Wilder vs. Fury II: ESPN Takes Boxing Sound to a New Level for Unfinished Business ESPN will deploy dozens of mics around the venue, an overhead array of mini-shotguns By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Friday, February 21, 2020 - 2:46 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Boxing is as old school as sports gets now, and the sound for this weekend's Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury 2 - aka Unfinished Business - is equally hard-fisted, with tons of microphones strewn around and overhead in MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, NV, ready to pick up the punches and more.
The event will be broadcast on ESPN, which is doing the production, and Fox Sports (because the fighters' respective television rights are held by the two networks) and PPV. It will be bigger in scope than the regular Top Rank bouts on ESPN, according to A1 Tad Wimer.
We're following the same format that we use for the Top Rank events, but this is on a much larger scale, he says, noting that four production trucks, including NEP NCP-10 and ND-7, will be deployed, instead of the single unit used for most fights.
The Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II production comprises 35 cameras - more than ever deployed for an ESPN boxing production - including seven super-slow-motion and six robotic units, a 4D system that allows 360-degree replays, a mini Flycam, a JITA camera for unique shots, and bumper-corner cameras.
Mics Everywhere
Unfinished Business will have dozens of microphones distributed around the venue (most focused on the ring) and on all the referees for each of the six bouts on the card. Also, lavs are expected on the trainers.
ESPN will deploy its Tiffany mic array above the ring (seen here) to capture in-ring audio
Ringside A2 Lance Palmieri is running lavaliers' wires up from the ring pads to the bottom of the perimeter ropes, keeping the mics in place with red tape, angled at 90 degrees and pointed toward and about 2 ft. away from each fighter's corner, ready to pick up activity there should a trainer lav fail or not be available. These also eliminate the need for fishpoles over the ring.
Meanwhile, RFA2 Ben Sims and his colleagues will deploy dedicated wireless packs that will be taken to the various locker rooms to follow the sounds of fighter and trainers getting ready and then walking into the arena. A red and a blue pack will be used for opposing fighters for each bout.
But the crown jewel for the show will be the Tiffany array flown above the ring. It's a concoction comprising six Sennheiser 8060 mini-shotgun microphones, four facing outward to pick up ringside-crowd noise and two facing directly downward and processed to avoid phase problems. These pick up most of the footwork and punches - 99.5% of that, Wimer estimates. Normally placed 9.5 ft. above the ring, for this fight, the array has been moved a full foot higher.
These fighters are tall and have really long arms, Wimer explains. (Wilder is 6 ft. 7 in. with an 83-in. reach; Fury stands 6 ft. 9 in. with an 85-in. reach.) The array gives us very direct audio, up close and personal. It really works great.
Other microphones are located on a robo cam in the far neutral corner and in the far corners of the arena to get the sounds from the floor seats, fans whom Wimer calls the most rambunctious and who provide high levels of enthusiasm.
Wideband Wireless
There'll be plenty of RF for the fight. RFA2 Jordan Smith supervises the Shure Axient wireless system, the G57 version for wideband applications. In addition, Riedel Bolero is used for wireless comms in an AES67 mode.
ESPN will deploy one of its most complex boxing productions ever for Wilder-Fury II on Saturday
That clears up a lot of frequencies used for base-station transmit, he says. We also use [spectrum analyzer] Signal Hound to police the arena several times a day looking for any rogue frequencies.
An RTS VoIP system is used for wired intercoms, all on a Dante network like much of the rest of the wired audio. RVON panels are placed throughout the arena and on the trucks and are used to communicate cues for the walk-on music and dramatic lighting that make the fight into a spectacle.
When we do comms for most of these [fights], we are covering the event, says comms A2 Eric Williams. For this fight, we are part of the event. We're literally putting on the show. For instance, they have to wait for our call before a fighter walks out. We coordinate the lights and the music from the DJ. It all has to be synchronized. It has to be a well-oiled machine.
Unfinished Business is going to be an old-school broadcast blockbuster thanks to a great team, says Kim Bloomstone, remote operations manager, ESPN.
