Showtime Sports announces Spring 2016 lineup

For as many disappointments boxing fans have suffered as of late, there's finally some good news! Showtime Sports has just release it's Spring 2016 fight lineup (which really extends into the summer) and there's plenty to look forward to in the near future. Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza had this to say about the upcoming fight schedule:

"This schedule features high level matchups with champions taking on the highest-rated contenders available, and top-ranked challengers facing one another. We are thrilled and grateful to the promoters and the fighters themselves who have worked with us these last few weeks to put together such an impressive lineup for SHOWTIME Boxing. It has to be one of the best we've ever assembled."

I'm not sure this is much of an overstatement, so let's take a look at the full rundown of what Showtime has in store for you rabid fight fans out there!

Saturday, April 9 - SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL:
Main Event: Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) - IBF Heavyweight World Title Championship
Co-feature: Lee Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) vs. Eric Hunter (21-3, 11 KOs) - IBF Featherweight Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: The O2 - London

Friday, April 15 - ShoBox: The New Generation:
Main Event: Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs) - 10-Rd Bantamweight Bout
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/PT
Venue: Turning Stone Casino - Verona, NY

Saturday, April 16 - SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:
Main Event: Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) vs. Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) - WBC Featherweight World Championship
Co-Feature: Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) vs. Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs) - IBF Super Featherweight World Championship
Start Time: 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT
Venue: Fox Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino

Saturday, April 30 - SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:
Main Event: Badou Jack (20-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Lucian Bute (32-3, 25 KOs) - WBC Super Middleweight Championship
Co-Feature: James DeGale (22-1, 14 KOs) vs. Rogelio Medina (35-6, 29 KOs) - IBF Super Middleweight World Championship
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Venue: TBD
BLH Notes: Badou Jack had been frustrated by the long negotiating period attempting to make a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Although Chavez Jr. pulled out of the fight just a few days ago, Jack already has his replacement dance partner.

May 2016 - SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING - PENDING CONFIRMATION:
Main Event: Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) vs. Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) - WBC Heavyweight World Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: TBD
BLH Notes: This one still isn't signed and sealed just yet, but it looks like things are beginning to come together. Stay tuned.

Saturday, June 11 - SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) vs. John Molina Jr. (28-6, 23 KOs) - 12-Rd Super Lightweight Bout
Start Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
Venue: Turning Stone Casino - Verona, NY
BLH Notes: Can you say "meat grinder"?

Saturday, June 25 - SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS Presented by PBC
Main Event: Keith Thurman (26-0, 1 ND, 22 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) - WBA Welterweight World Championship
Co-Feature: Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) - WBA (reg.) Featherweight World Championship
Start Time: TBD
Venue: TBD
BLH Notes: A lot has been made of the many, many postponements of this highly anticipated fight, but it looks like it finally has its rescheduled date following Thurman's injury.

Late-Summer 2016 - SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Main Event: Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) vs. Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) - WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship
BLH Notes: And once again, Guillermo Rigondeaux is on the outside looking in. This is still a fun fight though!

So what do you think of this lineup, fans? Sound off in the comments section below!