SHOWTIME® KICKS OFF 2011 BOXING SCHEDULE WITH EIGHT HIGH-STAKES BOUTS IN SIX WEEKS
Lucian Bute Defends IBF Super Middleweight World Championship Against Brian Magee
Brandon Rios Fights for Miguel Acosta’s WBA Lightweight World Title
Rico Ramos, Luis Franco and Lateef Kayode Return to ShoBox: The New Generation
NEW YORK (Jan. 10, 2011) – Undefeated and heralded prospects Luis Franco, Lateef Kayode, Archie Ray Marquez, Rico Ramos and Cornelius White highlight an action-packed February of ShoBox: The New Generation fights while two SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING events will follow, including a March 19 battle for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Super Middleweight World Championship between champion Lucian Bute and Brian Magee.
“In our 25th year of boxing on SHOWTIME, we’re pleased to formally announce our first four dates of 2011,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports®. “ShoBox continues to feature boxing’s hottest up-and-coming stars like Lateef Kayode and Rico Ramos. And with great lightweight action, Lucian Bute’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING debut and the dramatic conclusions to the Super Six and bantamweight tournaments already planned for 2011, this is a strong start for what promises to be a landmark year on the network.”
Here’s a quick capsule look at each of the four cards coming up on SHOWTIME:
Feb. 4, on ShoBox: The New Generation:
10-Round Featherweight Main Event
Luis Franco vs. Leonilo Miranda
Miami, Fla. Huatabampo, Mexico
(8-0, 5 KOs) (26-2, 25 KOs)
10-Round Cruiserweight Co-Feature
Lateef Kayode Nicholas Iannuzzi
Hollywood, Calif. Tampa, Fla.
(15-0, 14 KOs) (16-1, 9 KOs)
8-Round Lightweight Co-Feature
Archie Ray Marquez Marvin Quintero
Albuquerque, N.M. Tijuana, Mexico
(10-0, 7 KOs) (20-3, 16 KOs).
TV Time: Live at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)
Feb. 11, on ShoBox: The New Generation:
10-Round Super Bantamweight Main Event
Rico Ramos vs. Alejandro Valdez
Pico Rivera, Calif. Ciudad Obregon, Mexico
(18-0, 10 KOs) (23-4-2, 17 KOs)
10-Round Super Middleweight Co-Feature
Cornelius White Don George
Houston, Texas Chicago, Ill.
(16-0, 15 KOs) (20-1-1, 17 KOs).
TV Time: Live at 11 p.m. ET/PT.
Feb. 26, 2011, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:
12-Round WBA Lightweight World Championship Main Event
Miguel Acosta Brandon Rios
Caracas, Venezuela Oxnard, Calif.
(28-8-2, 22 KOs) (26-0-1, 18 KOs)
12-round Lightweight Co-Feature
Antonio DeMarco Reyes Sanchez
Tijuana, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico
(24-2-1, 18 KOs) (20-3-1, 11 KOs)
TV Time: Live at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
March 19, 2011, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:
Who’s Fighting:
12-round IBF Super Middleweight World Championship Main Event
Lucian Bute Brian Magee
Montreal, Canada Belfast, Northern Ireland
(27-0, 22 KOs) (34-3-1, 24 KOs)
TV Time: Live at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.
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