Classic Boxing on ESPN Next Week

New York (April 14, 2005) – Each night next week from 9:00 to 11:00 PM/ET, ESPN Classic will air seldom seen classic boxing matches as part of “Classic Fight Nights,” a weeklong programming lead-in to the ESPN Pay-Per-View boxing event on Saturday April 23.

The “Classic Fight Nights” lineup includes:

Monday April 18

9:00 PM Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns I (9/16/81)
(Rebroadcast 4/19 at 12:00 AM, 4/20 at 10:00 PM and 4/21 at 1:00 AM)

10:00 PM Roberto Duran vs. Ken Buchanan (6/26/72)

Tuesday April 19

9:00 PM Evander Holyfield vs. Dwight Muhammad Qawi (7/12/86)
(Rebroadcast 4/20 at 12:00 AM, 4/22 at 10:00 PM and 4/23 at 1:00 AM)

10:00 PM Pernell Whitaker vs. James “Buddy” McGirt (3/6/93)
(Rebroadcast 4/20 at 1:00 AM, 4/21 at 10:00 PM and 4/22 at 1:00 AM)

Wednesday April 20

9:00 PM Aaron Pryor vs. Alexis Arguello II (9/9/83)
(Rebroadcast 4/21 at 12:00 AM)

10:00 PM Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns I

Thursday April 21

9:00 PM Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer (422/94)
(Rebroadcast 4/22 at 12:00 AM)

10:00 PM Pernell Whitaker vs. James “Buddy” McGirt

Friday April 22

9:00 PM Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Dokes (3/11/89)
(Rebroadcast 4/23 at 12:00 AM)

10:00 PM Evander Holyfield vs. Dwight Muhammad Qawi

ESPN Classic will also air following fights on Saturday April 23 leading into the 9:00 PM/ET ESPN Pay-Per-View event:

6:00 PM Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Dokes (rebroadcast)

7:00 PM Evander Holyfield vs. Dwight Muhammad Qawi (rebroadcast)

8:00 PM Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns I (rebroadcast)

At 9:00 PM on April 23, ESPN Pay-Per-View will present a blockbuster night of boxing promoted by Main Events from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The event will feature up to 44 rounds of live boxing, including two world championship fights, for just $29.95. Fans will also have the choice to purchase a live ESPN.com Webcast of the event for the same price. The television and online packages will feature the identical live feed and will be sold separately.

Featured fighters will include WBA lightweight champion Juan Diaz; WBO welterweight title holder Antonio Margarito (who will battle WBO-interim champion Kermit Cintron), as well as three-time world champion Shane Mosley; and a 10-round heavyweight bout.

The event marks the first of two events this year distributed by ESPN Pay-Per-View and promoted by Main Events. The ESPN.com Webcast will mark the first time that such a high-profile night of boxing will be carried live online.

For more information, visit ESPN.