Showtime launches new 168lb tournament featuring James DeGale and Badou Jack

Super Six 2.0? Well not exactly, but it's something. Showtime will be hosting a new 168lb tournament - except that this one will only feature four fighters in a single elimination tournament that won't drag out for two years. In fact this one will be wrapped up by the end of this year.

The tournament kicks off this Saturday on Showtime when Badou Jack (20-1-1, 12 KOs) takes on Lucian Bute (32-3, 25 KOs) at the DC Armory where he'll defend his WBC world title for the second time. IBF titlist James DeGale (22-1, 14 KOs) will appear on the co-feature, putting his strap on the line against Rogelio "Porky" Medina (35-6, 29 KOs). The winner of these two fights have already agreed to face on another later on this year in a finale which will unify two the world titles.

"The one comment I will make about this event, other than to point out it features four of the best fighters in the division, is that it was quite possibly the easiest event to make out of all the events we made this spring and summer," Showtime Sports boss Stephen Espinoza said. "That's a credit to the promoters and especially a credit to all four fighters.

"We didn't just make two fights here. We've got the winners of these fights fighting later in the year in a unification match. To be able to make two fights very quickly and to get everyone on board with fighting the winners in a unification match with no mess, no politics, no arguments and no hesitation is an accomplishment. These are four real fighters here and they were not afraid of a challenge. They didn't hesitate at all."

Naturally both current titlists, Jack and DeGale, are favored to win their respective fights and face one another in the finale -- and really that's just a logical fight to make. DeGale, for his part, says that he hopes he doesn't have to face Bute again as he feels he's already beaten him convincingly and would like to test himself against a fresh opponent in Jack.

Sounds like a plan to me...