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Boxing’s return to network television this weekend invigorates fighters

MGM Grand hosts, NBC airs inaugural Premier Boxing Champions card

Thurman Retains Title With Unanimous Decision win

Steve Marcus

Keith Thurman, right, of Clearwater, Fla. celebrates after defeating Leonard Bundu of Italy in their interim WBA welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday Dec. 13, 2014.

The biggest gamble at the MGM Grand this weekend will take place a studio walk away from the casino floor.

The most powerful man in boxing, mega-manager Al Haymon, debuts his new Premier Boxing Champions series at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Haymon spent millions buying time on network television to air the sport, a venture that begins in earnest Saturday with NBC broadcasting a boxing event in primetime for the first time in 30 years.

The vision is the increased exposure providing a valuable platform for up-and-coming fighters and ultimately ushering in a new golden age for boxing. The risk is the possibility that boxing is destined to remain a niche option not capable of drawing an audience comparable to other professional sports.

But those close to the company contend that the dice are loaded, that the odds are stacked in favor of the mainstream welcoming boxing back.

“Al was just smart enough to make it happen,” said Keith Thurman, undefeated WBA welterweight champion who faces Robert Guerrero in the PBC on NBC main event. “At the end of the day, I believe boxing always belonged on the basic channels, but circumstances happened to take it away.”

Along with Thurman (23-0, 21 KOs) vs. Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs), a junior welterweight bout between Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) and John Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) co-headlines the night. Former featherweight champion Abner Mares (28-1-1, 15 KOs) bulks up the card with a bout against Arturo Santos Reyes (18-4, 5 KOs).

Fighters like Thurman, Broner and Mares, who are all under age 30, specifically have been labeled as potential heir apparents to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao as boxing’s biggest stars. PBC puts the focus squarely on them.

Haymon notoriously doesn’t speak in public, and none of his staff were made available to discuss the bold strategy. It’s all left to the fighters.

“I think the world is going to take boxing in with open arms because once they see me, they’re going to fall in love with me,” Broner said. “I’m going to make it happen.”

For an example of the benefit fighting on free television could provide, Broner will only need to glance out of the ring Saturday. Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard will color-commentate alongside play-by-play man Marv Albert and host Al Michaels.

Leonard built his profile by notching the majority of his most famous victories on networks like NBC. Ideally for promotional sake, current-day fighters like Broner could romanticize about huddling around the television as children to watch free boxing.

But Broner has never seen a single broadcast. Like most competitors that PBC will feature, he wasn’t even alive when boxing was in its heyday on network television in the 1970s through the early 1980s.

“I hear many stories of those days and, of course, that’s what excites me the most,” Mares said. “Knowing that we can get to that level again and boxing will come back. I’m not saying boxing is dead, but this will revive boxing in a big way.”

The performance of Saturday’s card, successful or otherwise, will far from make or break the series. It’s merely the first of many PBC offerings.

The NBC agreement is a multiyear contract that includes five primetime events and six matinees in 2015 alone. Haymon also has a deal in place with CBS.

Fighters say Haymon has promised them frequent bouts against top competition as a way to best showcase their skills. It’s exactly the formula Thurman is convinced boxing needs.

“When the buzz really gets going around, you’re going to see young kids inspired to find out if there’s a boxing gym in their hometown like back in the day,” Thurman said. “You’re going to see an onslaught of new talent filling the arena. That’s what I expect long-term. I think it’s great for the kids like myself, the young fighters coming through the ranks. We have an opportunity to create a household name for ourselves, so when boxing is done, we’ll be remembered for generations.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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