NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2009 – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured seven Sports Emmy® Awards, will return to present its seventh installment with 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO, an all-new four-episode, all-access series, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. Debuting SATURDAY, OCT. 24 (10:15-10:45 p.m. ET/PT), the series will follow Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, two of the sport’s brightest stars, as they prepare for their Nov. 14 pay-per-view showdown in Las Vegas. Pacquiao seeks to continue his reign as the sport’s pound-for-pound king, while Cotto looks to prove that his ring skills are ideal for derailing the Pacquiao express..
Noted Greenburg, “The ‘24/7’ franchise provides an engaging and accurate look into the lives of boxers as they toil and sacrifice to get ready for a huge showdown in the ring. Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are dynamic individuals in and out of the ring, and our cameras will be there to capture all the drama prior to their fall face-off.”
Episodes two and three of 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO debut on subsequent Saturdays – OCT. 31 (11:00-11:30 p.m.) and NOV. 7 (9:00-9:30 p.m.) – while the finale debuts FRIDAY, NOV. 13 (9:30-10:00 p.m.), just one night before the fight. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand.
24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews, as these exciting, versatile fighters prepare for the next mega-fight of 2009. They bring an international flair to the show, with Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) hailing from the Philippines and Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) a proud son of Puerto Rico, which has a long history of producing legendary competitors for the sweet science.
This fast-paced series will capture the interactions and rigors the two fighters experience in preparing for their contest. Making his third “24/7” appearance, Pacquiao is expected to surround himself with a familiar contingent of family and friends as he trains with trusted longtime associate Freddy Roach. HBO reality series newcomer Cotto, who never ducks a challenge, is taking on his biggest fight yet with trainer Joe Santiago as they seek to set a strategy to unseat the widely regarded pound-for-pound champ.
24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO is the latest installment of the acclaimed “24/7” franchise that began in 2007 with “De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7” and “Mayweather/Hatton 24/7.” The series continued in 2008 with “Calzaghe/Jones 24/7” and “De La Hoya/Pacquiao 24/7,” and in 2009 with “Pacquiao/Hatton 24/7” and “24/7 Mayweather/Marquez.”
At the 2009 Sports Emmy® Awards, “24/7” was recognized with four Emmys® for production excellence after receiving three Emmys® at the 2008 Sports Emmy® Awards.
On Saturday, November 14 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents “Pacquiao vs. Cotto,” live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The executive producers of 24/7 PACQUIAO/COTTO are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; coordinating producer, Dave Harmon; producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates