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Boxing gets into streaming content game

Streaming services have become all the rage in an era in which viewers have the ability to watch their favorite programs away the television.

Boxing fans have been neglected in this department … until now.

The Ring Magazine announced Friday that it has taken a significant step toward the future with its twice-a-month plan to stream live events while also offering some of boxing’s biggest fights on demand.

Oscar De La Hoya has a major role in The Ring TV, boxing's new streaming service. (Getty)
Oscar De La Hoya has a major role in The Ring TV, boxing's new streaming service. (Getty)

In a partnership with Golden Boy Promotions, The Ring’s digital platform (The Ring TV) will stream a pair of GBP boxing events. One of the events will be the popular LA Fight Club series from the Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles that focuses on the sport’s up-and-comers.

For the nostalgic boxing fan, The Ring TV’s V.O.D. will offer plenty of intriguing selections, such as Oscar De La Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez (who fought in 1996 and ’98) and Manny Pacquiao’s thunderous knockout of Ricky Hatton in 2009.

According to The Ring TV, it will also offer content that will include “behind-the-scenes segments, dynamic highlights, powerful interviews as well as mini-fight episodes.”

The Ring TV will be immediately available on streaming platforms Roku and Amazon Fire, and eventually Apple TV.

“The boxing fan of today is interested in following the sport through multiple mediums – cable, V.O.D., print, mobile, online and streaming video,” said Michael Rosenthal, editor-in-chief of The Ring Magazine. “Our fan base is loyal and eager to watch not only live, action-packed fights, but everything that goes into making those fights. That includes training, press conferences, weigh-ins and more. The Ring TV app will help us deliver that type of content to fans all over the world.”

While Golden Boy Promotions is the current focus of The Ring TV, it appears that the streaming service will look to secure deals with some of boxing’s top promoters to expand its offerings.

“The Ring is boxing’s oldest and most trusted source of information on the sweet science, with brand recognition among fight fans all over the world,” said De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Enterprises, which owns The Ring. “We are thrilled to provide the first round of content to The Ring TV and our growing base of platforms through our events.”