We jumped into the ring with SHOWTIME to test if its live championship boxing content is a knockout for sports fans.
SHOWTIME
Price: $10.99–$11.99/mo.
PPV Price: $59.99–$74.99/event
Free trial: 30 days
Boxing content: Live and on-demand fights, docuseries, and more
SHOWTIME® is worth it for boxing fans who want live access to some of the year’s biggest matches. Around 20 boxing events air on SHOWTIME annually, including roughly five pay-per-view (PPV) cards. Of course, those numbers vary from year to year. But it’s important to note that the big PPV events cost extra—and you don’t need a SHOWTIME subscription to watch them.
There are two ways to get SHOWTIME. It’s available as a premium channel through most TV providers and as a part of the streaming service Paramount+ for $11.99 a month. No matter how you sign up for SHOWTIME, you’ll get access to year-round boxing content—including live and on-demand fights, documentaries, and behind-the-scenes series.
SHOWTIME’s overall sports programming doesn’t offer much beyond combat sports—specifically boxing and Bellator MMA. But there’s an increasing amount of basketball content available through the network. We’d also be on the ropes for not mentioning that SHOWTIME comes with quality movies and TV shows like Yellowjackets, Billions, and Homeland.
SHOWTIME’s boxing content centers around three programs: SHOWTIME Championship Boxing, ShoBox: The New Generation, and SHOWTIME PPV events. Various boxing promotions take part in the three programs, with the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series a major contributor to SHOWTIME’s boxing slate.
Each year, SHOWTIME boasts 40+ live combat events. Around half of those are boxing programs, while the other half comprises Bellator MMA events. SHOWTIME subscribers get live access to most of those broadcasts—except occasional PPV events that cost extra.
Apart from live events, the SHOWTIME app also has a collection of archived fights from the past year that you can watch on demand. Unfortunately, the archives don’t include many older fights like some of Mike Tyson’s bouts from the ’90s. But you can find most of those classics on YouTube anyway.
SHOWTIME also has some boxing-oriented documentaries and series you can catch up on during non-fight nights. Because we enjoy being nostalgic, we recommend the docuseries The Kings. It’s a four-episode series that follows the mighty quartet of Roberto Durán, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard.
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
There are many ways you can get SHOWTIME. Cord cutters can sign up online for the Parmaount+ with SHOWTIME streaming plan, which comes with even more on-demand TV shows and movies—plus other live sporting events from leagues like the NFL and the UEFA Champions League.
SHOWTIME is also available as a premium channel add-on through most TV services. Prices vary between providers. But signing up through a cable, satellite, or live TV streaming service is a great way to integrate SHOWTIME with other must-have channels. You may even get additional SHOWTIME channels—SHOWTIME 2, SHOWTIME EXTREME, etc.—that aren’t available through the streaming service.
Our recommendation: Sling TV is an excellent service for accessing SHOWTIME alongside other crucial sports channels like ESPN and FOX Sports 1 (FS1). The live TV streaming service has plans that start at $40.00 a month, and its SHOWTIME add-on is $10.00 a month.
Many SHOWTIME boxing matches are exclusive to the channel and its streaming platforms. Yet, occasional matchups air on CBS Sports’ linear channels like CBS and CBS Sports Network. You can also catch free fight coverage on Pluto TV and the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel.
While the Premier Boxing Champions series often airs on SHOWTIME, some PBC cards air on FOX Sports networks and streaming platforms—including FOX, FS1, FOXSports.com, and the FOX Sports app.
When it comes to other boxing promotions, ESPN+ and DAZN are where you’ll find the most events that don’t air on SHOWTIME. ESPN+ is home to Top Rank Boxing, while DAZN has Matchroom Boxing and Golden Boy promotions. Both services also host several other combat sports promotions—ranging from MMA and kickboxing to Muay Thai.
As a streaming service, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME ($11.99 a month) isn’t crowded with movies and TV shows like Max or Netflix. But it does allow you to stream live content like SHOWTIME Championship Boxing and ShoBox: The New Generation. Plus, you can access your local CBS station and other live sports events from the NFL, NWSL, and UEFA Champions League.
If you’re a boxing fan who wants every combat sport live on your smart TV, you can pay extra for individual SHOWTIME PPV events. But if you prefer saving money like us, a SHOWTIME subscription will get you most fight nights. And your local sports bar should have you covered with those PPVs, all for the price of a tasty appetizer.
You can watch SHOWTIME Boxing programs by subscribing to the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME streaming plan for $11.99 a month. But SHOWTIME PPV events cost extra per event, with recent PPVs ranging from $59.99 to $74.99.
No, access to SHOWTIME through a TV provider or the standalone streaming service doesn’t grant you access to SHOWTIME PPV events. You must purchase each PPV event separately, and a SHOWTIME subscription isn’t required.
SHOWTIME carries fights from a range of boxing promotions—including Most Valuable Promotions, TGB Promotions, and Warriors Boxing Promotions. Some promotions air as independent SHOWTIME PPV events or as a part of the Premier Boxing Champions series, which makes up the SHOWTIME Championship Boxing and ShoBox: The New Generation programs.
Yes, you can watch SHOWTIME’s boxing events live on Amazon Prime Video by signing up for Paramount+ through Prime Video’s add-on channels. Then, you’ll get access to SHOWTIME content within the Prime Video app and website.
Our sports experts spent over 12 hours hands-on testing and researching SHOWTIME’s boxing content. We evaluated its worth based on live and on-demand event coverage, pricing, and additional content programming.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
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