SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Will Present 12 Fight Cards To Air the First Saturday of Each Month at 10 PM ET/PT

06.06 – Press Release: SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING plans to showcase the best boxing on television in 2004 by featuring fight cards on the first Saturday of each month at 10 p.m. ET/PT, it was announced today by Jay Larkin, Senior Vice President, SHOWTIME Sports & Events Programming. The new schedule will debut on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004.

“Our goal is to put on the strongest shows possible and televise the fights that boxing fans really want to see,” Larkin said. “We are excited about this change because the industry and the fans will know up front when they can come to Showtime to see great fights. A predetermined monthly date enables us to handpick the most competitive fights and promote them to the fans and our subscribers more aggressively.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, in its 18th year of televised boxing, has provided viewers with exciting boxing matches from five continents that have unveiled new champions, affected entire careers and gained SHOWTIME a reputation for presenting the unexpected. To date, SHOWTIME has aired 197 boxing telecasts encompassing 416 fights. There have been 280 world title bouts and a new champion crowned on 87 occasions.

In addition to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, SHOWTIME also features ShoBox: THE NEW GENERATION every other Thursday night at 11 PM ET/PT. The series, which debuted on July 21, 2001, features up-and-coming prospects determined to make a mark and eventually fight for a chance at a world title. The best of the new generation of hungry, young boxers have an opportunity to showcase their talent and heart as they battle each other in competitive fights in front of a national television audience. To date, SHOWTIME has featured 30 SHOBOX boxing telecasts encompassing 60 fights.

Describing all the action for SHOWTIME is a dream team of broadcasters including Steve Albert, Al Bernstein, Nick Charles, Bobby Czyz, Steve Farhood and Jim Gray. Bernstein, one of the most respected and recognizable voices in boxing, recently joined SHOWTIME’s all-star announcing line-up on May 17, 2003.