Top Rank And ESPN Are Reportedly In Broadcast Negotiations
Top Rank and ESPN have re-entered discussions to sign a new broadcast deal.
After an eight-year run, ESPN and Top Rank parted ways in July 2025. Top Rank reportedly sought out new partners with suggestions that preliminary talks took place with Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. This comes after Arum confirmed last year that talks were ongoing with other outlets once it became clear that Top Rank and ESPN would not renew their deal.
While that may have been the case, Arum remained coy over the names that were involved. However, given that talks with ESPN are now underway, Top Rank could find itself back with a familiar broadcast partner.
“Well we understood that going forward that the future of television was in streaming and we are currently negotiating a streaming deal and also, you know, we’ll still have a presence on over-the-air television and I think our schedule going forward will be very, very robust. While negotiations are going on you’re better off not saying who, because we’re talking with everybody, but it’s not to say who you’re really favoring going forward until a deal is struck,” Arum said
Will It Happen?
On January 1, 2026, the UFC officially moved its content to Paramount+ under a seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement, leaving ESPN with a gap to fill in their combat sports schedule. Furthermore, the departure of Matt Kenny and Glenn Jacobs, who both left ESPN for Paramount—is viewed as a turning point. That has now raised suggestions that a new deal could be signed.
Al Bernstein, who was a broadcaster for 24 years with ESPN, had this to say. “I worked at @espn for 24 years. Their relationship with the sport of boxing has always been schizophrenic. They get enamored for a while, then not so much, then a little interested, then indifferent sometimes even condescending & dismissive. This process will never change. So, if this story is true it doesn’t shock me,” Bernstein said
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