After an exciting but somewhat restrained start to their partnership, the union between Amazon Prime Video and Premier Boxing Champions is expected to deliver a more robust boxing schedule in 2025, according to former head of Showtime Sports, Stephen Espinoza, now working as a consultant for PBC.
The PBC on Prime Video coupling resulted in five shows in 2024, four of them pay-per-views, including three headlined by superstars Canelo Alvarez (2x) and Gervonta “Tank” Davis in separate fights.
“For 2025, the training wheels are off,” Espinoza told BoxingScene. “There was a period of getting acquainted and getting into a rhythm with PBC and Prime Video. And that was 2024. You can already see from the first couple of events in 2025 that it’s going to be a busier year. There’s a couple of non-pay-per-view events that will be announced shortly for the first quarter.”
Espinoza spoke on Tuesday before the start of a press conference in Brooklyn, New York between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Lamont Roach, who will headline a lightweight title fight on March 1 in a PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view for Davis’ belt. That will follow an attractive clash on Feb. 1 between undefeated power punchers David Benavidez and David Morrell at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in a light heavyweight bout on PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view.
There is also a non-pay-per-view event being planned for Feb. 15 at the Caribe Royale, in Orlando, Fla. with an as yet to be announced main event, a source told BoxingScene.
Regarding the Tank-Roach undercard on March 1, a matchup between WBA junior welterweight titleholder Jose “El Rayo” Valenzuela and top contender Gary Antuanne Russell could land on the pay-per-view, a source confirmed to BoxingScene.
“The February 1 Benavidez vs. Morrell card is really an intriguing card from top to bottom with high quality fights,” Espinoza said. “This one [between Davis and Roach] will be well supported as well. So I think you’re going to see a step-up in the level of activity in 2025 and I think that will be a welcome development for boxing.”
Added Espinoza of the changing winds of the boxing industry and new platforms getting into the sport, “Clearly, the U.S. boxing market is in transition – HBO getting out, Showtime getting out, Fox is not active anymore. So there’s a period of transition and it’s exciting to see the activity level getting taken up by Amazon and Netflix. It’s a critical period for the sport as they develop these new platforms.”