Premier Boxing Champions

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) is an ongoing series of televised boxing events connected to manager Al Haymon.

PBC was initially promoted as an effort to return boxing to mainstream broadcast and cable television, as opposed to premium channels and pay-per-view. The first Premier Boxing Champions card was broadcast by NBC on March 7, 2015, and the promotion reached deals with an array of other broadcasters, with brokered cards scheduled across all four of the major television networks in the United States (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) and their affiliated sports-oriented cable networks (ESPN, CBS Sports Network, FS1, and NBCSN, respectively), as well as on outlets such as Spike and Bounce TV.

In parallel with the focus on major cards on broadcast television, the events initially featured a more elaborate in-arena staging than other boxing events, featuring an entrance stage, and a circular marquee and jumbotron suspended above the ring. The telecasts also employed various technologies, including a 360-degree camera rig above the ring, and sensor-equipped gloves and shorts for gathering additional statistics. However, these features were phased out from later events. By 2018, PBC had established long-term deals with Fox Sports and Showtime, with the networks paying traditional rights fees, and holding the rights to produce PBC pay-per-view events.

Although it promotes the media rights of its associated events, PBC is not considered to be a promoter, in compliance with the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (which forbids a manager from also serving as a promoter). Haymon considers himself an "adviser" and manager.^[1] Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank both filed lawsuits against Haymon and the investors of PBC, arguing that through PBC and other internal intricacies, Haymon was serving as both a manager and promoter—actions which are forbidden under the Ali Act. Additionally, the two promoters claimed violations of antitrust law, with Top Rank in particular claiming that Haymon was trying to effectively monopolize professional boxing in the United States by consolidating boxers with overpaid contracts, venue bookings, the events themselves, and broadcast rights under his ownership. Top Rank settled its suit in May 2016, while the Golden Boy suit was dismissed in 2017 after a judge ruled that it had "failed to demonstrate that there is a genuine issue of material fact".