We worked hard to get the right people into place, and they are doing a great job, she says. We're looking forward to a great event.
North America Stories
08/01/2026
Spain's national public broadcaster, RTVE, has upgraded one of its main television production facilities in Madrid with the installation of two Alfalite NEO...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Maxon's new release of Cinebench features performance enhancements and adds support for the latest Nvidia and AMD GPUs as well as Apple Silicon.
Maxon is t...
08/01/2026
Zixi, the industry leader in IP-based video transport and orchestration, today announced the appointment of Heather Mellish as Vice President, Global Sales.
In...
08/01/2026
Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has provided a complete update of its installation at Canal Sur in Spain. ...
08/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, proudly announces the success of its collaboration with Panasonic on the Z95B OLED TV, o...
08/01/2026
Secuoya Chile, a leading provider of television content creation and supporting services, has invested in Ikegami UHK-X600 and UHL-X40 broadcast cameras as the ...
08/01/2026
Kiloview, a global leader in AV-over-IP solutions, will showcase its latest innovations at ISE 2026, highlighting the continued evolution of its complete, light...
08/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, and Realtek, a leading global SoC design house, today announced the next phase of their ...
08/01/2026
CJP Broadcast has completed a new pitch-side media installation for Cinderford RFC, creating a flexible production setup that supports match coverage, coaching ...
08/01/2026
PlayBox Neo further drives momentum in Playout, Streaming, Media Management and Delivery
"With a brand new year at PlayBox Neo already off to a flying start, I...
08/01/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents Second Annual Commercial Dance BFA Conce...
08/01/2026
NVIDIA is wrapping up a big week at the CES trade show with a set of GeForce NOW...
07/01/2026
SVG Summit 2025: All General Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAYThe SVG Summit celebrated its 20th edition with a loaded agendaBy Brandon Costa, Directo...
07/01/2026
NBCU's Brings Rinkside Live' and Courtside Live' Features to Peaco...
07/01/2026
NASA's Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at ...
07/01/2026
For the first time ever, new C' variants allow international users to interoperate with U.S. personnel via NSA-certified cryptography....
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
The Trailer of Paparazzi King: The 5-Episode Docuseries Coming...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Supports Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Commitment...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
What Next? Netflix Reveals Series, Films and Games Coming in 2026
Entertainment
07 January 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download ...
07/01/2026
AI has transformed retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) operations, enhancin...
06/01/2026
Peacock Bringing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to Live Sports ContentPeacock is the first streamer to embrace Dolbys full suite of advanced picture/sound innovat...
06/01/2026
SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the sounds of powder and ice at Milano Cortina wi...
06/01/2026
Quintar Meta Spatial SDK Integration Promises Next-Level XR ExperiencesBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 - 9:41 am
Print This...
06/01/2026
Milano Cortina 2026: BBC Sport Previews Broadcast Ops, Studio Setup, Social Medi...
06/01/2026
Dolby's Jason Power on Elevating Live Sports Through Immersive Audio and HDR...
06/01/2026
DAZN's Global CRO Walker Jacobs on the Streamer's Breakout Year in the U...
06/01/2026
California Dreamin': LA28's SVP of Media Jim Bell Previews the Olympic a...
06/01/2026
One Month Out From Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, NBC Sports in Final Prep fo...
06/01/2026
Advanced HDR by Technicolor and Zinwell Integrated onto ATSC 3.0 Conversion Boxe...
06/01/2026
Fox Sports President and COO Mark Silverman Shifts to Consulting RoleBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 - 2:37 pm
Print This S...
06/01/2026
In a live broadcast, L3Harris CFO and Missile Solutions President Ken Bedingfield joined Morgan Brennan on CNBCs Closing Bell: Overtime. Bedingfield discussed...
06/01/2026
First-of-its-kind SSP capability delivers program-level insight and brand suitab...
Wilder vs. Fury II: ESPN Takes Boxing Sound to a New Level for Unfinished Business ESPN will deploy dozens of mics around the venue, an overhead array of mini-shotguns By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
