Arreola-Stiverne May 10 on ESPN

[GRIM]

Putting my money on Stiverne!

 

This may be a vote of confidence, of sorts: ESPN — the Mother Ship, not ESPN2 or any of its derivatives — will televise the heavyweight championship fight between Riverside’s Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne, the date of which has been set for May 10 at a site to be determined.

 

That development, originally reported by ESPN’s Dan Rafael â€”  who you’d guess would be in a position to know — can be spun one of two ways. The way many boxing observers seem to be looking at it, ESPN is picking up leftovers from the pay cable outlets. HBO televised Stiverne’s decision over Arreola in Ontario last April and apparently had no interest in a rematch, even one for a belt; that could have something to do with a falling out between HBO and Al Haymon, Arreola’s adviser, who has apparently been moving toward the Showtime orbit. Yet Showtime apparently had little interest in this bout as well.

 

But here’s an alternative view: You can be sure this fight will get a lot of attention on the Worldwide Leader in Self-Promotion’s family of networks. There will be plenty of coverage on SportsCenter, on the networks’ various interview and discussion shows, maybe even an Outside The Lines segment. (And expect the ESPN/710 radio crew to develop a sudden interest in this fight, as well, especially drive time host Max Kellerman, who is at heart a boxing guy.) By the time Arreola and Stiverne step into the ring, let’s just say this fight will have been well publicized.

 

And we can only assume, given Arreola’s penchant for salty language, that the seven-second delay will be in full effect for any post-bout interview.