The tape, however, included many sounds usually not heard on a boxing telecast, such as the boxers talking.

Larry Merchant, the analyst for HBO's boxing telecasts, questioned whether HBO would want a Chavez-Mayweather replay.

Where closed-circuit outlets like theaters and clubs once generated most of the revenues for premium live boxing telecasts, in recent years that has changed.

"Fruit of the Loom's demographics match well with the type we get in boxing telecasts," namely men 18 and over, said Tony Pettiti, ABC Sports' director of programming.

In today's boxing telecasts, somebody talks nearly all the time.

"He is one of the few champions who became better after he won the title," says Larry Merchant, an analyst on Home Box Office's boxing telecasts.

So does Home Box Office, with whom Foreman has a three-year deal as a commentator on boxing telecasts.

Hill is also one of the hosts for pay-per-view boxing telecasts produced by the Showtime cable network.

The earliest incarnation of NBC's boxing telecasts could be traced back to 1944.

Even a crew from HBO, for which Leonard works as a commentator on its boxing telecasts, found him difficult last month when it filmed him in South Carolina.