The good news is that the votes are in and Australian boxing fans have won by resounding knockout!

The most amazing statistics were for the Ndou-Cotto/Marquez-Pacquiao card, which received little publicity after being televised at late notice by the good people at Fox Sports who quickly recognised the two great fights they had on their hands. Despite no television guide listing or any on air push, a staggering total of over 180,000 viewers tuned in to see the card. Add to that figure those seeing the card at Fox Sports’ 4000 commercial outlets in pubs and clubs around Australia and that makes for one very large group of people watching boxing!

To put those ratings figures into context, the Channel 7 television network won the 6pm prime time news slot in Sydney last week with a single night high of 450,000 viewers. The boxing program made Fox Sports 2’ top fifteen highest rated programs of the week. Even better, it rated in the top thirty programs on all subscription television that day. The word had spread through AussieBox.com.au, e-mails, website forums and by word of mouth and it made a huge difference. Fox Sports executives were pleasantly surprised at the support for the program.

The Roy Jones Jr.-Antonio Tarver rematch two days later was unique in itself as it represented one of the few Don King Productions cards that Main Event and Sky Channel have shown over the last five years. On this occasion, Don King made a long-term investment in the boxing fan base in Australia. The more fans that watch his cards on a regular basis, the more quality fights that King will be able to offer in this country in an arrangement that is suitable to all parties. After the first encounter, where Jones won a tight points decision, the Jones-Tarver II fight had genuine intrigue. Aussie fans agreed, with excellent buy rates on both Main Event and Sky Channel.

“The fans did support us,” said Main Event's Head of Production David Spencer. “Mundine, Green and De La Hoya have been our best sellers over the last few years. But this card sold well.” The fight had a good purchase rate amongst Sky Channel’s 5000 outlets around the country and the racing network continues to be buoyed by the support that boxing receives and have already locked in the Arturo Gatti-Leo Dorin clash on July 25, to follow on the heels of this weekend’s De La Hoya-Hopkins showcase double-header.