July 26th, 2025, will mark the end of one of the longest streaming and broadcast partnerships in modern boxing history. The original ESPN-Top Rank partnership began all the way back in April 1980, with the weekly ‘Top Rank Boxing Series,’ which quickly became the longest-running cable boxing series and ran for 16 consecutive years until 1996. Top Rank then bounced between various platforms before rekindling its partnership with ESPN in mid-2017, kicking off with the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn fight. This event launched a new four-year agreement, which both sides later extended to seven years.

According to the contract, Top Rank would deliver 54 boxing events per year, including ESPN+ programming. However, earlier this year, in February, ESPN revealed that it would not be renewing its long-standing deal with Top Rank when their deal ends in July. And now here we are, at the end of an era of boxing broadcasts. After nearly 24 years of consistent collaboration through two distinct partnerships, Top Rank and ESPN will officially part ways for good. This development prompts a single question: With ESPN gone, what lies ahead for Top Rank? The promotion is home to some of the biggest fighters in the world, like Naoya Inoue, Tyson Fury, Brian Norman Jr., and more. So, the promotion needs to be quick in finding a new deal. Well, according to the founder and CEO, Bob Arum, the process is already underway to find a new home.

Top Rank is not going anywhere

Ahead of the final Top Rank-ESPN event at Madison Square Garden Theater, New York, former HBO Producer Curran Bhatia sat down with Bob Arum and asked immediately, “We’ll be back in a different form, I am sure. Anything you can share at all? Do you plan on working with any streaming service? Any thoughts on your mind?” he asked. According to the promoter, there is no cause for concern. His team is already planning a massive deal and is confident that they will crack it soon enough. “We are going to work with a big streaming service. We are currently negotiating a deal. Also, an over-the-air network,” he revealed.

This ending seems rather bittersweet. However, given the new priorities of both parties, this seems like the best action. Reportedly, both ESPN and Top Rank are shifting to a new direction. The streaming platform is going to focus more on NBA and SEC football, reducing its boxing commitment. On the other hand, the 93-year-old also wants to pursue a multi-platform, multi-partner model for his promotion, much like major US sporting organizations like the NFL or NBA, rather than relying on a single broadcast partner.

While others may have qualms about this strategy, Arum believes it will revolutionize boxing streaming, enabling it to rival other major sports, a change that is desperately required in his opinion.

Making boxing more accessible to fans

“We’re going to have more than now. We were just have one: ESPN. Which we can only put our events on ESPN,” Arum added, claiming that in the past, they used to dump all their content on a single platform. “But I think going forward, we’ll have two or three outlets, and that’ll make it, I think, going forward a much more palatable to the public, to the fighters and to us,” he added.

Reports indicate that Top Rank is actively negotiating with platforms such as Amazon Prime, NBC, and DAZN to broadcast its boxing events. This move aims to broaden the reach of its fights, allowing fans with existing subscriptions to these services to access events without additional costs. It will also increase the event frequency and variety, giving more fighters the world stage they deserve. Additionally, this opens the door for Bob Arum to forge partnerships with other major promotions like Matchroom, PBC, and Golden Boy, which are already aligned with platforms like DAZN and Amazon.

Taking everything into account, this shift benefits all involved, with no hard feelings between the parties. So, while Bob Arum is focused on finding a new home/homes for Top Rank, currently, he would love to end this partnership with ESPN on the best note. And there’s no better way to say goodbye than with two co-main events featuring Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Garcia and Bruce Carrington vs. Mateus Heita. A few fighters are poised to carry the Top Rank banner into this new era of broadcasting. What do you think?