Showtime releases strong Spring lineup
Showtime on Friday released a robust 2016 Spring lineup featuring a pair of heavyweight title fights involving Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, the rescheduling of Keith Thurman’s welterweight title clash with Shawn Porter and the Showtime debut of Ruslan Provodnikov, who was rumored to be Terence Crawford’s next opponent.
All told, Showtime revealed seven telecasts that had mostly been kept under wraps. Here is the lineup:
- Charles Martin will defend his IBF heavyweight strap against Anthony Joshua on April 9 from The O2 Arena in London, with a co-feature between IBF featherweight titleholder Lee Selby and Eric Hunter.
- Nikolay Potapov takes on Stephen Young in a 10-round bantamweight match on ShoBox on April 15.
- On April 16, Gary Russell defends his WBC featherweight title against Patrick Hyland at the Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut. In the co-feature, IBF junior lightweight beltholder Jose Pedraza takes on Stephen Smith.
- Badou Jack faces Lucian Bute for Jack’s WBC super middleweight title on April 30 at a venue to be determined after Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. pulled out with an injury. IBF super middleweight champ James DeGale faces Rogelio Medina in the co-feature.
- At a date and venue to be determined, Wilder will defend his WBC heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin, likely in Russia sometime in May.
- On June 11, Provodnikov will take on John Molina at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.
- And finally, on June 25, Thurman and Porter will do battle in a bout that was supposed to take place Saturday but was rescheduled after Thurman suffered whiplash in an auto accident. Jesus Cuellar faces Abner Mares in the co-feature. The venue hasn’t been finalized.
Also announced, WBA featherweight titleholder Leo Santa Cruz and unified junior featherweight champion Carl Frampton are nearing a deal for a featherweight match in the late summer.
A copy of the full release is below:
SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL
|
Date: |
Saturday, April 9, 2016 |
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Start Time: |
TBD – early evening; live on both coasts |
|
Main Event: |
Charles Martin ( 23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) – IBF Heavyweight World Title Championship |
|
Co-feature: |
Lee Selby vs. Eric Hunter – IBF Featherweight Championship |
|
Promoter(s): |
Warriors Boxing & Matchroom Sport |
|
Venue: |
The O2 – London |
|
Notes: |
SHO has long history of televising most significant fights in the HW division; this bout has major implications for the volatile landscape at the top of the division. Selby v Hunter – SHO committed to televising the most significant title fights in the deep featherweight division. |
ShoBox: The New Generation
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Date: |
Friday, April 15, 2016 |
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Start Time: |
10 p.m. ET/PT |
|
Main Event: |
Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs) – 10-Rd Bantamweight Bout PRO: Nickle-ay Pote – A- Pov |
|
Promoter: |
Salita Promotions |
|
Venue: |
Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY |
|
Notes: |
Four-fight telecast |
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
|
Date: |
Saturday, April 16, 2016 |
|
Start Time: |
11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT |
|
Main Event: |
Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) vs. Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) – WBC Featherweight World Championship |
|
Co-Features: |
Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) vs. Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs) – IBF Super Featherweight World Championship |
|
Promoter: |
DiBella Entertainment |
|
Venue: |
Fox Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino |
|
Notes: |
The 2nd featherweight world title fight (if Selby v Hunter) & crucial Super Featherweight bout; Stephen Smith is No. 1 ranked/mandatory challenger. |
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
|
Date: |
Saturday, April 30, 2016 |
|
Start Time: |
10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT |
|
Main Event: |
Badou Jack (20-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Lucian Bute (32-3, 25 KOs) – WBC Super Middleweight Championship |
|
Co-Feature: |
James DeGale (22-1, 14 KOs) vs. Rogelio Medina (35-6, 29 KOs) – IBF Super Middleweight World Championship |
|
Venue: |
TBD |
|
Promoter: |
Mayweather Promotions |
|
Notes: |
Chavez Jr. injured. In steps Bute which will be a tough challenge for Jack; Bute, former world champ, experienced veteran, coming off great fight vs. DeGale.
Medina is mandated by the IBF as the challenger since the “mandatory” is unavailable.
Winners have agreed to immediate Unification Match |
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – PENDING CONFIRMATION
|
Date: |
TBD – targeting May |
|
Start Time: |
TBD |
|
Main Event: |
Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) vs. Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) – WBC Heavyweight World Championship |
|
Venue: |
TBD |
|
Notes: |
Working hard with Andrey Ryabinsky and the Wilder camp to televise this major heavyweight event. |
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
|
Date: |
Saturday, June 11, 2016 |
|
Start Time: |
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT |
|
Main Event: |
Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) vs. John Molina Jr. (28-6, 23 KOs) – TBD-Rd Super Lightweight Bout |
|
Co-Features: |
TBD |
|
Promoter: |
Banner Promotions |
|
Venue: |
Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY |
|
Notes: |
Induction Weekend for Int’l Boxing Hall of Fame;
Main event features two men involved Fights of Year: 2013 consensus FOY (Bradley v Provodnikov) & 2014 BWAA FOY (Matthysse v Molina Jr.). |
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS Presented by PBC
|
Date: |
Saturday, June 25, 2016 |
|
Start Time: |
TBD |
|
Main Event: |
Keith Thurman (26-0, 1 ND, 22 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) – WBA Welterweight World Championship |
|
Co-Feature: |
Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) – WBA (reg.) Featherweight World Championship |
|
Promoter(s): |
DiBella Entertainment |
|
Venue: |
— |
|
Notes: |
Second world championship fight added. Cuellar replaces Fernando Montiel & a 10-rd bout. |
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