Showtime unveils loaded schedule

9 cards and at least 13 bouts between May and September

Gervonta Davis headlines a Showtime PPV June 26

Showtime on Thursday unveiled a jam-packed boxing schedule of nine Premier Boxing Champions cards with at least 13 bouts — more undercard fights to be added — that will take place over a five-month stretch from May through September and includes some of the biggest names in the sport.

Although some of the bouts and dates had already leaked out, Showtime’s announcement made the fights official and they include twins Jermell and Jermall Charlo, Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Nonito Donaire and David Benavidez all headlining shows.

The schedule will include two events per month in May, June, July and August and one pay-per-view. All of the events will take place at sites with spectators, although only one location was announced, while keeping in step with local Covid-19 safety protocols. Since Showtime returned to putting on fights this past August during the coronavirus pandemic, all but one event took place inside the bubble of the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, without fans.

“High-impact, meaningful fights amongst many of the biggest names and brightest stars in combat sports. That is what Showtime promises and that is what we are delivering,” Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza said. “With an opportunity to crown an undisputed world champion at 154, a highly anticipated (junior featherweight) title unification, a stacked pay-per-view showdown and more than a dozen fights between 118-168 pounds, Showtime is presenting boxing’s best young fighters, all daring to be great by putting their world titles and undefeated records on the line.

“This schedule’s caliber and volume – the deepest and most consistent of any network or platform – exemplifies our commitment to the sport. Between this incredible lineup of boxing events and our new partnership with Bellator MMA, with a live event nearly every week, there is no better value proposition in combat sports.”

Here’s a look at the schedule:

May 15

Luis Nery (31-0, 24 KOs) vs. Brandon Figueroa (21-0-1, 16 KOs), for Nery’s WBC junior featherweight title

Daniel Roman (28-3-1, 10 KOs) vs. Ricardo Espinoza Franco (25-3, 21 KOs), junior featherweights

Xavier Martinez (16-0, 11 KOs) vs. Abraham Montoya (22-1, 14 KOs), WBA junior lightweight eliminator

The lowdown: Nery and Figueroa, both action fighters, won on the same Sept. 26 card to set up this fight. Nery won a vacant world title and Figueroa retained a secondary belt. Former unified titlist Roman won his last fight, also on the Sept. 26 card, which was one bout after losing his world title to Murodjon Akhmadaliev by decision. Martinez and Montoya will clash for the right to challenge for a belt.

Grade: B. All three bouts figure to be entertaining and the main event could be a barnburner and is significant.

May 29

Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs) vs. Nonito Donaire (40-6, 26 KOs), for Oubaali’s WBC bantamweight title

Subriel Matias (16-1, 16 KOs) vs. Batyrzhan Jukembayev (18-0, 14 KOs), IBF junior welterweight eliminator

The lowdown: Oubaali, who is making his third title defense, and former four-division world champion and mandatory challenger Donaire were supposed to meet on Dec. 19 but the fight was postponed because both fighters tested positive for Covid-19. Donaire, a lock future Hall of Famer, has not fought since November 2019 when he participated in the consensus fight of the year, a hard-fought decision loss in a bantamweight title unification fight with Naoya Inoue in the final of the World Boxing Super Series. Matias-Jukembayev has KO written all over it. They’re both big punchers. Canada-based southpaw Jukembayev was a standout amateur in Kazakhstan, going 203-40. The winner will become a mandatory challenger for the winner of the May 22 undisputed title fight between Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor.

Grade: B, for now. The main event is excellent and the co-feature looks interesting. A third fight probably will be added and could improve the grade.

June 19 at Houston

Jermall Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) vs. Juan Macias Montiel (22-4-2, 22 KOs), for Charlo’s WBC middleweight title

The lowdown: Charlo, in his fourth defense, gets a hometown fight on Juneteenth, but this is easily the weakest main event of the cards announced. Charlo is a genuine top middleweight and Montiel is nowhere near his league and not remotely worthy of a world title shot. He got drilled in the second round by Jaime Munguia at welterweight in 2017, has only fought three times since the end of 2017 and has never beaten a serious opponent.

Grade: D, being generous, because Charlo is facing a vastly inferior opponent. Overall the card gets an incomplete because two more bouts are likely to be added.

