The new Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN series debuts with a 12-round welterweight matchup – undefeated Keith “One Time” Thurman (25-0, 21 KOs) vs. Luis Collazo (36-6, 19 KOs) – live on ESPN on Saturday, July 11, at 9 p.m. ET from the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla. The opening fight will showcase a 10-round junior middleweight matchup between undefeated Tony Harrison (21-0, 18 KOs) and Willie Nelson (23-2-1, 13 KOs).
ESPN will utilize 11 cameras to shoot fight action — nearly double the number used on Friday Night Fights — and a 360-degree “Round-A-Bout” camera system above the ring comprised of 32 cameras, which will allow viewers to see every punch and hit from all angles.
Fighter backgrounds:
Thurman, who hails from nearby Clearwater, Fla., is widely regarded as the heir apparent in the division to Floyd Mayweather. He is coming off a unanimous decision win against welterweight contender Robert Guerrero, while former welterweight titlist Collazo, the southpaw from Brooklyn, N.Y., is looking to score another victory following a second-round TKO win over Christopher Degollado. Harrison, fighting out of Detroit, scored a third-round TKO win over Pablo Munguia in his last fight, while Cleveland’s Nelson is looking to rebound from a unanimous decision loss to Vanes Martirosyan.
Additional Highlights:
ESPN3:
- Live coverage of Thursday’s press conference (1 p.m.) and Friday’s weigh-in (approx. 5:15 p.m.), with Tessitore and Atlas providing commentary during the weigh-in;
- The 10-round lightweight undercard matchup between Edner Cherry (33-6-2, 18 KOs) and Luis Cruz (21-3, 16 KOs) will be carried live on Saturday at approx. 7:10 p.m.
SportsCenter:
- Extensive pre- and post-fight coverage of the fights including coverage of the press conference, live coverage of the weigh-in (5:15 p.m.), and multiple pieces featuring all four main event fighters.
ESPN.com:
- Comprehensive coverage, including pre- and post-fight features, videos and blogs from ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Brian Campbell, and Nigel Collins;
- Live ESPN3 coverage of Thursday’s press conference and Friday’s weigh-in and Saturday’s Cherry vs. Cruz undercard bout.
