Showtime Sports’ president, Stephen Espinoza, has confirmed that Showtime will be ending all sports-related programming by the end of this year, and its programming will not resume in 2024. Despite rumors suggesting that boxing fights could still be broadcasted in 2024, Espinoza’s statement appears to dispel such possibilities.
Sports reporter Michael Benson had suggested on Twitter two days prior that undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez would continue fighting on Showtime Sports in 2024.
“Canelo Alvarez’s next two fights in 2024 will reportedly still be broadcast on Showtime PPV in the USA, despite Showtime Sports shutting down at the end of 2023 – this had been previously agreed as part of his deal with Al Haymon’s PBC. [According to @ESPNmx],” Benson tweeted.
However, this rumor was debunked not long after when Stephen Espinoza officially refuted it on the same day.
“We will not be moving forward after the end of the year, but we will continue to deliver on our promise to subscribers, our content partners, and the fighters until then,” Stephen Espinoza tweeted on October 25th.
As of today, Benson’s tweet no longer seems to be available, suggesting he deleted his comment due to the misinformation related to Showtime provided by ESPNmx or ESPN Mexico, a Mexican sports news outlet that is a subsidiary of the major U.S. media network ESPN.
Espinoza’s message may suggest that there might be another fight in December. Currently, the November 25th bout between super middleweights David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade will be the last fight aired on Showtime. However, the president’s statement seems to imply that there might be additional fights in December, with none scheduled after that month.
While there is only a minuscule chance that Canelo Alvarez will fight in December given his history of needing approximately half a year before stepping into the ring, rumors suggest that he may face Jaime Munguia next in May of 2024.
Reports also surfaced two months ago that Gervonta Davis might rematch Isaac Cruz, and Davis’ recent appearance in training camp seems to indicate he will be having a fight soon. Though nothing has yet been confirmed on who he will fight―and when, there is a slight chance that Cruz might become his next opponent in December, and that fight might be the last boxing match to close out Showtime’s near four-decade stint in showcasing boxing fights.
