SHOWTIME SPORTS® MOVES AHEAD WITH DOUBLEHEADER ON JUNE 23 AFTER INJURY FORCES CHRIS ARREOLA TO WITHDRAW FROM FIGHT WITH MIKE MOLLO

NEW YORK (June 15, 2012) – An injury has forced heavyweight Chris Arreola to withdraw from his scheduled June 23 fight against Mike Mollo, which  was slated to open the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIPBOXING telecast on SHOWTIME®.  The premium network will move ahead with a doubleheader featuring two 12-round fights.

In the main event, former World Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO's), of Ventura , Calif. , will face Josesito Lopez (29-4, 17 KO's), of Riverside , Calif. , for the WBC Silver Welterweight Championship.  The co-feature will match world-ranked fighters, former Three-Time World Champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto (59-7-2, 34 KO’s), of Los Mochis , Mexico , and hard-hitting Lucas Matthysse (30-2, 28 KO’s), of Chubut , Argentina , in a battle for the WBC Continental Americas super lightweight title.

The doubleheader emanating from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles , Calif. will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  It will be preceded by preliminary bouts airing live on SHOWTIME Extreme at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  In the main match-up on SHOWTIME Extreme, Jermell Charlo (17-0, 8 KO’s), of Houston , risks his perfect record against Denis Douglin (14-1, 8 KO’s) of Marlboro, N.J., in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.  Also featured on the SHOWTIME Extreme telecast will be an eight-round super lightweight clash between undefeated Omar Figueroa (17-01, 14 KO’s), of Weslaco, Tex., and veteran Alain Hernandez (18-10-2, 10 KO’s) of Tijuana, Mexico.

Tickets priced at $250, $150, $100 and $50 are available online at www.staplescenter.com,www.ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000 or at STAPLES Center box office.

MATTINGLY CALLS IN THE BIG GUN: JOSESITO LOPEZ TO THROW THE FIRST PITCH SUNDAY AT DODGER STADIUM

Los Angeles (June 15) - Former NABF Lightweight Champion Josesito Lopez will be spending a special Father's Day this Sunday at Dodger Stadium as he kicks off the official fight week for "Ortiz vs. Lopez" on Saturday, June 23 at STAPLES Center.  Lopez will be giving his best impression of Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw when he takes the mound before Sundays game.  Just prior to that, he will be signing autographs with fans at the "Viva Los Dodgers" event in lot 6 of the Dodger Stadium parking lot. 

Lopez lives and trains in Riverside, Calif., and is a big fan of the home town teams in Southern California. "I'm a huge baseball fan," said Lopez.  "It's a great honor to be throwing out the first pitch in front of the great fans of Los Angeles.  The success the Dodgers are having this year under their new ownership with Magic Johnson is amazing."  

"Ortiz vs. Lopez" is a 12-round fight main event for the vacant WBC Silver Welterweight Championship between Victor Ortiz and Josesito Lopez on a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader. 

 The June 23 event it being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T.  

Tickets priced at $250, $150, $100 and $50 are available online at www.staplescenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000 or at STAPLES Center box office.