The Sweet Science and the Sovereign Fund

For decades, professional boxing in America existed primarily as a property of premium cable. To watch the top fighters in the world swap left hooks required not only taking out a cable package but also plunking down an extra $10 to $16 for a subscription to either HBO or its less regal counterpart Showtime—to say nothing of the fact that the most tantalizing matchups almost always landed on their pay-per-view arms. There were other outlets like USA (Tuesday Night Fights) and ESPN (Friday Night Fights) that showcased boxing matches, but their remit was relatively minor, although never unimportant, as they provided a shelter for fledgling prospects, jaded journeymen, and washed-up greats.