Tag: Showtime schedule

Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas, Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano II highlight Showtime/PBC schedule

Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas and Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano II highlight the Showtime/PBC spring and summer schedule.

Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced its spring and summer schedule today.

It features nine events spread over five months, including two title-unification main events and 21 undefeated fighters.

Here are the nine cards:

Tim Tszyu vs. Terrell Gausha
Date: March 26 / Minneapolis
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, will be making his U.S. debut against the 2012 U.S Olympian in a battle of junior middleweight contenders. Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of becoming a star. Gausha (22-2-1, 11 KOs), who has fallen short in his biggest fights, is in a do-or-die situation.
Also fighting: Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, lightweights; Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, junior welterweight (142 pounds).

Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora
Date / location: April 9 / Las Vegas
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) has surged back to prominence by winning six in a row since he was stopped by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs), a 6-foot-6 154-pounder who loves to fight inside, faces his biggest test in this fight. The winner should fight for a title next.
Also fighting: Tony Harrison vs. Sergio Garcia, junior middleweights; Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella, junior middleweights.

Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas
Date / location: April 16 / Arlington, Texas
At stake: Spence’s IBF and WBC, and Ugas’ WBA titles
Background: This matchup with unify three of the four major 147-pound titles. Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) bounced back from his car accident to outpoint Danny Garcia in December 2020 only to then suffer a detached retina. He says he’s 100% now. Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) retired Manny Pacquiao by decision last August.
Also fighting: Radzhab Butaev vs. Eimantas Stanionis, welterweights; Brandun Lee vs. Zachary Ochoa, junior welterweights.

Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano II
Date / location: May 14 / Los Angeles
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA and WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles
Background: Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) and Castano (17-0-2, 12 KOs) will be attending to unfinished business after fighting to a spirited draw this past July in San Antonio. Most observers see this as a 50-50 fight between arguably the two best 154-pounders, which is appropriate because it’s for the undisputed championship.
Also fighting: Jaron Ennis vs. Custio Clayton, welterweights.

David Benavidez vs. David Lemieux
Date / location: May 21 / Phoenix
Division: Super middleweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs), a two-time titleholder, will be a significant favorite in this battle between two of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound in the sport. They have a combined 58 knockouts in 68 victories. Lemieux (43-4, 36 KOs) will be fighting to remain an elite fighter.
Also fighting: Yoelvis Gomez vs. Jorge Cota, junior middleweight.

Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero
Date / location: May 28 / Brooklyn, New York
Division: Lightweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) was supposed to have fought Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) last December but was pulled from the card amid sexual assault allegations, for which he ultimately wasn’t charged. Davis survived a scare in a close decision over Romero’s replacement Isaac Cruz. Romero KO’d Anthony Yigit in July.

Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Danny Roman
Date / location:
Division: Junior lightweight
At stake: Fulton’s WBC and WBO titles
Background: This is a matchup of two outstanding technicians. Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs) eked out a majority decision over brawler Brandon Figueroa in November. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) bounced back from a disputed split-decision loss to titleholder Murodjon Akhmadalive by outpointing Juan Carlos Payano and Ricardo Espinoza Franco.
Also fighting: David Morrell vs. Kalvin Henderson, super middleweights.

Jermall Charlo vs. Maciej Sulecki
Date / location: June 18 / Houston
Division: Middleweight
At stake: Charlo’s WBC title
Background: Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) was in talks to face Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia but neither fight materialized, leaving him with Sulecki (30-2, 11 KOs). Charlo is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Juan Macias Montiel in June. Sulecki, a Pole, has won twice since he was shutout by Demetrius Andrade in 2019.

Mark Magsayo vs. Rey Vargas
Date / location: July 9 / San Antonio
Division: Featherweight
At stake: Magsayo’s WBC title
Background: Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) won his belt by defeating long-reigning champion Gary Russell Jr. by a majority decision in January. Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) is a former junior featherweight titleholder who will be fighting for his first 126-pound title.

Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas, Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano II highlight Showtime/PBC schedule

Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas and Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano II highlight the Showtime/PBC spring and summer schedule.

Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced its spring and summer schedule today.

It features nine events spread over five months, including two title-unification main events and 21 undefeated fighters.

Here are the nine cards:

Tim Tszyu vs. Terrell Gausha
Date: March 26 / Minneapolis
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, will be making his U.S. debut against the 2012 U.S Olympian in a battle of junior middleweight contenders. Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of becoming a star. Gausha (22-2-1, 11 KOs), who has fallen short in his biggest fights, is in a do-or-die situation.
Also fighting: Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, lightweights; Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, junior welterweight (142 pounds).

Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora
Date / location: April 9 / Las Vegas
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) has surged back to prominence by winning six in a row since he was stopped by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs), a 6-foot-6 154-pounder who loves to fight inside, faces his biggest test in this fight. The winner should fight for a title next.
Also fighting: Tony Harrison vs. Sergio Garcia, junior middleweights; Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella, junior middleweights.

Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas
Date / location: April 16 / Arlington, Texas
At stake: Spence’s IBF and WBC, and Ugas’ WBA titles
Background: This matchup with unify three of the four major 147-pound titles. Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) bounced back from his car accident to outpoint Danny Garcia in December 2020 only to then suffer a detached retina. He says he’s 100% now. Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) retired Manny Pacquiao by decision last August.
Also fighting: Radzhab Butaev vs. Eimantas Stanionis, welterweights; Brandun Lee vs. Zachary Ochoa, junior welterweights.

Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano II
Date / location: May 14 / Los Angeles
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA and WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles
Background: Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) and Castano (17-0-2, 12 KOs) will be attending to unfinished business after fighting to a spirited draw this past July in San Antonio. Most observers see this as a 50-50 fight between arguably the two best 154-pounders, which is appropriate because it’s for the undisputed championship.
Also fighting: Jaron Ennis vs. Custio Clayton, welterweights.

David Benavidez vs. David Lemieux
Date / location: May 21 / Phoenix
Division: Super middleweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs), a two-time titleholder, will be a significant favorite in this battle between two of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound in the sport. They have a combined 58 knockouts in 68 victories. Lemieux (43-4, 36 KOs) will be fighting to remain an elite fighter.
Also fighting: Yoelvis Gomez vs. Jorge Cota, junior middleweight.

Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero
Date / location: May 28 / Brooklyn, New York
Division: Lightweight
At stake: No major titles
Background: Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) was supposed to have fought Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) last December but was pulled from the card amid sexual assault allegations, for which he ultimately wasn’t charged. Davis survived a scare in a close decision over Romero’s replacement Isaac Cruz. Romero KO’d Anthony Yigit in July.

Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Danny Roman
Date / location:
Division: Junior lightweight
At stake: Fulton’s WBC and WBO titles
Background: This is a matchup of two outstanding technicians. Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs) eked out a majority decision over brawler Brandon Figueroa in November. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) bounced back from a disputed split-decision loss to titleholder Murodjon Akhmadalive by outpointing Juan Carlos Payano and Ricardo Espinoza Franco.
Also fighting: David Morrell vs. Kalvin Henderson, super middleweights.

Jermall Charlo vs. Maciej Sulecki
Date / location: June 18 / Houston
Division: Middleweight
At stake: Charlo’s WBC title
Background: Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) was in talks to face Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia but neither fight materialized, leaving him with Sulecki (30-2, 11 KOs). Charlo is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Juan Macias Montiel in June. Sulecki, a Pole, has won twice since he was shutout by Demetrius Andrade in 2019.

Mark Magsayo vs. Rey Vargas
Date / location: July 9 / San Antonio
Division: Featherweight
At stake: Magsayo’s WBC title
Background: Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) won his belt by defeating long-reigning champion Gary Russell Jr. by a majority decision in January. Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) is a former junior featherweight titleholder who will be fighting for his first 126-pound title.

Pay-per-view card featuring Charlo twins ‘crown jewel’ of Showtime slate

Jermell and Jermall Charlo will headline one of the deepest pay-per-view cards in recent memory on Sept. 26.

Glance at the Showtime schedule of fights for the remainder of 2020 and your eyes are likely to focus on a specific date: Sept. 26.

That’s when the Charlo twins headline an unusual, split-session pay-per-view show behind closed doors at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Here are the featured fights on the show, which will be divided into two four-fight cards – separated by a break – on the same day for same price.

No decision has been made as to the order in which the Charlos will fight.

Card A:

  • Jermell Charlo vs. Jeison Rosario in a junior middleweight title-unification bout.
  • Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl for Barrios’ junior welterweight title.
  • Daniel Roman vs. TBA in a junior featherweight bout.

Card B:

  • Jermall Charlo vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko for Charlo’s middleweight belt.
  • Brandon Figueroa vs. Damien Vazquez for Figueroa’s junior featherweight title.
  • Diego Magdaleno vs. Isaac Cruz in a lightweight bout.

That lineup brings back memories of the legendary Don King pay-per-view cards of a generation or two ago.

“You have to go back to the marathon Don King pay-per-views of the 1980s,” said Stephen Espinoza, president of sports and event programming for Showtime Networks Inc. “And even those events, 30, 40 years ago, you didn’t see the array of talent you’ll see on Sept. 26.

“Jermell and Jermall are in arguably the toughest fights of their careers. That’s the crown jewel of the schedule right now.”

Espinoza answered questions in a virtual news conference shortly after the schedule was officially announced Wednesday morning.

One question posed to him centered on the timing of the pay-per-view show. Many people in the country are struggling economically as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which could affect the buy rate.

Espinoza didn’t reveal the price of the pay-per-view other than to say it will be comparable to previous shows.

“A lot of people are being squeezed financially,” he said. “That was one of the motivating factors in structuring it the way we did. We tried to provide not just value … but more value than you’ve seen on any recent pay-per-view.

