Big-time boxing returns with string of Showtime events

Premier Boxing Champions will put on a string of high-profile fights before the end of the year with two world champions putting their gold on the line.

Unbeaten Gervonta Davis will defend his title against Mexican fighter and fellow champion Leo Santa Cruz.

Big time boxing returns

We learned that Jermell Charlo faces a super welterweight unification showdown after nine Premier Boxing Champions cards were unveiled this week.

The Showtime feature bouts mark the biggest slate of world title fights announced since the pandemic shut down major boxing cards and sport in general back in March.

All of the fights are to be staged without spectators at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut in the United States.

“We’re thrilled to return to live boxing with this star-studded schedule of exciting, meaningful fights,” Showtime Sports and Event Programming president Stephen Espinoza said.

Santa Cruz, the WBA’s super featherweight champion at 37-1-1 with 19 knockouts, will face Davis, 23-0 with 22 knockouts, on 24 October in a pay-per-view event.

The bout will be staged at the super-featherweight limit of 130 pounds (59kg) for Santa Cruz’s crown and the WBA regular lightweight (135-pound) belt held by Davis.

A 26 September pay-per-view double-header will feature WBA and International Boxing Federation super-welterweight champion Jeison Rosario (20-1-1 with 14 knockouts) of the Dominican Republic against World Boxing Council champion Jermell Charlo (33-1 with 17 knockouts) of the United States.

Rosario vs Charlo will be just the second fight in their division with three world titles at stake. Rosario will be in action for the first time since he stopped American Julian Williams in the fifth round in January to claim two straps and the first for Charlo since he stopped compatriot Tony Harrison for the title last December.

South Africa’s four heavyweight world champions

The card also sees Charlo’s brother Jermall, 30-0 with 22 knockouts, defend the WBC middleweight crown against Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko, 13-2 with 10 knockouts.

The bouts begin 1 August with unbeaten US fighters Angelo Leo (19-0 with nine knockouts) and Stephen Fulton Jr. (18-0 with eight knockouts) for the vacant World Boxing Organization junior featherweight crown.

On 15 August, unbeaten American David Benavidez (22-0 with 19 knockouts) defends his WBC super-middleweight throne against Roamer Alexis Angulo (26-1 with 22 knockouts).

The other top-level world title at stake in the bouts will be decided on 12 December when unbeaten Frenchman Nordine Oubaali (17-0 with 12 knockouts) defends his WBC bantamweight crown for the third time, this ring visit against 37-year-old Filipino star Nonito Donaire (40-6 with 26 knockouts).