Fight of the Week
Encyclopedia
Fight of the Week was a live American professional boxing series that aired on ABC-TV
from 1960–1963.
After NBC
-TV's cancellation of The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports
in the spring of 1960
, ABC took over the prime time
boxing program, although it was renamed Fight of the Week. Legendary boxing commentator Don Dunphy
did the blow-by-blow description of the bouts, which took place on Saturday beginning in October 1960 through September 1963.
From there, the series moved to Friday nights, where it continyed until ABC finally cancelled prime time boxing after the bout of September 11, 1964, permanently ending 18 years of regularly scheduled prime time boxing on U.S.
broadcast network television. One reason for the downturn of televised boxing in the U.S. during the early 1960s may have happened on March 24, 1962, when Emile Griffith
defeated Benny "The Kid" Paret
for the Welterweight Championship at New York
's Madison Square Garden
. Paret was carried from the ring unconsciously, and on April 3 of that year, died as a result of his injuries that he had sustained in that bout.
Occasionally, between September 1964 and the mid-1980s
, there were a number of boxing events on broadcast television (network and syndication
). Since then, however, boxing found a home with several pay-per-view
specials, along with monthly, or semi-monthly scheduled bouts on premium channels such as HBO
and Showtime, along with the long-running series USA Tuesday Night Fights
on USA Network
(1982-1998). Currently, the weekly cable bouts can be seen on ESPN2
.
Fight of the Week was also shown in the United Kingdom
as part of the long-running BBC
Saturday afternoon sports programme Grandstand
. The Gillette sponsorship was listed in the Radio Times
, which was considered daring at the time because the BBC was generally resistant to hints of commercialism (and sponsored programmes were not allowed even on commercial TV
in the UK until the early 1990s).
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 1960–1963.
After NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
-TV's cancellation of The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports
Gillette Cavalcade of Sports
The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports was an American network radio program and later television program that included broadcasts of a variety of sports, although it is primarily remembered by many for its focus on boxing.-Overview and background:...
in the spring of 1960
1960 in television
The year 1960 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1960.For the American TV schedule, please see: 1960-61 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, ABC took over the prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
boxing program, although it was renamed Fight of the Week. Legendary boxing commentator Don Dunphy
Don Dunphy
Don Dunphy was a United States television and radio sports announcer specializing in boxing broadcasts. Dunphy was noted for his fast paced delivery and enthusiasm for the sport. It is estimated that he did "blow-by-blow" action for over 2,000 fights. The Friday Night Fights were broadcast every...
did the blow-by-blow description of the bouts, which took place on Saturday beginning in October 1960 through September 1963.
From there, the series moved to Friday nights, where it continyed until ABC finally cancelled prime time boxing after the bout of September 11, 1964, permanently ending 18 years of regularly scheduled prime time boxing on U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
broadcast network television. One reason for the downturn of televised boxing in the U.S. during the early 1960s may have happened on March 24, 1962, when Emile Griffith
Emile Griffith
Emile Alphonse Griffith is a former boxer who was the first fighter from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion. He is perhaps best known for his controversial third fight with Benny Paret in 1962 for the welterweight world championship...
defeated Benny "The Kid" Paret
Benny Paret
Benny "the Kid" Paret, born Bernardo Paret , born in Santa Clara, Cuba, was a Cuban welterweight boxer. Paret won the world welterweight title twice in the early 1960s and died in 1962 following an unsuccessful attempt to defend the crown in what is considered to be the first ring death witnessed...
for the Welterweight Championship at New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Paret was carried from the ring unconsciously, and on April 3 of that year, died as a result of his injuries that he had sustained in that bout.
Occasionally, between September 1964 and the mid-1980s
Boxing in the 1980s
Boxing in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali as the...
, there were a number of boxing events on broadcast television (network and syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
). Since then, however, boxing found a home with several pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
specials, along with monthly, or semi-monthly scheduled bouts on premium channels such as HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
and Showtime, along with the long-running series USA Tuesday Night Fights
USA Tuesday Night Fights
USA Tuesday Night Fights is a television boxing show. It aired from October 1, 1982 through August 25, 1998 on the USA Network; at one time it was the longest continually-running boxing show on television....
on USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
(1982-1998). Currently, the weekly cable bouts can be seen on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
.
Fight of the Week was also shown in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as part of the long-running BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Saturday afternoon sports programme Grandstand
Grandstand (BBC)
Grandstand was a British television sport programme. Broadcast between 1958 and 2007, it was one of the BBC's longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year.Its first presenter was Peter Dimmock...
. The Gillette sponsorship was listed in the Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
, which was considered daring at the time because the BBC was generally resistant to hints of commercialism (and sponsored programmes were not allowed even on commercial TV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in the UK until the early 1990s).