June 26

Mario Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs) vs. Gervonta Davis (24-0, 23 KOs), for Barrios’ WBA “regular” junior welterweight title

Erickson Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) vs. Jeison Rosario (20-2-1, 14 KOs), WBC junior middleweight eliminator

The lowdown: This card is a Showtime PPV as Davis headlines on pay-per-view for the second fight in a row following his massive sixth-round knockout of Leo Santa Cruz to retain his secondary lightweight world title and take Santa Cruz’s junior lightweight belt on Oct. 31. That fight was at 130 pounds and now Davis, who is one of boxing’s biggest stars but mired in legal issues outside the ring, is moving up two weight classes and 10 pounds to challenge Barrios for his secondary belt. Barrios was less than impressive in a disputed decision over Batyr Akhmedov to win the vacant secondary belt in 2019 and more impressive in a big knockout of Ryan Karl in his first defense in October on the Davis-Santa Cruz undercard. The question here is will Davis’ power go up in weight with him and will his overall talent and speed advantages trump Barrios’ significant size advantage?

Grade: A-. While many would rather see Davis fight one of the big names at lightweight before going up in weight, there is no denying this is an intriguing main event with a co-feature that is both meaningful and has a good chance to be exciting. Two more bouts will be added to the PPV.

July 3

Chris Colbert (15-0, 6 KOs) vs. Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs), for Colbert’s WBA interim junior lightweight title

The lowdown: Even though Gamboa has become a steppingstone opponent in the twilight of his career, he is still the best opponent of young Colbert’s career. The intrigue is gauge how good Colbert, 24, who is making his second defense, can look against a name veteran and former unified featherweight titlist and to see if Gamboa has anything left in the tank at age 39 and coming off back-to-back lopsided losses to Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis in title bouts. Colbert’s performance will be measured against those of Haney and Davis.

Grade: Main event gets a C, but overall the card gets an incomplete because additional bouts will be added.

July 17

Jermell Charlo (34-1, 18 KOs) vs. Brian Castano (17-0, 12 KOs), for the undisputed junior middleweight title

The lowdown: For the past few years there have been several major fights at junior middleweight as PBC, which controls the top of the division, has mixed and matched its guys and seen the belts change hands regularly. Charlo drilled Jeison Rosario in September in a three-belt unification fight and Castano routed Patrick Teixeira to take his title in February in a mandatory fight. Now, Charlo and Castano meet for all the marbles. It’s a rare four-belt undisputed championship fight and the first ever in the 154-pound division. Fights get no more significant.

Grade: A, and that’s before the televised undercard bouts are announced.

Aug. 14

John Riel Casimero (30-4, 21 KOs) vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs), for Casimero’s WBO bantamweight title

The lowdown: Casimero was originally slated to make his third defense in a unification fight last April against Naoya Inoue but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and never rescheduled as they went their separate ways. Now, Casimero, 32, meets Rigondeaux, 40, the two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist and obviously the more talented fighter. But Rigondeaux’s age is catching up to him. He was king for a time at junior featherweight before moving down to bantamweight for his last fight in February 2020. He’s been a brilliant technician but has routinely put on snoozers while winning. But his legs are not what they once were and he is forced to stand and fight more like he did in a split decision over Liborio Solis in his last fight. This could be interesting if Rigondeaux fights like that again or it could be agonizing if his legs are good and Casimero has to chase him for 12 rounds.

Grade: C+, but more fights will be added.

Aug. 28

David Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) vs. Jose Uzcategui (30-4, 24 KOs), WBC super middleweight eliminator

The lowdown: The two former titleholders meet to move a step close to a mandatory shot against unified champion Canelo Alvarez. Benavidez is one of the most exciting fighters in boxing, a straight ahead banger with tremendous offense and rock-solid chin. Uzcategui is a little long in the tooth, but he can punch and he gets hit. This one could be all action for as long as it lasts.

Grade: B, but with more fights to be added

Sept. 11

Stephen Fulton Jr. (19-0, 8 KOs) vs. the Nery-Figueroa winner, junior featherweight title unification

The lowdown: Fulton was supposed to face Angelo Leo for the vacant WBO title in August but came down with Covid-19 and had to pull out during fight week. Leo beat late sub Tramaine Williams instead for the vacant title but was mandated to give Fulton the first shot. They met on Jan. 23 and Fulton won a lopsided decision. For his first defense he will meet the winner of Showtime’s May 15 main event to unify 122-pound titles. It’s terrific to see Fulton go right into a meaningful fight instead of wasting time defending against nobodies.

Grade: A-, regardless of whether the opponent is Nery or Figueroa. Additional bouts will also be added.

Davis photo: Esther Lin/Showtime