DETROIT -- The departure of the mega bout featuring eight-division titlist and WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) king Manny Pacquiao from HBO to CBS-Showtime pay per view for a May 7 defense of his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) belt against three-division, five-time titlist Shane Mosley "is not going to upset our position as the pre-eminent boxing network," said HBO President of Sports Ross Greenburg.
Long-time staples on HBO, the 32-year-old southpaw Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 knockouts) and the 39-year-old Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) will clash at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in the first-ever appearance on Showtime for both fighters in a move by Top Rank Promotions' CEO, Bob Arum.
Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, acknowledged a big advantage presented by Showtime's ability to televise a multi-part series that is equivalent to HBO's 24/7 -- on CBS prime time. There is also CBS's ability to reach 115 million homes compared to HBO's 28 million homes.
"It was a business decision that Bob Arum made, and it's a one-fight deal and we'll just take it from there and that's really all that I can say about it," said Greenburg. "We're just moving on and doing what we do best, and that's putting big fights together between the best in the world. I don't want to spectulate beyond that."
Greenburg spoke to FanHouse concerning the development on Saturday night at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. moments prior to the junior welterweight (140 pounds) clash during which WBO king Tim Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs) earned an HBO televised 10-round, technical decision victory over southpaw WBC titlist Devon Alexander (21-1, 13 KOs).
In victory, Bradley may have thrust himself into consideration as a viable opponent for either Pacquiao or six-time champion Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) -- potentially on HBO.
"This is a one-fight deal. We'll just wait and see what happens after this fight. It's more a matter of us having established over 35 years as a brand at HBO boxing -- and I've been a part of it for 32 of those 35 years. This is not going to upset our position as the pre-imenant boxing network," said Greenburg.
"That's what we pride ourselves on, and we'll continue to look for the best fighters in the world," said Greenburg. "And if they're in the same division, then we'll match them up. That's what the public expects us to do, and that's what we'll continue to do."
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