Boxing adviser/manager Al Haymon, who last week announced a deal for a new boxing series with NBC Sports Group, today “will unveil another television deal with cable network Spike TV,” according to sources cited by Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. An announcement is set for Spike’s Santa Monica HQ this afternoon, “although virtually no boxing media has been invited." The “first of multiple Spike TV cards” will be March 13. The Spike telecasts “will air on Friday nights and compete with ESPN2's ‘Friday Night Fights.’” Haymon, who works with “more than 150 fighters, is not a licensed promoter, so the cards will be promoted by the companies he works closely with, including Warriors Boxing, Goossen Promotions and DiBella Entertainment” (ESPN.com, 1/21). BOXING SCENE's Rick Reeno noted the initial Spike card will be headlined by Andre Berto-Josesito Lopez "in a welterweight encounter." Former welterweight champ Shawn Porter "is expected to appear in the co-feature but the opponent has not been confirmed." The location and venue for the first card also have not been confirmed (BOXINGSCENE.com, 1/21).
BEST-IN-SHOWTIME: ESPN.com's Rafael reported Showtime Boxing '15 schedule “got off to a rousing start on Saturday night with Deontay Wilder’s entertaining decision win against Bermane Stiverne to win a heavyweight world title.” The bout averaged 1.24 million viewers for Showtime’s “first major card of the year,” marking the net’s most-watched card “in more than two years.” Showtime’s most-viewed bout in ’14, which was Danny Garcia-Mauricio Herrera, only averaged 972,000 viewers (ESPN.com, 1/21).
