Boxing streaming and TV schedule for May 22-24
Angelo Leo defends his IBF title in Japan, while Josh Taylor and Ekow Essuman face off at welterweight in this week’s biggest boxing events
Thursday, May 22
DAZN, 10:30 pm ET, Bash Boxing. This one is a showcase aimed at promoting mental health in combat sports, with Corey Erdman and Al Bernstein on the call. Three eight rounders are the longest fights, with the listed main event a six rounder between Jonny “Magic” Mansour and Christian “The Land Shark” Avalos.
Friday, May 23
DAZN, 1:00 pm ET, Terri Harper vs Natalie Zimmerman. For Harper’s WBO lightweight title. From a facility in Yorkshire formerly known as “Keepmoat Stadium,” which I thought was badass until I looked it up and learned it’s just the name of a UK homebuilding company that paid for naming rights. Maxi Hughes appears in support. Lower down on the card are two different IBO Continental belt fights. Ask Scott all about them during his live coverage! BLH will have live updates
Saturday, May 24
Abema.TV, 3:00 am ET, Angelo Leo vs Tomoki Kameda. For Leo’s IBF featherweight belt. Unfortunately, there’s currently no legal US or UK broadcast or steaming option. However, for anyone in Japan, or with an internet connection that appears to come from Japan, the fight is available on Abema.TV. If any legal domestic option arises between now and Saturday morning, BLH will have live updates.
DAZN, 11:05 am ET, Taylor vs Essuman prelims. 13 total fights listed on BoxRec for this card. You’ll get 3 hours worth of them here.
DAZN, 2:00 pm ET, Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman. The optimist sees intrigue in the matchup here, even if it seems unlikely to factor into the world title picture. Taylor was an undisputed 140 lbs. champion and consensus Top 10 pound-for-pound fighter. Then, he hit a big wall in either weight management, accumulated damage, or a combination of the two when he first fought Jack Catterall in 2022. Taylor officially won a split decision that night, but public opinion had him losing the fight and the years long PR battle after it, and he’s since lost a Catterall rematch and a Teofimo Lopez fight. Realistically, if not officially, Taylor hasn’t won a fight in just over four years, and he’ll be at welterweight for the first time since his early pro career days 10 years ago. Against him steps Essuman, a capable if not necessarily exceptional welterweight who has one pro loss, a decision to Harry Scarff in late 2023. The hater’s take is that Taylor has looked lightly rinsed to thoroughly scrubbed for years now, while Essuman is already 36 years old and looks like a classic European/Domestic+ level guy. But, the question marks on both make this an interesting fight in my eyes. The undercard gives us promising young heavyweight Moses Itauma against Mike Balogun, Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor for a lesser WBC award, and more! BLH will have live updates