SHOWTIME Starts 2007 With A Heavyweight Rematch … At A Special Time;
Replay Of First Peter-Toney Slugfest Next Wednesday, Jan. 3
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins its 21st year of televising world-class events with a doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The telecast will start at a special time in order to accommodate fans tuning into the NFL Wild Card games airing the same night. Normally, the SHOWTIME telecasts start at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

In the main event at Hollywood, Fla., Samuel Peter will face James Toney in a rematch of an exciting and controversial fight won by Peter on Sept. 2, 2006 on SHOWTIME. In the Jan. 6 co-featured bout, Jose Antonio Rivera will defend his WBA super welterweight title against undefeated Travis Simms.

SHOWTIME will air a replay of the first Peter-Toney fight on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, at 11 p.m. ET/PT. It will also be available on SHOWTIME On Demand and Free On Demand where available.

Legendary blow-by-blow announcer Steve Albert, who is beginning his 20th anniversary year with the network, will call the action from ringside with renowned boxing analyst Al Bernstein serving as color commentator. Emmy Award winning sports reporter Jim Gray will serve as roving reporter.

The executive producer of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

One night before the Jan. 6 fight card, unbeaten super middleweights Jean Paul Mendy and Tony Hanshaw collide in the main event on the network’s popular prospect-oriented series, "ShoBox: The New Generation" (SHOWTIME, 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). Undefeated junior welterweights Nick Casal and Jose Antonio Izquierdo clash in the eight-round co-feature.