Due to the demand of boxing fans, EPIX, the multiplatform premium entertainment service, will exclusively televise Live to the U.S., the World Boxing Organization (WBO) light heavyweight title fight between defending champion Juergen Braehmer and WBO interim light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly, Saturday, May 21. The live broadcast, emanating from The O2 in London, will open with the highly-charged grudge match between rivals James DeGale and George Groves, for the British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles, beginning at 4 p.m. ET. EpixHD.com will stream the fights live. EPIX had originally announced that the fights would be televised at a later date via tape-delay.
EPIX will once again present the closed-captioned simulcast of the main event on a jumbotron screen in Times Square (Broadway at 44th St.), beginning 5 p.m. ET.
“With so much attention being focused on the light heavyweight division lately, EPIX is very happy to be able to present this exciting world title fight between defending WBO champion Juergen Braehmer and WBO interim champion Nathan Cleverly and James DeGale against George Groves,” said Mark Greenberg, President and CEO of EPIX. “Combined, 39 of their 57 victories have come by knockout. It’s a good bet knockout No. 40 will occur during this exciting rumble.”
Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren, now into his 30th year in the sport, said after completing the deal: “It’s fantastic to be working with the new kids on the block, EPIX, for the first time and it’s a great show to start off with. I’ve worked with Mark Greenberg in the early days at Showtime and I’m delighted to be working with him again. The show at The O2 is set to be a great night showcasing the best talent in British boxing, DeGale against Groves is the biggest domestic showdown since the Nigel Benn-Chris Eubank epics in the ‘90s and is heating up to be a dynamite fight; Cleverly is the rising young star and he faces a big test against Braehmer, who is a tough and experienced champion and a win for him will put him in the frame for big fights against top Americans Chad Dawson and Tavoris Cloud. It will give the boxers a great opportunity to showcase their talent and establish themselves in the U.S. early in their careers.”
