Top Rank, headed by Bob Arum, saw its broadcast agreement with ESPN end with last month’s event, featuring Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia Perez. This marked the end of boxing on linear TV after decades. While the boxing promotion didn’t have a broadcast home by that point, the UFC signed a monumental $7.7 billion deal with Paramount for seven years—days after its merger with Skydance—leaving ESPN behind at the end of 2025.
Under the new agreement, Paramount+ will air 13 numbered events and 30 fight nights in the US, with some events also airing on CBS. This move had shaken up the combat world, but Top Rank, a longtime promoter, continued to struggle to find a broadcast partner. Speculations suggested that the promotion had talked to Warner Bros., Netflix, HBO, DAZN, and others for a deal, but nothing seemed to have worked out. But that seems to have changed.
“Top Rank is finalizing a deal with a cable channel that has never done Boxing previously, to do one show a month,” boxing insider Rick Glasser revealed on X. If this is true, boxing will see a return to linear TV, continuing its long tradition. While this might not have been the most lucrative deal for Top Rank, there’s a silver lining. “But the deal will not be exclusive for Top Rank, so TR will be able to do business with other platforms.”
Top Rank is finalizing a deal with a cable channel that has never done Boxing previously, to do one show a month, but the deal will not be exclusive for Top Rank, so TR will be able to do business with other platforms. And Top Rank will retain the foreign rights to the shows. Out…
— Rick Glaser (@RealRickGlaser1) August 18, 2025
This means Top Rank will have the freedom to air its fights on a variety of different platforms, which UFC had planned to do. “And Top Rank will retain the foreign rights to the shows. Out of what little respect I may have for Top Rank, I will not disclose the network,” Glasser claimed. As for how much the agreement is worth, Glasser didn’t reveal the number, but claimed, “Middle of the road type money” when a X user asked.
DAZN had been building a near-monopoly in boxing broadcasting, but the promotion’s decision to sign with a cable network prevents it from achieving complete dominance. Top Rank, meanwhile, still boasts major stars like Naoya Inoue and Keyshawn Davis. Yet, over the years, the promotion has also seen the departure of notable talents such as Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson.
Regardless, UFC and boxing aren’t the only sports to part ways with ‘The Worldwide Leader in Sports’.
ESPN and Major League Baseball will end their deal
With boxing already out, and UFC slated to exit after 2025, ESPN’s coverage of Major League Baseball will also come to an end after the 2025 season. This will mark the end of a partnership that began all the way back in 1990. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro informed Commissioner Rob Manfred that the network is opting out of the final three years of its seven-year, $3.85 billion contract.
May 2, 2025, Florida, USA: MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks with members of the media during the annual MLB Media Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. USA – ZUMAs70_ 0816017662st Copyright: xTampaxBayxTimesx
MLB was disappointed with the split, stating, “We have seen ESPN scale back their baseball coverage and investment in a way that is not consistent with the sport’s appeal or performance on their platform. Given that MLB provides strong viewership, valuable demographics, and the exclusive right to cover unique events… ESPN’s demand to reduce rights fees is simply unacceptable.”
While ESPN said it was “grateful for our longstanding relationship with Major League Baseball,” Manfred told owners it was not prudent to accept a reduced deal. MLB is now expected to pursue broader national exposure, with traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms expressing their interest.
It appears ESPN has gotten rid of three major sports at least in 2025. While the UFC has found a new home with a lucrative salary, more details are expected to emerge about Top Rank’s new partnership. Where do you think Top Rank is headed?
The post Boxing’s Top Rank to Secure Cable Deal as UFC’s $7.7B Move Shakes Up Combat World After ESPN Exit appeared first on EssentiallySports.