The grand tradition of live, televised boxing on Saturday afternoon is back today in North America as the world middlweight title clash between unbeaten IBF champion Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) and former IBF light middleweight champion/US Olympian Raul Marquez (41-3-1, 29 KOs) will air on pay-per-view at 3PM Eastern/Noon Pacific time direct from the Jako Arena in Bamberg, Germany. In the co-feature, cruiserweight Otis Griffin (19-3-2, 7 KOs), winner of the “Next Great Champ” reality series, takes on highly regarded Enad Licina (14-1, 8 KOs) in a twelve rounder for the IBF Intercontinental belt. The telecast will be distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing in English and Spanish on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, TVN, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice Canada, and Bell ExpressVue, for a suggested retail price of $24.95. The team of Al Bernstein and Nick Charles will be calling the action.
When unbeaten light heavyweight Joe Calzaghe (45-0, 32 KOs) faces Roy Jones Jr. (52-4, 38 KOs) tonight at Madison Square Garden, the pride of Wales insists it will be his last fight. “What a fantastic way to finish it off,” said Calzaghe. “Madison Square Garden is the mecca of boxing, so this is a fairy tale ending for me. I always wanted to be in this position and now I’ve got to make sure it’s a fairy tale result.” There are many, however, that suspect win or lose the 36-year-old “Super Joe” will come back for at least one more fight. “If Joe wins, he will be sorely tempted to retire undefeated, but once the multi million pound offers to put the gloves on again come in, it is almost impossible to envisage him resisting the temptation. And if he loses, he will be desperate to avenge the only defeat on his cv, so one way or another we reckon he’s a good thing to fight on,” said Graham Sharpe spokesman for the William Hill, one of the world’s leading bookmakers. Hill, in fact, is offering odds of 1:4 that Calzaghe will fight again in 2009, and 11:4 that he will not.
Before the main event on Pay-Per-View watch all three episodes of 24/7, back to back on HBO. Tonight from 8:30-9:30PM and tomorrow morning from 8:30-9:30AM.
AND ON MONDAY: A New Online Series, Ring Life, Premieres on HBO.com
Inspired by the real lives of eight hopeful boxers with dreams of becoming champions, each of the promising contenders will have their stories told in three, 4 to 6 minute segments which will play in weekly installments through April 2009.
THEN, ON NOV 16TH, 24/7 RETURNS!
Manny Pacquiao will move up from the lightweight division to challenge one of boxing’s most celebrated champions, Oscar De La Hoya.
Get exclusive behind-the-scenes access and in-depth interviews for one of boxing’s most intriguing bouts all leading up to their Dec 6th fight on Pay-Per -View.
Watch them both on Sunday, November 16th at 8:30 PM ET/PT.