HBO, a station that was once synonymous with championship professional boxing fights, is dropping the sport after 45 years and 1,000 fights, The New York Times said on Thursday.
HBO's run began with George Foreman's knockout of the late Joe Frazier in 1973 and will come to a close at the end of this year.
Peter Nelson, the 37-year-old executive vice-president of HBO Sports, made the announcement in a Thursday meeting with the HBO Boxing production staff, the Times reported.
HBO is now owned by AT&T Inc (NYSE:T).
Other investors such as ESPN of The Walt Disney Co and Fox Sports recently signed deals for boxing fights at the same time as HBO is getting out.