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24/7 Pacquiao/Margarito debuts Oct. 23; World Championship Boxing Nov. 27

By April MacIntyre Oct 15, 2010, 19:21 GMT

Filipino congressman and international boxing champion Manny Pacquiao (C) joins participants during the \'Run for Pasig River 10.10.10\' event in Manila, Philippines, 10 October 2010. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 12 Sports Emmys, returns for its ninth boxing installment when 24/7 Pacquiao/Margarito, an all-new four-episode, all-access series, debuts Saturday, October 23 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), on HBO. 

Liev Schreiber narrates the show that follows the son of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), in the prime of his record-setting career, and the reinstated Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs), looking for redemption following his involvement in an attempted “loaded gloves” incident – as they prepare for their Nov. 13 super welterweight title pay-per-view showdown at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex.

Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito meet mano to mano Nov. 13 at Dallas Cowboys stadium, but first they face off with Max Kellerman of HBO.

The two fighters and their trainers Freddie Roach (Pacquiao) and Robert Garcia (Margarito) discuss the upcoming WBC junior middleweight title bout.

Antonio Margarito is marred by the perception he is not worthy, because of the act of cheating incident where he loaded his handwraps before the Sugar Shane Mosley fight — a fight he lost by TKO.

Margarito was suspended and ultimately given a license to fight in the state of Texas after the California commission rejected his request for a second time.

Watch HBO 24/7 Pacquiao-Margarito Face-Off in the clips below:

Episode #1  Debut:  Saturday, Oct. 23 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Following the press tour announcing the fight, Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs), the newly elected congressman from the Philippines, opens camp in Baguio City, Philippines, while the recently reinstated Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) opens camp in Oxnard, Cal.

Episodes two and three of 24/7 PACQUIAO/MARGARITO debut on subsequent Saturdays – Oct. 30 (10:00-10:30 p.m.) and Nov. 6 (10:45-11:15 p.m.) – while the finale debuts Friday, Nov. 12 (9:30-10:00 p.m.), the night before the fight.  All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO and will be available on HBO On Demand.

The executive producers of 24/7 PACQUIAO/MARGARITO are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; producers, Jonathan Crystal and Abtin Motia; writer, Aaron Cohen. 

Other HBO playdates:  Oct. 23 (midnight), 24 (8:00 a.m.), 25 (7:30 p.m., 12:15 a.m.), 26 (12:30 a.m.), 27 (noon), 28 (4:00 p.m.), 29 (9:30 p.m., 2:45 a.m.) and 30 (11:00 a.m.)

                HBO2 playdates:  Oct. 24 (12:10 a.m.) and 26 (8:30 p.m.)

                HBO On Demand availability begins:  Nov. 1