Showtime Officially Announces Upcoming Bantamweight Tournament

Added on Sep 17, 2010 by Brian Blake in

Boxing

As previously reported on SportsBettingWorld.com, Showtime officially made the announcement today that the network would be hosting a two night, four fighter, single elimination tournament to be contested in the talent rich bantamweight division. The first stage will be televised live on December 11 with the opening bouts featuring Vic Darchinyan as he puts his IBO strap on the line when he battles the undefeated Abner Mares. The events televised opener pits IBF king Yonnhy Perez in a title bout against the hard hitting Ghanaian in Joseph Agbeko. Both 118 lb. bouts will be held in the city of Leon located in Guanajato, Mexico with the broadcast beginning at 9 PM.

Much like the Super Six World Boxing Classic that Showtime presents, it will be a joint venture in terms of promotions as Gary Shaw has a stake in Darchinyan, Thompson Boxing holds claim to the rights of Perez, Mares is under contract with Golden Boy Promotions while Don King represents Agbeko.

Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan (35-2-1, 27 KOs) is currently riding a three fight winning streak with him most recent victory coming in May when he picked up the vacant IBO Bantamweight crown with a lopsided unanimous decision over Eric Barcelona in Darchinyan’s adopted homeland of Australia. Darchinyan, who has been a professional prize fighter for nearly a decade put the boxing world on notice with his brash demeanor and the ability to lay his oppenents out with knockouts that are typically seen in the heavyweight division. It took only 21 bouts for Darchinyan to claim boxing gold as he stopped then undefeated Irene Pacheco in the 11th round of their clash to claim the IBF flyweight belt.

He continued to turn heads over the next three years until he ran into a massive left hook by Nonito Donaire in 2007 that resulted in Darchinyan crashing to the mat face first in what subsequently has become a Youtube classic. Despite both fighters clamoring for a rematch, the fight never came to fruition due to a myriad of reasons. Darchinyan would get his career back on track as he notched back to back stoppage wins in 2008 and 2009 over Cristian Mijares and Jorge Arce, respectively. Those big wins would be followed by a loss to fellow tournament contestant, Joseph Agbeko via a close but unanimous decision. A rematch is something that Darchinyan would welcome with open arms, but in order for that to take place, he first must handle Mares in December.

“I think that this is a beautiful thing that Showtime is doing, but it isn’t a bantamweight tournament, it’s The Darchinyan Tournament,” said the brash 34-year-old Darchinyan “Everyone who faces me will feel my power and be a loser.

“I owe Agbeko because he got away with one last time. But it doesn’t matter who I fight. Even the winner in the other bracket will be a loser because he will eventually have to face me and lose.”

The red-hot Abner Mares (20-0-1, 13 KOs), who now resides in Montebello, California, looks to not only extend his undefeated streak but also pick up Darchinyan’s IBO Bantamweight belt in the process. The consensus top five fighter has used his impressive skill set to move up the rankings every since turning pro four and a half years ago in Tucson, Arizona. Just two years later nabbed the biggest win of his young career by retiring Isidro Garcia prior to the seventh round thus earning him the WBO’s North American Bantamweight title.

“Boxing fans know that the little guys always make for the best fights and this tournament is guaranteed to prove that again,” said the confident yet personable Mares. “This is a great opportunity for all of us to prove ourselves in the spotlight and I am excited that this fight will take place in Mexico with all of the support of my people for the first time in my career.

“Of course, I am also grateful and looking forward to having a rematch with Yonnhy in the final. I felt I did enough in our first fight to win a unanimous decision. I know if I do my best again, I’ll come away with the IBF belt.”

While Mares is still undefeated he faced the first hiccup of his budding career when he fought to a 12 round majority draw with fellow tournament combatant, Yonnhy Perez, at the Staples Center in May earlier this year. Despite judge Marty Denkin scoring the bout in Mares’ favor he was overruled by the remaining to judges who saw the fight dead even.

Now Perez (20-0-1, 14 KOs) will move on from his draw against Mares as he looks forward to his rematch with Joseph Agbeko whom he faced and defeated for the IBF title nearly a year ago. Despite Perez being born and raised in Cartagena, Colombia, the return bout with Agbeko will mark just the second time he has fought outside of the United States. Surely he looks to fare as well as he did on the first occassion which resulted in a thrilling 12th round TKO against Silence Mbuza in South Africa.

“I’m excited to be included in the 118-pound tournament that Showtime has put together,” said Perez.

“Showtime has helped me reveal my ability to the world and I’m honored they will televise my next two fights. I knew the instant I earned my IBF bantamweight championship title that it would open a lot of doors for me. This is the first of many opportunities. I am going to get through this tournament as the reigning champion.”

On the other hand, the heavy handed Agbeko (27-2, 22 KOs) has spent the majority of his career fighting in his native Africa as well as a couple of bouts in Europe and would love to hand Perez his first loss outside of the US. Agbeko entered his 2007 fight with Luis Alberto Perez sporting a record of 24-1 and ended the night upping his wins via stoppage to 22 as the ringside doc advised a halt to the bout after seven rounds thus earning him the IBF bantamweight belt.

Prior to losing the title to Perez earlier this year, Agbeko successfully defended his title on two occasions with one of those victories coming by way of a close but unanimous decision to Darchinyan in Florida’s BankAtlantic Center in July of 2009.

“I’ve always said, and believed in my heart, that I am the best bantamweight in the world,” Agbeko said. “Now it is time to prove it once and for all.

“I’m beyond happy and excited that Showtime is doing a tournament in this weight class. This truly is an opportunity that I never expected, and I am going to take full advantage of it. It is my destiny to win it all.”

In addition to each of the boxers providing entertaining bouts coupled with the fact that each fighter has some sort of history or ties to the other participants this upcoming bantamweight tournament looks to be a can’t miss event.

“Meaningful match-ups with high stakes in boxing’s most competitive divisions—that’s our promise to boxing fans,” said Showtime Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager Ken Hershman. “I hold these four world championship competitors in the highest regard for taking the fights that the fans want to see; for risking their status as one of the world’s best, to prove they are the sole champion in the division. When you consistently fight and defeat the best, you deserve to be recognized as such.”

Despite the December 11 scheduled event has yet to secure a venue, all of the details for the tournament are in place with the opening night victors set to meet in early 2011 with the losing participants squaring off in a consolation bout that same evening.