Showtime Boxing: Woods vs. Tarver Added To April 12 Card!

A second light heavyweight world title fight has been added to the April 12 edition of Showtime Championship Boxing, Ken Hershman, senior vice president and general manager, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime announced today. IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods will defend his title against IBO titleholder and former undisputed 175-pound kingpin Antonio Tarver at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa , Fla.

Tarver vs. Woods, an intriguing match-up in its own right, joins the already highly anticipated light heavyweight championship fight between WBC world title holder Chad Dawson and former world champ Glen Johnson, making April 12 an important night for boxing on Showtime.

The world championship doubleheader is being promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and AT Entertainment in association with Fight Academy and will air live beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

“Thanks to Showtime and Dennis Hobson, we have created a very special night for boxing fans and an important event for the light heavyweight division,” said Gary Shaw. “Four world class fighters are taking the risk to reap the reward in a best against best scenario. Dawson, Tarver, Woods and Johnson are in the fights of their lives and I’m proud to be promoting them.”

“I’m thrilled that we were able to put this fight together and add it to what was already a sensational fight card April 12 on Showtime.” said Hershman. “These two match-ups are not only world title fights, but have significant career implications for all four fighters. I give them and their promoters a tremendous amount of credit for agreeing to take these fights. Saturday, April 12 should be a spectacular night for Showtime subscribers.”

Woods (41-3-1, 24 KOs), of Sheffield, England, will be making the fifth defense of the crown he won with a fifth-round TKO over Rico Hoye on March 4, 2005. It will be Woods’ second start in the United States and his Showtime debut.

In his last outing, the hard-punching Woods retained his crown with a unanimous 12-round decision over former light heavy champ Julio Gonzalez on Sept. 29, 2007, in Sheffield .

Tarver (26-4, 19 KOs), of Tampa , will be appearing on Showtime for a third consecutive time. A southpaw who owns two victories over Roy Jones Jr., registered a fourth-round TKO over Danny Santiago on Dec. 1, 2007, on Showtime.

Dawson (25-0, 17 KOs), of New Haven , Conn. , – a ShoBox alum – will be defending his WBC belt for a third time since winning it on Feb. 3, 2007. In his last outing, he registered an impressive fourth-round TKO over Epifanio Mendoza on Sept. 29, 2007.

Johnson (47-11-2, 37 KOs), of Miami , by way of Jamaica , is seeking his fourth consecutive victory. The former IBF light heavyweight champ has fought the best in his division throughout his career including title defense victories over Jones Jr. and Tarver.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Steve Albert and Al Bernstein will call the action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is David Dinkins Jr., with Bob Dunphy directing.

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete telecast information, please visit http://www.SHO.com/Sports.