Boxing Returns To CBS Sports
In the first sports collaboration between CBS and Viacom since their merger, CBS Sports will rebroadcast four Showtime Championship Boxing fights in July featuring eight of the top 10 heavyweight contenders.
The announcement was made jointly today by Sean McManus, President, CBS Sports and Mark Greenberg, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.
An unprecedented line-up of Showtime Championship Boxing heavyweight matches during June's "Heavy Hitters Month" will be presented by CBS Sports on three consecutive weekends during the month of July on Sunday, July 9 (5:00-6:00 PM, ET), Sunday, July 16 (2:30-3:30 PM, ET) and Saturday, July 22 (4:00-5:00 PM, ET). These broadcasts entitled, CBS Sports presents Showtime Championship Boxing, mark the return of boxing to the CBS Television Network for the first time in three years.
"CBS Sports is delighted to once again feature the best of boxing on our Network," says McManus. "This collaboration is just one of many that will result from the partnerships between the Viacom family of networks."
"Boxing fans who have sorely missed the sport on Network television will now experience the kind of exciting matches that Showtime Championship Boxing subscribers have enjoyed for almost 15 years," added Greenberg.
CBS Sports will broadcast four fights including former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson (47-3, 1 NC, 41 KOs) against former USBA and International Boxing Association (IBA) heavyweight champion Lou Savarese (39-3, 32 KOs).
Three-time heavyweight champion and the World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 2 heavyweight contender, Evander Holyfield (36-4-1, 29 KOs), will battle WBA No. 1 contender John Ruiz (36-3, 27 KOs) for the vacant WBA heavyweight championship in Las Vegas.
CBS Sports will feature two other fights as World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 10 heavyweight contender Andrew Golota (35-4, 29 KOs) takes on former world champion Orlin Norris (50-5-1, 1 NC, 27 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
And, the heavyweight championship fight between United States Boxing Association (USBA) champion, International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental Champion and IBF No. 1 contender David Tua (35-1, 30 KOs) fights IBF No. 1 contender and former IBF Intercontinental heavyweight champion Obed Sullivan (35-6-1, 25 KOs) in a 12-round bout on the CBS Television Network.