When Zuffa Boxing makes its debut on Paramount+ next year, it will do so with one of the most familiar voices in the sport. According to Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel, Max Kellerman will be on the call for the upstart boxing promotion’s monthly events on the Paramount streaming service, which will occasionally be simulcast on CBS.
At this point, Kellerman having a full-time role with Zuffa Boxing is hardly a surprise. The ex-ESPN star was also on the call for last month’s Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Álvarez super fight, which marked the first event held by the new boxing league formed via a partnership between Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and TKO.
To that end, it’s also worth noting that Kellerman has professional ties to both entities. In addition to previously being represented by WWE president Nick Khan — who is heavily involved with Zuffa Boxing — the former First Take co-host recently announced that he’ll be hosting a weekly boxing show for Ring Magazine, which is owned by General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh.
News of Kellerman’s new gig comes just weeks after Zuffa Boxing confirmed it had reached a deal with Paramount, which will also be the home of another TKO subsidiary, UFC, beginning 2026. The Zuffa deal calls for the boxing league to host 12 events in 2026, with that number expected to grow in subsequent years.
Meanwhile, Zuffa will maintain the ability to host and sell separate super cards featuring Zuffa fighters on the undercard, just as it did with the Crawford vs. Álvarez event. But whether it’s the promotion’s monthly base package with Paramount or the standalone super fights, Kellerman figures to possess a prominent presence.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.