by David P. Greisman
Jermall Charlo vs. Julian Williams is a very good fight against a junior-middleweight titleholder and a top contender. It won’t be the main event on the Dec. 10 broadcast on Showtime, however. Instead, it’ll be the co-feature to the featherweight bout between Jesus Cuellar and Abner Mares.
That doesn’t bother the 154-pounders, however.
“I’m not worried about being the opening or the main event,” Charlo said on a Nov. 9 media conference call. “Of course, you know, I’m tired of being second place. I feel like [NBA star] Kevin Durant. But there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Said Williams: “Abner Mares is a really good fighter. He’s like a two- or three-division champion. You earn your stripes. Obviously we’ve got more work to do before we can headline a card.”
The show’s co-promoter, Richard Schaefer of his newly launched Ringstar Sports, said that speaks to the quality of the broadcast card.
“Each one of those events could be a main event and on any other network would be a main event,” he said. “Some other networks would probably even make it a pay-per-view. That’s how good this card is. It could’ve very easily been Charlo-Williams as the main event. If it would’ve been in Philly [where Williams is from], it would’ve been. If it would’ve been in Houston [where Charlo is], it would’ve been. It is in L.A., in Southern California, so that is why we have Cuella and Mares.”
And Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza says the strength of the doubleheader is part of a concentrated effort as it puts forth seven notable fights between December and March.
“One of the things that we were grateful for … is when we want to put together blockbuster events, we don’t have those ego problems. Not every other network programs this way,” Espinoza said. “What we are trying to do as a group of fighters, promoters, managers is show of the best this sport has to offer. We’re over-delivering on each card. This clearly could’ve been a main event in Houston or Philly or anywhere else, but the idea was this was going to be a slate of a-plus-plus fights, top to bottom. That requires the commitment of everybody, of people not having an ego and realizing a rising tide lifts all boats.”
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