SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING DOUBLEHEADER – BRADLEY-PETERSON, DARCHINYAN-ROJAS

Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 from The Show at Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa

LIVE ON SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Unbeaten Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley will make another defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Jr. Welterweight world title in his California desert hometown when he takes on undefeated Lamont Peterson, Saturday, Dec. 12 live on SHOWTIME® (9p ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). The scheduled 12-round world title fight will emanate from The Show at Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa in Rancho Mirage, Calif. , less than 10 miles from where Bradley grew up in North Palm Springs.

In a co-feature, devastating knockout artist Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) 115-pound crowns against the hard-hitting Tomas Rojas.

The event is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions. Tickets go on sale Monday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. (PT) and will be available for purchase online at www.HotWaterCasino.com/TheShow or by calling Star Tickets at (800) 585-3737.

The 26-year-old Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs), who is coming off a no contest against former unified lightweight world champion Nate Campbell on Aug. 1 on SHOWTIME, is on a hot streak in the stacked 140-pound division. Bradley originally won the fight via highly controversial third-round TKO, but the decision was later changed to a NC by the California State Athletic Commission due to an accidental head butt that opened a cut over Campbell ’s left eye.

Prior to the bout with Campbell , Bradley defeated Kendall Holt by way of unanimous decision in a world title unification bout on April 4, in Montreal on SHOWTIME. The aggressive, physical and well-conditioned Bradley captured the WBC crown in Great Britain with an upset victory over Junior Witter on May 10, 2008, and successfully defended it in Biloxi, Miss., the following Sept. 13 against Edner Cherry. Both fights were on SHOWTIME.

Peterson (27-0, 13 KOs), of Washington, D.C., who is one of the hottest prospects in boxing, is coming off a seventh-round TKO over previously unbeaten Willy Blain on April 25, 2009 for the interim WBO junior welterweight title.

The 25-year-old’s story is one of the most compelling in a sport filled with rags-to-riches tales. Peterson and his brother, fellow top-prospect Anthony, were left homeless after their father landed in jail for a drug conviction, leaving the pair fighting on the streets to survive.

After years of homelessness and jumping from foster home to foster home, the Petersons were discovered by trainer Barry Hunter, who took them to his gym and taught them the sweet science. Boxing gave them discipline, hope and the goal to become world champions.

Now, Lamont Peterson has his first shot at a world title against a man that no one in the 140-pound division has been able to beat.

Darchinyan (32-2-1, 26 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, by way of Armenia, is fresh off a shocking 12-round unanimous decision loss to IBF bantamweight champion Joseph King Kong Agbeko on July 11 on SHOWTIME. The two-division world champ Darchinyan, who was heavily favored in the fight, was fighting for the first time at 118 pounds after dominating the 115-pound division.

But Darchinyan, 33, didn’t seem to have the power he was known for in the lower divisions, and Agbeko capitalized on Darchinyan’s mistakes and landed the stronger punches en route to a convincing victory. Now, the four-time world champ will defend his crowns back in the 115-pound division, where he holds victories over Cristian Mijares and Jorge Arce and has shown that his is much more comfortable and effective.

The 29-year-old Rojas (32-11-1, 22 KOs), of Veracruz, Mexico, defeated Everado Morales for the interim WBC super flyweight title on July 18 with a ninth-round TKO. Rojas then defeated Evans Mbamba on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Veracruz , Mexico.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein will call the action with Jim Gray reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is Ray Smaltz, with Bob Dunphy directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and Strikeforce mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports Facebook® and Twitter® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com.