SHOWTIME Boxing Sports Programming Notes

26.07.07 - Three days before SHOWTIME presents the highly anticipated rematch between the two best little men in boxing, Rafael Marquez and Israel Vazquez, the network will air their dramatic first fight - a “Fight of the Year” candidate from March 3, 2007..

On Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 11 p.m. ET/PT, SHOWTIME will replay the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship match between Marquez and Vasquez in its entirety. In the dramatic slugfest, Marquez rallied from an early knockdown to register a seventh-round TKO and capture the WBC 122-pound title. The non-stop, toe-to-toe action finally ceased when Vazquez , who suffered a broken nose early in the fight, retired on his stool after seven rounds.

SHOWTIME, which carried the initial Marquez-Vazquez match-up, will televise the rematch live on Saturday, Aug. 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

In a special segment during the telecast, Emmy Award-winning sports reporter Jim Gray will interview two of boxing's most bitter rivals simultaneously - wild, trash-talking, cigarette-smoking Ricardo Mayorga and fellow former world champion Fernando Vargas via satellite remote - as they prepare for their main event match-up on Saturday, Sept. 8, live on pay per view.

Additionally, SHOWTIME will launch a new Mixed Martial Arts series, ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series this Friday, July 27. The premiere five-bout, two-hour telecast will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).