The Big Fight Live
| The Big Fight Live | |
|---|---|
| Presented by |
Jim Rosenthal (1984-2010) Mark Pougatch (2017-) |
| Starring |
Barry McGuigan (1984-2010) TBC (2017-) |
| Opening theme | "Drive to the Boatyard" by Ilan Eshkeri |
| Country of origin | UK |
| Production | |
| Running time | Variable |
| Release | |
| Original network |
ITV ITV4 ITV Box Office |
| Picture format | Originally PAL, later 720x576 (anamorphic 16:9) |
| Original release | 1984–1995, 2005–2010, 2017- |
| External links | |
| Website | www |
The Big Fight Live is a British boxing television programme, broadcast by ITV Sport regularly from 1984-1995 and again from 2005-2010. In 2017, over 30 years after it was first launched, ITV announced that 'The Big Fight Live' would return after it was announced Chris Eubank JR would fight for the world title on ITV Box Office.
ITV's boxing coverage had largely been confined to big fights from the USA in the 1970s and early 80s, which were covered as part of World of Sport and as separate programmes. Until 1984, they were largely shut out of British domestic boxing due to a cartel operated by promoters such as Jarvis Astaire, Harry Levene and Mickey Duff, who had contracts with the BBC.
ITV obtained the rights to show fights promoted by then-rebel promoter Frank Warren's Sports Network in 1984. Several years later, a contract with Barry Hearn followed as a result of his friendship with Greg Dyke, while the network also worked closely with other promoters including Don King. Until the early 1990s, the programmes were titled Boxing, World Championship Boxing, "The Big Fight Live" (a name occasionally used in the 1980s) or shown as part of Midweek Sport Special. Until 1985, boxing continued to be shown on World of Sport, before the programme was axed.
In the early 1990s, most boxing on ITV was branded The Big Fight Live. The exceptions to this were programmes on regional ITV, which used a variety of names, with "Fight Night" and "Seconds Out" being among the names used in some regions, while some overnight highlights programmes featuring less well-known or non-British fighters still used the "World Championship Boxing" title. However, "The Big Fight Live" or "The Big Fight" (for highlights programmes), featuring its bright yellow and black branding and its dramatic theme tune became the consistent brand used for all of ITV's main network boxing coverage. This was a particularly fruitful period for ITV's boxing coverage, as they featured fights involving boxers such as Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Naseem Hamed. These were produced by LWT for the ITV Network, and drew large audiences.
The decline of ITV's boxing portfolio began in mid-1994 when Barry Hearn took Chris Eubank and his stable of fighters to Sky Sports. At the start of 1996, Sky Sports won the rights to show Sports Network (Frank Warren promoted) fights, leaving ITV with only occasional boxing for the following ten years. Their only networked boxing during this period were a few fights involving Shea Neary, thanks to a contract with Merseyside promoter John Hyland. Other bouts were shown on ITV2 and the ITV Sport Channel, while ITV2 also ran a fortnightly magazine show called "Boxing First". This was presented by Russ Williams with Steve Bunce as a regular studio pundit, and other studio guests. The programme featured highlights of fights not shown live on UK television, as well as features. Other boxing was shown on a regional basis, but this was rare.
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