Home News Friday Night Fights gets new host Todd Grisham, returns January 4th

Friday Night Fights gets new host Todd Grisham, returns January 4th

Credit: Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will return January 4 at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD and ESPN Deportes with a new studio host and on-site reporter.

Todd Grisham, an anchor for ESPNEWS’ Highlight Express, MMA Live and SportsCenter, has been named Friday Night Fight’s studio host. Bernardo Osuna, who served in that role in 2012, will become the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, contributing to ESPN’s Friday Night Fights in English, and ESPN Deportes’ Viernes De Combates in Spanish.

Credit: Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action. Both are recipients of the prestigious Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism presented by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA): Atlas (2001), Tessitore (2010).

Prior to joining ESPN, Grisham served as a WWE backstage interviewer, play-by-play commentator and ring announcer.

The season premiere will match undefeated Junior Featherweights Rances Barthelemy (17-0, 11 KOs) and Arash Usmanee (20-0, 10 KOs) in the 12-round main event. The card, from the Magic City Casino in Miami, is promoted by Warriors Boxing.

Upcoming Schedule:

ESPN’s Friday Night Fights will total 29 dates in 2013. Upcoming schedule below:

DateTime (ET) Main EventLocation Network
Fri, Jan 410 p.m.Rances Barthelemy vs. Arash Usmanee—12-rounds Junior FeatherweightMagic City Casino, MiamiESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 119 p.m.John Molina vs. Dannie Williams—12 rounds LightweightPueblo Pavilion, Santa Fe, N.M.ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 25 9 p.m.Serhiy Dzinziruk vs. Brian Vera—12 rounds MiddleweightTurning Stone Casino, Verona, N.Y.ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 19 p.m.Carlos Molina vs. Cory Spinks, 12-rounds Junior MiddleweightUIC Center, ChicagoESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 8 9 p.m.David Lemeiux vs. Jose Miguel Torres—12 rounds, MiddleweightBell Center, MontrealESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN
Fri, Feb 159 p.m.Delvin Rodriguez vs. George Tahdooahnippah—10-rounds, Middleweight Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CTESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

ESPN Deportes

ESPN Deportes’ boxing news and analysis show A Los Golpes (7:30 p.m. Mondays), which debuted in October, continues with guest analyst Julio César Chávez Sr. and co-hosts Osuna and David Faitelson. The Viernes De Combates (“Friday Night Fights” in Spanish) telecast team includes 2011 BWAA “Fight of the Year” boxer Delvin Rodriguez and Alex Pombo ringside with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio. Friday’s 30-minute news and analysis show Golpe a Golpe will be co-hosted by World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez and Jorge Eduardo Sanchez.

More Fights

Friday Night Fights, which typically has included a televised main event and co-feature, will now add a third fight in most 2013 shows.

Ultra-Mo

Every Friday Night Fights telecast will implement an ultra slo-mo camera, providing some of the most dramatic and amazing replays of a fight’s biggest punches.