“The reality is that pay-per-view is a tool to help fights happen that wouldn’t otherwise happen. We understand the financial pressure here. We feel this is a great value … and we think the market will respond.”

The combination of two compelling Charlo fights on one card is a strong selling point, particularly when combined with two more world title fights.

Jermell Charlo (33-1, 17 KOs) and Rosario (20-1-1, 14 KOs) are two of the hottest fighters in the world.

Charlo, who holds one 154-pound title, is coming off a sensational 11th-round knockout of slick Tony Harrison to avenge an earlier points loss and regain his title. Rosario shocked the boxing world by stopping the highly respected Julian Williams in five rounds to win two belts in his most-recent fight.

“All I expect is for me to get that win, dominatingly,” said Charlo, who believes he was robbed in his first fight with Harrison. “… I won’t leave it up to the judges. I learned that in the past. I have to win very dominatingly or win by knockout.”

Jermall Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs) holds a 160-pound title but has been criticized for less-than-elite opposition. That shouldn’t be a problem against Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs).

The Ukrainian, who reportedly had around 400 amateur fights, pushed Daniel Jacobs to the limit in a split-decision loss in 2018 and gave Gennadiy Golovkin as much hell as Canelo Alvarez did in a close, unanimous-decision setback last October. Some believe he deserved the decision.

Jermall Charlo believes some fans will still find fault in a victory over Derevyanchenko but also thinks it will set up potential fights with Alvarez and Triple-G.

“[A victory] lets people know I’m ready for the big fights, ones against Canelo and Golovkin,” Jermall Charlo said. “[Derevyanchenko] has been in with tough competition but he’s lost both times. People will still doubt me. That’s part of boxing.

“[Still] this is a step up for me, I guess, in the eyes of some people. I’m ready to fight.”

Showtime, PBC unveil packed nine-card schedule

Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions have unveiled nine cards over five months featuring some of the biggest names in the sport.

The stars are coming out on Showtime.

The premium network and Premier Boxing Champions have unveiled nine cards – including two pay-per-view events – over five months featuring some of the biggest names in the sport. The shows will take place without spectators at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The schedule features 18 undefeated fighters, nine world champions and eight world championship fights including one world title unification bout. PBC, with its large stable of fighters, reportedly has 20 bouts on the schedule. That includes 14 bouts in which Top 10-ranked fighters will face one another.

Jermall and Jermell Charlo will face Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Jeison Rosario, respectively, on the same pay-per-view show, and Gervonta Davis will fight Leo Santa Cruz on a separate pay-per-view card.

Others in action will include David Benavidez, Nonito Donaire, Sergey Lipinets and Chris Colbert.

“We are proud to announce the strongest and most comprehensive schedule of fights in all of boxing,” said Stephen Espinoza, president of sports and event programming for Showtime Networks Inc. “Each bout on this schedule, our largest schedule announcement since 2018, carries high stakes and significant implications.

“From highly regarded prospects to emerging stars to established champions — all in tough matchups — this lineup delivers on our promise to provide boxing fans with the best talent, the most exciting fights and the highest quality presentation in the sport. We are thrilled to return to live boxing with this star-studded schedule of exciting, meaningful fights.”

The first card, on Aug. 1, features Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Angelo Leo for a vacant junior featherweight title.

The card featuring the Charlo brothers will be broken into two events (for the same price) on the same day.

Here are the featured fights on the Showtime schedule:

Aug. 1: Stephen Fulton Jr. (18-0, 8 KOs) vs. Angelo Leo (19-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBO junior featherweight title.

Aug. 15: David Benavidez (22-0, 19 KOs) vs. Roamer Alexis Angulo (26-1, 22 KOs) for Benavidez’s WBC super middleweight title.

Sept. 19: Erickson Lubin (22-1, 16 KOs) vs. Terrell Gausha (21-1-1, 10 KOs), junior middleweights.

Sept. 26 (PPV): Jermall Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs) vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) for Charlo’s WBC middleweight title; Jermell Charlo (33-1, 17 KOs) vs. Jeison Rosaro (20-1-1, 14 KOs) in WBC, WBA, IBF junior middleweight unification; Brandon Figueroa vs. Damien Vasquez for Figueroa’s WBA junior featherweight title; Diego Magdaleno vs. Isaac Cruz, lightweights; Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl for Barrios’ WBA junior welterweight title.

Oct. 10: Sergey Lipinets (16-1, 12 KOs) vs. Kudratillo Abdukahorov (15-0, 8 KOs) for IBF interim welterweight title.

Oct. 24 (PPV): Gervonta Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) vs. Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) for Davis’ WBA lightweight title and Santa Cruz’s WBA junior lightweight title

Nov. 28: Chris Colbert (14-0, 5 KOs) vs. Jaime Arboleda (16-1, 13 KOs), junior lightweights.

Dec. 12: Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs) vs. Nonito Donaire (40-6, 26 KOs) for Oubaali’s WBC bantamweight title.