23.12.03 – The Co-Feature Of Showtime Championship Boxing’s Historic Doubleheader Will Follow Tszyu-Mitchell 140-Pound World Title Fight In Moscow, Russia – The second-half of the first-ever SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING dual-continent doubleheader will take place at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Jay Larkin, Senior Vice President, Executive Producer Sports & Events Programming, announced Tuesday. The bout – billed as “Does Size Matter?’’ – will pit three-time world champion and current WBO No. 3 contender, James “Lights Out” Toney, against WBO No. 4 contender Jameel “Big Time” McCline in a 12-rounder for the NABO heavyweight title.
In the opener of the network’s historic telecast, World Boxing Council (WBC)/International Boxing Federation (IBF) 140-Pound Champion and World Boxing Association (WBA) Super 140-pound Champion, Kostya Tszyu, will defend his titles in a highly anticipated rematch against former world champion and current IBF No. 1 140-pound contender, Sharmba Mitchell, in Moscow, Russia.
SHOWTIME will present the bouts on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Millenium Events P/L will serve as promoter for Tszyu-Mitchell, while Goossen Tutor Promotions will promote Toney-McCline.
“The Feb. 7 show is the second in our new scheduling strategy of providing our viewers and boxing fans with a terrific event on the first Saturday of every month,” Larkin said. “We have produced fights from five continents, but this dual-continent, split-feed is a first for us. This will be a memorable night indeed.’’
The 5-foot-10, 220-pound Toney (67-4-2, 43 KOs) is coming off of an impressive ninth-round TKO over legendary four-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield Oct. 4, 2003, at Mandalay Bay on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View. The night before at Mandalay Bay on SHOWTIME, the 6-foot-7, 260-pound McCline (30-3-3, 18 KOs) rallied to register a 10th-round TKO over previously undefeated Cedric Boswell.
Tszyu (30-1, 24 KOs) and Mitchell (52-3, 30 KOs) met the first time on Feb. 3, 2001, on SHOWTIME. Tszyu won the unification world title fight when then-WBA titleholder Mitchell retired on his stool at the end of the seventh round after aggravating an injury to his left knee.
“Shobox: The New Generation’s” Steve Farhood and Nick Charles will call the action from Moscow with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and Al Bernstein will anchor the telecast and provide the call from ringside for Toney-McCline at Mandalay Bay. The Executive Producer of the milestone SHOWTIME telecast is Larkin.
For information on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including fighter bios and records, related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http:www.sho.com/boxing.