SHOWTIME Sports® announced today that SHOWTIME EXTREME – the sports and action focused multiplex channel – will broadcast the live weigh-in and select fighter interviews from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) in anticipation of the March 12 SHOWTIME PPV® "RELENTLESS" headlined by Miguel Cotto and Ricardo Mayorga.
Ines Sainz of TV Azteca and Jimmy Lennon Jr. will host the half-hour program featuring all eight fighters on the pay-per-view card, including Cotto, Mayorga, Yuri Foreman, Pawel Wolak, Miguel Vazquez, Lenny Zappavigna, Tommy Zbikowski and Richard Bryant.
"SHOWTIME continues to explore different ways to expand the reach of boxing and televising the weigh-in of a major pay-per-view card is just one of the many innovations we will be exploring," said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports. "Earlier this year, SHOWTIME EXTREME relaunched as the place to find SHOWTIME Sports telecasts after their original airings on SHOWTIME. By adding live content for the first time, we are bolstering the channel's value to our subscribers even more."
SHOWTIME EXTREME is available in 94 percent of SHOWTIME households. The telecast will be available in High Definition and produced by Top Rank. In addition to the broadcast, a live stream of the weigh-in will be available at sports.sho.com and www.toprank.com/TRLivestream.
For the first time in five years, Hall of Fame promoters Bob Arum and Don King will join forces to present the first major pay-per-view world championship boxing event of the season – featuring the pride of Puerto Rico, Cotto defending his World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight title against two-division world champion Mayorga, on Saturday, March 12, at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. The pay-per-view broadcast will also feature the return of former WBA super welterweight champion and future rabbi Foreman, who will be taking on Top-10 contender Wolak in a 10-round super welterweight rumble, IBF lightweight champion Vazquez defending his title against mandatory challenger Zappavigna, and Baltimore Ravens safety/former Notre Dame standout Zbikowski returning to the ring for a four-round heavyweight bout against Bryant.
Cotto vs. Mayorga will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with Cotto Promotions, Don King Productions, Tecate and MGM Grand.
The Cotto vs. Mayorga pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95. It will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For Cotto vs. Mayorga fight week updates, log on to www.sports.SHO.com or www.toprank.com