NEW YORK– Their first fight played out like a Hollywood script: rife with drama, incredible two-way exchanges, a broken jaw, multiple head butts, low blows and controversy.
On Saturday, June 21, undefeated middleweight champion Arthur Abraham, and the explosive, hard-hitting Edison Miranda will co-star in the emotionally charged sequel, live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Abraham won the first fight on a hotly disputed unanimous decision in a scintillating affair on September 23, 2006. The 12-round rematch will be contested at a catch weight of 166 pounds.
In the SHOWTIME co-feature, undefeated middleweight Giovanni Lorenzo (26-0, 18 KOs) of New York, by way of Dominican Republic, will face Raul Marquez (41-3, 29 KOs) of Houston, Texas, by way of Mexico, in an IBF World Championship eliminator. The two-fight telecast will originate from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., and is promoted by Seminole Warriors Boxing and Sauerland Event in association with The Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Setting the stage for the most anticipated rematch since Marquez-Vazquez II, SHOWTIME will re-air Abraham-Miranda I for the first time on U.S. television this Monday, June 16, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME 2™, again on Thursday, June 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO2 and on Saturday, June 21, at 6 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®.
Miranda (30-2, 26 KOs), long known as one of the most feared punchers in boxing, delivered considerable punishment in the first fight. Miranda broke Abraham’s jaw with vicious shots to the head early in the bout and blood flowed steadily from Abraham’s mouth until the final bell.
Miranda, fighting on Abraham’s home turf in Germany, lost five points for low blows and head-butts. Abraham, (26-0, 21 KOs) the current IBF middleweight champion, survived the brutal injury to win a decision by five, six and seven points respectively on the judges scorecards to retain his title.
“In all my life as a boxing fan, and as a producer for more than 20 years, I have never seen anything like it,” said David Dinkins Jr., executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports telecasts, of Abraham’s broken jaw. “For a guy to fight through that kind of injury—and win—is truly remarkable. There’s some unfinished business here. I am really looking forward to seeing them go at it again.”
Fans should look for the same kind of thrilling action on June 21.
“Miranda doesn’t have to fear me in the ring, but he sure better respect my skills,” Abraham said. “I’m going to fight my fight and if he wishes to stand in the ring with me, he better respect my talents.”
“I’m training twice a day,” continued Abraham. “My sparring partners have been excellent. This is the right rematch at the right time.”
Miranda has since moved up to super middleweight where he is much more comfortable and looked dominant in his last two fights.
“The adjustment from middleweight to super middleweight hasn’t been tough at all,” Miranda said. “I feel great at this weight. My punching power didn’t decrease as many thought it would. I fight with a lot more energy at this weight.”
The undefeated Abraham has dominated the middleweight division since he won the vacant IBF belt with a fifth round knockout over Kingsley Ikeke on Dec. 10, 2005. He has made seven successful defenses, four coming by way of knockout.
Nicknamed “King Arthur,” Abraham has brutal power having knocked out more than 80 percent of his opponents.
One of boxing’s most devastating punchers, Miranda is no stranger to world title belts and eliminators. Miranda’s only other loss came against current WBC and WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in a WBC eliminator on May 18, 2007.
After the loss to Pavlik, Mirada moved up to super middleweight. On Oct. 30, 2007, he defeated Henry Porras with a fifth-round TKO and in his last fight he demolished David Banks on Jan. 11, 2008 with a brutal third-round knockout.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Steve Albert and Al Bernstein will call the action from ringside with Jim Gray reporting from ringside. The telecast will be produced by Chuck McKean with Bob Dunphy directing. Dinkins is the executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports.
For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
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