenter, Capitanes, Radio Fórmula, Cronómetro, and Nación ESPN will have daily segments previewing the fight.
· ESPN Friday Night Fights & Noche de Combates (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN): The April 11 edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra, will feature two-time Middleweight world title challenger Giovanni Lorenzo (33-6, 25 KOs) and undefeated Gilberto Ramírez (27-0, 21 KOs) in the 10-round Super Middleweight main event. Friday’s show, from the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, will air live at 10 p.m. on ESPN2 and 10:30 p.m. on ESPN Deportes. Both shows will also be available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku via WatchESPN.
Grisham, filling in for Joe Tessitore, will be ringside with Atlas describing the action for ESPN2. Rodríguez and Pablo Viruega will call the fights ringside for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Trejos will anchor the studio from Las Vegas. Osuna will present live interviews and reports for both shows. Both shows will preview Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 and will include interviews with both fighters.
Classic Pacquiao and Bradley fights (ESPN Deportes): ESPN Deportes will reair Pacquiao vs. Bradley I (Saturday, April 12, 5:50 p.m.) and Bradley vs. Ruslan Provodnikov (Saturday, April 12, 6:55 p.m.). In 2012, Bradley defeated Pacquiao in their first fight, scoring a controversial 12-round split- decision, giving him the Welterweight title. In 2013, Bradley retained his title, scoring a 12-round unanimous decision win over Ruslan Provodnikov in the Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA’s)/ESPN.com’s fight of the year. Digital
· ESPN3: o ESPN3 will carry Wednesday’s press conference (4 p.m.) and Friday’s weigh-in (6 p.m.) live online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku to fans who receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider. ESPN3 will also carry Pacquaio vs. Bradley 2 non-televised undercard fights Saturday (7 p.m.).
· ESPN.com: o Comprehensive coverage including pre- and post-fight features and blogs from Rafael, Osuna, Eric Raskin, Bernardo Pilatti, Brian Campbell and Nigel Collins. o “Fight Credential,” ESPN.com’s home page for all Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 coverage, updated with features, video, photos and social media from all platforms throughout the week and through the fight.
24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley 2: HBO’s Emmy-Award-winning all-access reality series follows both fighters as they prepare for their Welterweight showdown. o Rafael and ESPN SportsNation host and HBO boxing analyst Max Kellerman preview Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 in a special feature. o HBO’s Face Off with Max Kellerman: Pacquiao/Bradley 2. Both fighters square off debate-style with Kellerman serving as moderator. o “Hot Botton”: Rafael and Campbell make their case for both fighters. o Video previews and breakdowns from Making the Rounds, ESPN.com’s original boxing show. o ESPN3 live streams of Wednesday’s press conference, Friday’s weigh-in, and Saturday’s non-televised undercard fights. o Classic fights: Pacquiao vs. Bradley I in its entirety. o “In Their Own Words” blogs from Pacquiao and Bradley.
Schedule of Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 Coverage across ESPN Platforms: Date
Time (ET)
Coverage
Platform
Mon, Apr 7
6 p.m.
A Los Golpes
ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Wed, Apr 9
4 p.m. Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 Press Conference Live
ESPN3, ESPN.com
Fri, Apr 11
6 p.m.
Pacquiao vs. Bradley 2 Weigh-in Live
SportsCenter, ESPN3, ESPN.com
10 p.m.
ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra
ESPN2, WatchESPN
10:30 p.m.
Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra
ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Sat, Apr 12
4 p.m.
Golpe a Golpe (weigh-in)**
ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
5:50 p.m.
Boxeo Clásico: Pacquiao vs. Bradley I ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
6:55 p.m.
Boxeo Clásico: Bradley vs. Provodnikov ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
7 p.m. Pacquiao vs. Bradley non-televised undercard bouts ESPN3, ESPN.com
8 p.m.
Golpe a Golpe (Pre-Fight) ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
2 a.m.
Golpe a Golpe (Post-Fight) ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN