Big Showtime Fight Card Swells With Additional Contest

With the holiday season fast approaching, boxing fans will have plenty to celebrate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 13, as the star-studded “Royal Battle: Khan vs. Alexander” has grown to a quadrupleheader.

Added to the previously announced Showtime telecast will be a 10-round featherweight bout featuring former three-division world champion Abner Mares (27-1-1, 14 KOs) against Mexico’s Jose Ramirez (24-3-2, 15 KOs), and opening the live portion of the event at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT will be a 12-round IBF Title Elimination bout between unbeaten Jermall Charlo (19-0, 15 KOs) and Italy’s Lenny Bottai (22-2, 9 KOs).

Headlined by the high-stakes 12-round welterweight matchups between British superstar and former unified super lightweight world champion Amir “King” Khan and former two-division world champion Devon Alexander “The Great,” and featuring the interim WBA Welterweight Championship 12-round title fight between Keith “One Time” Thurman againstLeonard “The Lion” Bundu, the live event will offer a full night of boxing action.

Showtime Extreme viewers will also be treated to outstanding live action beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast, with top 154-pound contender Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (24-0, 11 KOs) putting his unbeaten record on the line in a 10-round bout against Mario Alberto Lozano (28-5, 20 KOs) and undefeated 2012 United States Olympian Errol Spence Jr. (14-0, 11 KOs) taking on longtime contender “Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis (24-10-1, 11 KOs) of Greece in an eight-round junior middleweight contest.

Plus, the return of former welterweight world champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-5-2, 22 KOs) against Denver’s Manuel Perez (21-10-1, 4 KOs) will be aired during the Showtime Extreme telecast.

Rounding out the non-televised card, in an eight-round cruiserweight bout featuring Beibut Shumenov (14-2, 9 KOs) versus Robert Thomas Jr. (14-2-1, 9 KOs) and Tokyo’s Yoshihiro Kamegai (24-2-1, 21 KOs) will face off against San Jose’s Oscar Godoy (13-3, 6 KOs) in an eight-round junior middleweight showdown.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $300, $200, $100, and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Facing off against former world champion Abner Mares will be Mazatlan, Mexico native Jose Ramirez, (24-3-2, 15 KOs), who can put himself in the running for a world title shot at 126 pounds with a win on Dec. 13.

A professional since 2006, the 27-year-old former WBO International Featherweight Champion is 3-2 in his last five bouts, a stretch that includes a victory over veteran contender Rey Bautista. Ramirez now makes his home in Oxnard, Calif., where he’s put in an intense training camp for the biggest fight of his career.

Former amateur sensation Jermall Charlo (19-0, 15 KOs) of Houston, Texas has made his presence known in the professional game with all but four of his wins coming by way of knockout.

The 24-year-old Charlo is ready to continue to make a statement that he is one of the best junior middleweights in the world when he opens the Dec. 13 telecast against Lenny Bottai.

His most recent win, a seventh round technical knockout over Norberto Gonzalez in September has given Charlo the drive to close out the year with a victory and head into 2015 with a world championship in his sights.

On a quest to bring a world championship home to Italy, Livorno’s Lenny “Mangusta” Bottai (22-2, 9 KOs) is a seasoned veteran of European rings, where he has won the Italian, IBO International, IBF International, IBF Intercontinental and WBC Mediterranean Junior Middleweight titles.

The only thing missing for the 37-year-old warrior is a world title belt and following seven consecutive victories, four by knockout, he can move one step closer to glory should he upend Charlo.

Winner of nine of his last 11 fights, 27-year-old Mario Alberto “Aguila” Lozano (28-5, 22 KOs) will be a stern test for unbeaten Jermell Charlo on Dec. 13 in Las Vegas.

A stellar welterweight contender for several years, the Chihuahua, Mexico native is now putting his skills on display at 154 pounds, where he has recently battled respected contenders Vanes Martirosyan and Charles Hatley.

But to set the stage for a title run, Lozano must dispatch Charlo from the ranks of the unbeaten and end 2014 with a bang.

2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. (14-0, 11 KOs) has been making a steady climb up the divisional ranks since turning professional.

After a shutout win over rugged veteran Ronald Cruz in June and a dominating technical knockout victory over the experienced Noe Bolanos in September, the 24-year-old from Desoto, Texas is primed to take his next big step.

Fresh from his first fight as a professional in his native Greece, a second round knockout of Andrei Staliarchuk in May, Athens’“Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis (25-10-2, 12 KOs) will see if 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol Spence Jr. has what it takes to move to the next level when they collide.

A veteran of nearly 14 years in the pro game, the 35-year-old Arnaoutis has battled the likes of Josesito Lopez, Chris Algieri, Danny Garcia and Victor Ortiz in his career, and he still feels he gas plenty left his as he tackles one of boxing’s brightest prospects.

“Royal Battle: Khan vs. Alexander,” a 12-round welterweight bout for the WBC Silver Welterweight Title, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Khan Promotions and The Great Promotions and is sponsored by Corona Extra, AT&T and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!

The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. and will air on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

In the co-main event, Keith Thurman defends his interim WBA Welterweight Title against Leonard Bundu. Additionally, Abner Mares will face Jose Ramirez in a 10-round featherweight bout and opening the telecast, Jermall Charlo will meet Lenny Bottai in a 12-round IBF Junior Middleweight Title eliminator.

The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised on Showtime Extreme at 7 p.m. ET/PT.