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Boxing returns to network television in prime time for the first time in many years tonight, as Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions makes its, well, premiere on NBC at 8:30 pm EDT, headlined by a big welterweight showdown between Keith "One Time" Thurman and Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero.
Thurman (24-0, 21 KO) will look to win back some fans after a slightly dull performance last time out, dominant as he was against Leonard Bundu in December. Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KO) is probably best-known for his 2013 loss to Floyd Mayweather, but other than that, he's been a welterweight action star, with toe-to-toe wars against Selcuk Aydin, Andre Berto, and Yoshihiro Kamega since jumping up in weight in 2012.
The winner of tonight's fight figures to be right in line for a world title shot sooner than later, and both men have plans for a big 2015.
In the co-feature tonight, former three-division titleholder Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KO) will face John Molina (27-5, 22 KO) in a 12-round junior welterweight fight. Broner has won two straight since his 2013 loss to Marcos Maidana, while Molina has dropped his last two against Lucas Matthysse and Humberto Soto. Molina figures to be overmatched in skills tonight, but he's got a knack for rousing comeback knockouts, as he's shown against Mickey Bey and Hank Lundy in past fights.
Opening tonight's three-fight broadcast will be another former three-division titleholder, as Abner Mares (28-1-1, 15 KO) returns to face Arturo Santos Reyes (18-4, 5 KO) in a bout that figures to be a stay-busy affair as Mares looks for another world title shot in the near future.