There was a time when boxing on Saturday afternoon TV was the norm. The old timers will tell you that those were the good old days, when the top fighters and the biggest fights happened during the afternoon, just about every weekend of the year. Back then, boxing fans had to hustle to get their regular Saturday chores and errands finished early, but then it was fight time!
On Saturday afternoon, April 20th, boxing fans will once again be transported back to those good old days, when heavyweights Tyson Fury and Steve Cunningham square off in a 12-rounder at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in a throwback daytime fight to determine the #2 heavyweight contender in the world. Doors open at 1:15PM. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast on NBC, as an afternoon presentation of their Fight Night boxing series at 4:00PM ET.
Die hard and casual boxing fans alike tuned in to see the first afternoon presentation of Fight Night on NBC, which featured Steve Cunningham vs. Tomasz Adamek on Saturday, December 22nd, 2012. With almost 4 million viewers catching piece of the action, it was the highest-rated boxing program to grace American televison in 2012.
Fury, 20-0, 14 KOs, is the latest European hopeful, a popular puncher who measures a staggering 6′ 9″ in height. He’s made waves abroad since turning pro in 2008, and will make his American debut at the Garden on the afternoon of April 20th. Fury has KO’d most of his foes, but in Cunningham, he’ll be up against his first former champ and most accomplished opponent to date. Does Fury have the power to topple a fighter of Cunningham’s ability?
Now a heavyweight, Cunningham, 25-5, 12 KOs, of Philadelphia, has two world cruiserweight championship belts in his trophy case, and is coming off a frustrating “loss” to Tomasz Adamek in his most recent bout. Although the official verdict somehow went the other way, Cunningham proved just how skilled a heavyweight boxer he really is. But is he skilled enough to hold off Fury, a genuine giant of the ring?
A loaded undercard filled with rising boxing stars, looking to steal the show, is scheduled to get underway shortly after doors open at 1:15 PM.
Topping the set of preliminary bouts is middleweight bomber Curtis “Showtime” Stevens, 23-3, 17 KOs, in an 8-round fight against Derrick “Superman” Findley, 20-3, 13 KOs, that is sure to end in fireworks. Also featured on the card will be undefeated Philly lightweight Karl “Dynamite” Dargan, 12-0, 6 KOs, in a 6-rounder against Sergi Ganjelashvili, plus a potential 6-round sock-fest between cruiserweights Sevdail Sherifi and Josh Harris that may be a real war. Rounding out the undercard is a pair of heavyweight 4-rounders. In the first, Hughie Fury, Tyson’s cousin, makes his American debut, while undefeated Adam Kownacki battles Calbert Lewis in the second scheduled 4-rounder.
The show will be the Garden’s first daytime professional boxing event in many years. You will have time to take in a great day of boxing and still enjoy the NYC nightlife. Don’t miss it!
