Boxing returns to CBS, Leo Santa Cruz headlines broadcast!
Leo Santa Cruz
Boxing returns to network television when SHOWTIME Sports, Golden Boy Promotions and CBS Television Network team up for an unprecedented day-night doubleheader that features up to seven live fights on two networks on Saturday, Dec. 15 from the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
A special Saturday of boxing will begin with a live afternoon doubleheader of “SHOWTIME Boxing on CBS” (4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT, CBS). In the main event, voracious young IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (22-0-1, 13 KOs) will face fellow unbeaten Alberto “Metro” Guevara (16-0, 6 KOs) of Mazatlan, Mexico.
2012 United States Olympian, the highly regarded Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz Jr., 19, of South El Monte, Calif., will make his anticipated professional debut against an opponent to be announced in the opening bout of the CBS broadcast.
It has been 15 years since CBS last aired live boxing. On Jan. 20, 1997, the most watched network presented then-middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins’ knock-out win over Glen Johnson. The most recent broadcast network presentation of live boxing was The Contender in 2005.
“We are proud to deliver one of today’s most exciting fighters in Leo Santa Cruz, taking on an undefeated challenger in Alberto Guevara, to a broadcast television audience,” said SHOWTIME Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager, Stephen Espinoza. “Coupled with the pro debut of Olympian Jo-Jo Diaz on CBS and the evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event makes December 15 a very special day for boxing.”
Later that evening, SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:30 p.m. ET/PT) and SHOWTIME (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) will present an additional slate of boxing on the premium network. The live fistic marathon will culminate with popular fan favorite and former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion and British superstar, Amir “King” Khan (26-3, 18 KOs), of Bolton England, facing undefeated contender Carlos Molina (17-0-1, 7 KOs), a former National Amateur Champion from Norwalk, Calif., in a 12-round junior welterweight fight. Additional fights on SHOWTIME and preliminary fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME are to be announced.