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Mike Coppinger, ESPN
Overtime, best known for its elite professional basketball league featuring some of the top 16-20 year-olds in the world outside the NCAA, will return to boxing for a second year of events that begin March 29, officials told ESPN.
Overtime launched its boxing efforts in August with four fight nights emanating from the OTE Arena in Atlanta. When Overtime returns in March, it will do so with an eight-event schedule. There are also scheduled events on April 19, May 31 and June 28.
“In a sport where people can flame out quickly, we exceeded the industry’s expectations in Year 1 and now we’re doubling down,” OTX GM Brandon Rhodes told ESPN. “We’re committed to doing things differently for the fans, for the fighters, and for the sport as a whole.
“We want to create the most impactful experience not just in the ring, but out of the ring, supporting our goal of connecting people through storytelling, promoting never-before-seen boxing events and genuinely cultivating the connection between our fighters and our audience.”
This time, Overtime will sign 10 fighters to multiyear promotional deals after it opted not to sign any boxers last year.
The promotion will introduce an eight-fighter, single-elimination junior middleweight tournament on April 19. The final two boxers will compete for an Overtime promotional contract and a cash prize.
Overtime’s four fight nights will once again be streamed on DAZN, but now also Overtime and DAZN social media channels.