Top Rank
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Boxing promotion |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Founder | Jabir Herbert Muhammad, Bob Arum |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Bob Arum (founder) |
| Products | Boxing events promotion |
| Owner | Private |
Top Rank, Inc. is a boxing promotion enterprise established in 1973 by businessmen Jabir Herbert Muhammad and Bob Arum, with its main office located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Operating as a privately owned firm, Top Rank has secured a prominent position within the boxing sector by effectively promoting premier fighters and organizing major boxing events.
The company's operational strategy revolves around representing top-tier boxing athletes and coordinating significant bouts, which plays a crucial role in its revenue generation and industry standing. Throughout its history, Top Rank has been responsible for promoting iconic fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Terence Crawford, and Tyson Fury, thereby strengthening its global competitive edge.
Among the high-profile matches promoted by Top Rank are legendary contests including Hagler vs Leonard, Chávez vs De La Hoya, Holyfield vs Foreman, and Ali vs Frazier II. These events have been instrumental in driving considerable income and broadening the company’s audience. Additionally, Top Rank oversaw George Foreman's return to the ring, culminating in his 1994 knockout triumph over IBF/WBA titleholder Michael Moorer, highlighting the company’s adeptness in guiding successful boxing promotions.
Main Bout
Top Rank's origins trace back to Main Bout, Inc., founded in 1966 by Muhammad Ali with the purpose of managing his fight promotions and pay-per-view distribution. Early stakeholders comprised influential individuals such as Jabir Herbert Muhammad and Bob Arum, reflecting ties to the Nation of Islam network. The initial focus on promoting Ali's fights established a foundation that later propelled Top Rank’s growth and recognition within the industry.
Top Rank Boxing on ESPN
In the early 1980s, Top Rank collaborated with the emerging ESPN network to launch the first regularly scheduled weekly boxing program since 1964. The debut broadcast occurred on April 10, 1980, in Atlantic City, featuring a middleweight bout between Frank Fletcher and Ben Serrano. This series became the longest-running weekly boxing show on cable television, continuing uninterrupted for 16 years until 1996. Subsequently, ESPN replaced it with Friday Night Fights, which featured bouts from multiple promoters on ESPN2.
In July 2017, Top Rank entered into a new broadcast partnership with ESPN, beginning with the fight between Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn, followed by additional cards later that month. ESPN announced a multi-year agreement covering events across its traditional and digital platforms, including its subscription service ESPN+, with provisions for pay-per-view offerings. On August 2, 2018, this contract was extended through 2025, reinforcing Top Rank's influence in the market and expanding its international presence via ESPN’s broad distribution network.
Announcers
- Kenneth Anderson (also known as Mr. Kennedy / Mr. Anderson)
Blow-by-blow
- Sal Marchiano (1980–1983)
- Sam Rosen (1983–1986)
- Al Bernstein (1986–1996)
- Don Chevrier (1987–1988)
- Tom Kelly (1988–1989)
- Barry Tompkins (1989–1994, 2010–2011)
- Bob Papa (1996–2003)
- Joe Tessitore (2003–present)
- Bob Sheridan (2010–2016)
- Brian Kenny (2012, 2016)
Color Analysts
- Al Bernstein (1980–1986, 1987–1998)
- Tommy Hearns (1980)
- Randy Gordon (1980–1982)
- Donald Curry (1985)
- Dave Bontempo (1986–1998)
- Teddy Atlas (1998–2017)
- Larry Merchant (2013–2014)
- Timothy Bradley (2016–present)
- Andre Ward (2017–2023)
- Mark Kriegel (2017–present)
Active Boxers
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Distinguished Fighters
- Muhammad Ali
- Mikey Garcia
- Miguel Cotto
- Floyd Mayweather
- Oscar De La Hoya
- Mike Alvarado
- Jorge Arce
- Urbano Antillon
- José Benavidez
- Timothy Bradley
- Iván Calderón
- José Luis Castillo
- Martín Castillo
- Julio César Chávez Jr.
- Omar Chávez
- Joshua Clottey
- Bernabe Concepcion
- Terence Crawford
- Kid Diamond
- David Díaz
- Nonito Donaire
- Esquiva Falcão
- Yuri Foreman
- Yuriorkis Gamboa
- Miguel Angel Garcia
- Kendall Holt
- Demetrius Hopkins
- Miguel Angel Huerta
- Nobuhiro Ishida
- Jesus Soto Karass
- Vasiliy Lomachenko
- Juan Manuel Lopez
- Francisco Lorenzo
- Steven Luevano
- Antonio Margarito
- Raul Martinez
- Vanes Martirosyan
- Egor Mekhontsev
- Fernando Montiel
- Tommy Morrison
- Ryota Murata
- Manny Pacquiao
- Arnold Barboza Jr.
- Kelly Pavlik
- Anthony Peterson
- Lamont Peterson
- Hasim Rahman
- Brandon Rios
- Marco Antonio Rubio
- Andy Ruiz
- Mario Santiago
- Giovanni Segura
- Jorge Solís
- Ulises Solís
- Glen Tapia
- Anthony Thompson
- Ricardo Torres
- Brian Viloria
- José Luis Zertuche
- Shiming Zou
Other events
In its formative years, Top Rank was responsible for promoting daredevil Evel Knievel's attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in September 1974. This spectacle took place in Twin Falls, Idaho and was transmitted live via paid closed-circuit television to hundreds of theaters, generating considerable income. Although Knievel's steam-powered Skycycle X-2 suffered an early parachute deployment, he emerged unharmed from the attempt. This occasion highlighted Top Rank's initial expansion into major promotional ventures outside of boxing, enhancing both its market presence and brand visibility.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Professional boxing promotion companies
- ESPN original programming
- Boxing television series
- Companies based in Paradise, Nevada
- Entertainment companies established in 1973
- American companies established in 1973
- 1973 establishments in Nevada
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment