Pacquiao fight to air on free TV for first time in 12 years

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Manny Pacquiao has been a pay-per-view staple for more than a decade during his prime as boxing’s unquestioned pound-for-pound king.

His biggest haul came in 2015 when his mega fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. reached 4.4 million PPV buys.

Pacquiao’s next fight, however, will be broadcast live on network television for the first time since 2005 when the then-super featherweight star knocked out Hector Velazquez for the WBC International title.

ESPN announced the other day it will carry Pacquiao’s title fight against Jeff Horn on July 2 from Brisbane, Australia.

As per ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Timothy Bradley, whom Pacquiao faced three times in his career, will join the network’s longtime boxing commentators Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore on the broadcast.

Dubbed as “The Battle of Brisbane,” the near 3½-hour telecast will air live on the afternoon of July 2, Brisbane time.