HBO, Showtime Team to Televise Heavyweight Championship Fight

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HBO and Showtime will both televise the April 29 Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua heavyweight championship fight, executives from both networks announced Monday.

Showtime will air the fight -- for Joshua’s International Boxing Federation heavyweight championship title -- live from Wembley Stadium in London (Showtimg promo video here) at 4:15 p.m. ET, with HBO airing the fight on taped delayed basis at 10:45 p.m. later that evening, said network officials.

Showtime is the exclusive U.S. television partner of Joshua, while HBO has an exclusive deal with former champion Klitschko.

"We are thrilled to be delivering Joshua vs. Klitschko to the U.S. audience live on Showtime,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager, Showtime Sports in a statement.

Added Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sports: "Both promoters and both networks have found a solution that enables boxing fans in the U.S. to watch the world heavyweight championship.”

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.