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SPECIAL
NIGHT FOR A SPECIAL FIGHT
ON SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
NEW YORK (June 27) - A special edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING,
featuring an International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight
world championship showdown, will air LIVE on July 8 at a special time -
10 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast).
IBF champion Roman "Made in Hell'' Karmazin will defend his title
against former undisputed world welterweight champion Cory "The Next
Generation" Spinks in Spinks' hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The
154-pound world title fight is being promoted by Don King Productions.
Karmazin (34-1-1, 1 ND, 21 KOs), of Hollywood, Calif., by way of St.
Petersburg, Russia, stamped himself as one of the division's best in his
last start by winning the IBF 154-pound title with a convincing, upset
12-round unanimous decision over Kassim Ouma on July 14, 2005, in Las
Vegas. Karmazin outpointed the defending IBF champion by the scores
118-108, 117-109 and 116-110.
The victory was Karmazin's fifth straight (with one no-decision) since
suffering his lone loss July 12, 2002, on a disputed decision to Javier
Castillejo in a bout for the WBC Interim 154-pound crown.
Going toe-to-toe with an extremely popular boxer on his home turf is
nothing new for Karmazin.
"Look at my record," Karmazin said. "I have fought boxers from all over
the world, most in their home countries. I defeated all of them but one
(the controversial decision to Castillejo in his native Spain).
"My message to Spinks and the people of St. Louis is simple. I am Roman
'Made in Hell' Karmazin. I will fight any time, any place, anywhere, and
I will never back down. And when you are done with me, you are going to
feel like you have been to hell and back."
Karmazin, who turned pro on Aug. 17, 1996, in Moscow, will make his
fourth consecutive start in the United States and fifth overall. He
scored a noteworthy victory on April 2, 2005, when he came away with a
12-round majority decision over former two-time World Boxing Council (WBC)
middleweight titleholder Keith Holmes in Worcester, Mass.
Spinks (34-3, 11 KOs) hopes to accomplish what Jose Antonio Rivera did
last May on SHOWTIME when he stepped up in weight on his home turf and
dethroned Alejandro "Terra" Garcia to win the World Boxing Association (WBA)
154-pound belt. It is Spinks' first appearance since he lost his
147-pound crowns to Zab Judah on Feb. 5, 2005, on SHOWTIME from Savvis
Center. The bout was witnessed by 22,370 - the second-largest crowd in
history for a boxing match in an indoor arena.
"I am so excited and feel blessed to have another world title shot,"
said Spinks, who lost to Judah on a ninth-round TKO. "I am determined to
win a world title in front of my hometown fans. I owe it to them for all
their support."
The son and nephew of former world heavyweight champions Leon and
Michael Spinks, respectively, Cory lost his first world title fight. In
a bout for the vacant IBF welterweight crown, he dropped a controversial
decision to local hero Michele Piccirillo on April 13, 2002, in Italy.
Spinks, who lost the disputed nod by the scores 115-112 twice and
116-111, avenged the defeat by returning to Italy the following year and
winning a 12-round unanimous decision (117-111, 117-112 and 115-113) on
March 23, 2003.
In his next appearance, Spink became the unified world welterweight
champion by scoring a 12-round majority decision (117-110, 114-112 and
114 apiece) over Ricardo Mayorga on Dec. 13, 2003, in Atlantic City,
N.J. Spinks outpointed Mayorga, who was coming off back-to-back wins
over 2002 Fighter of the Year Vernon Forrest.
Tickets priced at $25, $45, $60, $100, $200, $300 and $500 are on sale
at the Savvis Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers
including Famous-Barr, Schnucks Video Clubs, Streetside Records, the
BlueNote Sports Shops and the IceZone at St. Louis Mills or by speaking
to a sales representative by phone at (314) 421-4400 or (618) 222-2900.
Tickets also can be purchased on the automated phone line at (314)
241-1888 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING's Steve Albert and Al Bernstein will call
the action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The
executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast will be David Dinkins Jr.
with Bob Dunphy directing.
On Saturday, July 1, a night normally reserved for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP
BOXING, a special edition of "ShoBox: The New Generation" will air at 9
p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). The sons of four former world
champions and the cousin of another will be featured.
SHOWTIME celebrates 20 years of hard-hitting, explosive boxing in 2006.
In March 1986, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXINGA was born when "Marvelous"
Marvin Hagler defeated John "The Beast" Mugabi in a spectacular and
unforgettable 11th-round knockout in Las Vegas. Since that time, the
network has aired some of the most historic and significant events in
the sport including both Holyfield-Tyson bouts.
Always at the forefront of boxing, SHOWTIME has set itself apart by
telecasting "great fights, no rights" on the first Saturday of every
month. SHOWTIME is the first network to regularly deliver live boxing in
High Definition. In addition, SHOWTIME continues to be a pioneer in
sports television with a number of interactive features across multiple
platforms making SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts the most
enjoyable, immersive viewing experience for the boxing audience.
Steve Cunningham - Guillermo Jones IBF Cruiserweight World Title Fight
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