ESPN’s huge Pacquiao vs. Rios coverage lineup

Starting Monday, Nov. 18, ESPN will present multi-platform pre- and post-fight coverage of the 12-round Welterweight fight between Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) and Brandon Ríos (31-1-1, 22 KOs). SportsCenter and ESPN Deportes will provide daily news and information throughout the week.

The fight, from the Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena, in Macau, China, will be distributed live on Saturday Nov. 23, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO-Pay-Per-View. As part of ESPN and HBO Sports’ boxing programming and marketing agreement, ESPN news and information platforms 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/Ríos, and classic Pacquiao and Ríos fights.

Pacquiao vs. Rios on ESPN Television

SportsCenter:

• Bilingual boxing reporter Bernardo Osuna will be in Macau providing pre-and post-fight interviews and analysis.
• Interviews with both fighters Tuesday and Thursday during the 8 p.m. edition of SportsCenter and coverage of weigh-in on Friday.

ESPN Deportes’ Semana de Campeones (Week of Champions):

• A Los Golpes: commentators Claudia Trejos and Julio César Chávez, Sr. will provide in-depth analysis and discussion of the fight from Los Angeles (Monday, Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m.).
• Golpe a Golpe: Jorge Eduardo Sánchez, and Juan Manuel Márquez will provide coverage from Mexico of Friday’s weigh-in with Osuna reporting from Macau (Friday, Nov. 22, 6:30 p.m.). A special pre-fight show with Márquez, Sánchez and Osuna  will air Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m. coverage will continue on ESPN Deportes+, ESPN Deportes’ digital extension available via WatchESPN.com. Following the fights, ESPN Deportes will air a special post-fight show Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 a.m.
• SportsCenter, Capitanes, Radio Fórmula, Cronómetro, and Nación ESPN will have daily segments previewing the fight.

24/7 Pacquiao/Ríos (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN): HBO’s Emmy-Award-winning all-access reality series, follows both fighters as they prepare for their Welterweight showdown (see schedule below).

Classic Pacquiao and Ríos fights (ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes): Both networks will reair Pacquiao vs. Marquez III and Ríos vs. Alvarado I. In 2011, Pacquiao defeated Márquez in their third fight, scoring a 12-round majority decision. In 2012, Ríos scored a seventh-round TKO win over Mike Alvarado. ESPN Deportes will also reair Pacquiao vs. Oscar De La Hoya. In 2008, Pacquiao scored an eighth-round TKO win over De La Hoya (see schedule below).

Pacquiao vs. Rios ESPN Digital/Print Coverage

ESPN3 live coverage of press conference, weigh-in and Pacquiao vs. Ríos non-televised undercard fights: ESPN3 will carry Wednesday’s press conference (8:30 a.m.) and Friday’s weigh-in (6:30 p.m.) live on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox and Apple TV to fans who receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider. ESPN3 will also carry Pacquaio vs. Ríos non-televised undercard fights Saturday (7 p.m.).

ESPN.com:

• Comprehensive coverage including pre- and post-fight features and blogs from Dan Rafael, Eric Raskin, Bernardo Pilatti, and Brian Campbell. Kieran Mulvaney will be on site in Macau providing pre- and post-fight stories throughout the week.
• “Fight Credential,” ESPN.com’s home page for all Pacquiao-Ríos coverage, updated with features, video, photos and social media from all platforms throughout the week and through the fight.
• HBO’s Face Off with Max Kellerman: Pacquiao-Rios. Both fighters square off debate-style with Kellerman serving as moderator.
• Tyson on Pacquiao- Ríos: Former Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson breaks down the fight between the two fighters.
• Live fight-night blog featuring analysis from Mulvaney and Campbell.
• Video previews and breakdowns from Making the Rounds, ESPN.com’s original boxing show.

ESPN The Magazine:

Features writer Tim Struby will be in Macau for a post-fight piece in ESPN The Magazine.

Social

#TeamPacquiao and #TeamRios (@ESPN Twitter; fight week): ESPN will ask its Twitter followers why they’re for #TeamPacquiao or #TeamRios, and re-tweet the best replies.

Schedule of Pacquiao vs. Ríos Coverage across ESPN Platforms: