The highly anticipated unification showdown between unbeaten welterweight world champions Keith “One Time” Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs) and Danny “Swift” Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs) will headline SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, Saturday, March 4 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The broadcast, which will air live from 9-11 p.m. ET/6-8 p.m. PT, is just the second primetime boxing presentation on the CBS Television Network in nearly 40 years. The first, headlined by a thrilling fight between Thurman and Shawn Porter, was a 2016 Fight of the Year candidate and one of the most watched boxing events of the year. The March 4 broadcast, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, is produced by SHOWTIME Sports® for CBS Television, both divisions of the CBS Corporation.
“Barclays Center and Brooklyn are my home away from home,” said Garcia. “I’ve headlined the most shows at Barclays Center and my fans from Philly and my fans from New York can be there. It’s going to be another Danny Garcia show. I don’t care if people think I’m an underdog. To me, Keith Thurman is nothing but a name. Come March 4, I am going to show the world once again that I am a true champion.”
“I’m looking forward to returning to Barclays Center and headlining a national broadcast on CBS – both the arena and the network were good homes for me in 2016,” said Thurman. “I am the champ, and I always will be. Danny Garcia is a fighter who I have asked for and who I have respect for. But he’s going to learn, just as my past opponents have, that my power and speed will rise above any swiftness he has. I am the true welterweight champion. I will unify the titles and show him what ‘One Time’ feels like. I look forward to this fight and the fans should too; be there on March 4.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $750, $500, $400, $300, $150, $100, and $50* and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
“On the heels of an amazing fight card last weekend, Barclays Center will again host a Premier Boxing Champions mega-fight featuring the best facing the best, on March 4, when undefeated welterweight champions Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia collide in a unification showdown,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “I’m thrilled that this sensational fight will be broadcast by SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS and that 80 percent of the tickets in the arena are priced between $150 and $49.”
“Thurman and Garcia have headlined our two most attended fight nights at Barclays Center,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “March 4 will further cement Barclays Center as the home to the best championship matchups and the premier boxing venue in the country.”
“Our goal is to deliver the biggest, most meaningful matchups to the broadest audience, and an event of this magnitude belongs on CBS,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “This is truly prizefighting at its finest – two undefeated champions in the prime of their careers fighting to unify boxing’s glamour division. When the two best fighters square off we often get spectacular results, as we saw this past weekend on SHOWTIME. The bar has been set high in 2017, and we have every reason to believe Keith and Danny will put on another tremendous show at Barclays Center on March 4.”
After establishing himself as the top fighter at 140-pounds, Garcia moved up to 147-pounds and defeated former champion Paulie Malignaggi before he earned a vacant world title in January 2016 when he bested another former champion in Robert Guerrero. The Philadelphia-native comes off of a victory in his hometown and will return to headline at Barclays Center for the sixth time. Garcia has compiled one of the best resumes currently in boxing with victories over the likes of Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson, Zab Judah, Mauricio Herrera and Erik Morales.
The hard-hitting Florida-native Thurman comes off of a successful world title defense in a “Fight of the Year” candidate with former champion Shawn Porter that rocked Barclays Center and was the first primetime boxing event on CBS in nearly 40 years. Prior to that, he dominated former champions Robert Guerrero and Luis Collazo on his way to two victories in 2015. The 28-year-old won his belt by knocking out Diego Chaves in 2013 and scored consecutive knockouts over Jesus Soto Karass and Julio Diaz in his first and second title defenses.
