SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO FEATURE COLLECTION OF HISTORIC FIGHTS IN BOXING AND MMA FEATURING COMBAT SPORTS’ BEST HISPANIC AND LATINO FIGHTERS
Full Slate Now Available on Streaming and On Demand For All SHOWTIME® Subscribers
NEW YORK – September 15, 2022 – SHOWTIME SPORTS is honoring Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 with a slate of historic and consequential fights featuring some of the best Hispanic and Latino boxers and mixed martial arts fighters from the network’s comprehensive library. Some of the biggest blockbusters in the network’s industry-leading history of televised combat sports are now available on all streaming and on demand platforms for SHOWTIME subscribers in recognition of the incredible impact that Hispanic and Latino fights have made on combat sports.
SHOWTIME is also scheduled to showcase a battle of Mexican all-action fighters live on Saturday, October 8 when rising star Sebastian Fundora defends his Interim WBC Super Welterweight Title against Carlos Ocampo in a tripleheader from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. One week earlier, Brazilian superstar Patricio Pitbull will defend his BELLATOR Featherweight Title against Adam Borics Saturday, October 1 in the main event of BELLATOR 286 live on SHOWTIME on a telecast that also features Juan Archuleta facing off against Peruvian Enrique Barzola in a bantamweight bout.
The collection of fights from the SHOWTIME library honoring Hispanic Heritage Month includes the 2005 Fight of the Year, and perhaps one of the top fights this century, between Diego Corrales and José Luis Castillo on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® (SCB) that ended with Corrales dramatically stopping Castillo in the tenth round after Corrales had been dropped twice in one of the greatest rounds of boxing ever. The lightweight unification bout is considered a boxing masterpiece, a non-stop thriller that left observers searching for adjectives to best describe the courage, skill and willpower on display.
Also featured are the first two installments of the heated rivalry between Mexican warriors Rafael Marquez and Israel Vazquez that appeared on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING in March and August of 2007. The fights delivered non-stop action with Vazquez retiring on his stool following the seventh round after absorbing punishment and sustaining a broken nose in the first fight. Vazquez evened the score five months later in Ring Magazine’s 2007 Fight of the Year in another barnburner. With blood streaming down his left eye, Vazquez dropped Marquez with a massive hook, causing the bout to be stopped and returning the 122-pound title to Vazquez’s possession.
Fans will also see Patricio Pitbull dramatically hold off a late rally from Mexican American Emmanuel Sanchez to retain the BELLATOR MMA featherweight title at BELLATOR 209 in November 2018 via decision in an action-filled bout in which both fighters had their moments. Pitbull showed his championship class in the final round when he hurt Sanchez with a left hook that captured the momentum after Sanchez stormed back in the fourth round and had Pitbull fatigued and on the defensive. Undaunted by the onslaught, Pitbull had saved his best for the fifth round as he became the winningest fighter in BELLATOR history with the victory.
Also included is the slugfest between Cuban stylist Erislandy Lara and Mexican brawler Alfredo Angulo for a vacant 154-pound title on June 8, 2013, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Lara had to climb off the canvas twice before hurting Angulo with a left hand in the tenth round that caused Angulo to turn his back and the referee to immediately stop the action. Equally as shocking was the upset perpetrated by Josesito Lopez, also known as the Riverside Rocky, against Victor Ortiz in a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on June 23, 2012. Trailing on all three judge’s scorecards, Lopez, who took the fight on short notice, stopped Ortiz after nine rounds when Ortiz complained of a broken jaw and couldn’t answer the bell for the tenth. The improbable win led to Lopez securing a big-ticket match with superstar Canelo Alvarez three months later on SHOWTIME.
The complete list of fights will be available as part of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month on SHOWTIME platforms beginning Thursday, September 15.
- BELLATOR 214: Juan Archuleta vs. Ricky Bandejas (1/26/19)
- BELLATOR 209: Patricio Pitbull vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (11/15/18)
- SHOBOX: The New Generation®: Adam Lopez vs. Danny Roman (1/20/17)
- SCB: Erislandy Lara vs. Alfredo Angulo (6/8/13)
- SHOBOX: The New Generation: Regis Prograis vs. Abel Ramos (12/11/15)
- SCB: Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Daniel Ponce De Leon II (3/15/14)
- SCB: Marcos Maidana vs. Josesito Lopez (6/8/13)
- SHOWTIME PPV: Amanda Serrano vs. Miriam Gutierrez (12/18/21)
- SCB: Jose Luis Castillo vs. Diego Corrales I (5/7/05)
- SCB: Jose Pedraza vs. Andrey Klimov (6/13/15)
- SCB: Israel Vazquez vs. Juan Manuel Marquez I & II (3/3/07 and 8/4/07)
- SCB: Victor Ortiz vs. Josesito Lopez (6/23/12)
