Sports

Historic twist to boxing day

Today is an historic day for boxing in and out of the ring. It begins at 4:30 p.m. when CBS airs a live boxing match for the first time in 15 years and ends with Larry Merchant calling the final fight from ringside of his 35-year career with HBO.

When Merchant began working for HBO in 1978, boxing was a staple on network television. But that ended on CBS in 1997 when then-middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins knocked out Glen Johnson. Since then, boxing has been seen primarily on premium networks such as HBO and Showtime.

NBC began broadcasting boxing periodically two years ago. But the hiatus on CBS ends today when “Showtime Boxing on CBS” presents a doubleheader from the Los Angeles Sports Arena. IBF bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (22-0-1, 13 KOs) of Los Angeles defends his title against Alberto “Metro” Guevara (16-0, 6 KOs) of Mazatlan, Mexico, while 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz, Jr. of South El Monte, Calif., makes his pro debut against Vicente Alfaro (5-2, 1 KO) of Northfield, Minn.

“The more boxing on network television, the more people will see it and the more boxing will grow,” said Oscar De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions is backing the event. “We are very excited about this development and we look forward to more boxing shows like this. The great exposure this show is going to get on Saturday afternoon network television is going to be phenomenal.”

Santa Cruz won his title on June 2 with a 12-round unanimous decision over Vusi Malinga and made successful defenses with a fifth-round knockout over former champion Eric Morel in September and a ninth-round knockout over Victor Zaleta last month. Guevara is fighting for the first time in the U.S.

“I’m very happy and excited and especially honored to be fighting on CBS,” Santa Cruz said. “I really want to thank Golden Boy and my manager for this unbelievable opportunity. So many fans will be watching, and that’s where I get my motivation, from the fans.”

Diaz, 19, was the youngest on the 2012 Olympic team and a two-time national amateur champion. He advanced to the second round in London before losing to eventual bronze medalist Lazaro Alvarez.

Later tonight, Showtime will offer its own programming, headlined by junior welterweight Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KOs) of England, who faces Carlos Molina (17-0-1, 7 KOs) of Norwalk, Calif. In other bouts, 2008 bronze medalist Deontay Wilder (25-0, 25 KOs) of Tuscaloosa, Ala., takes on Kelvin Price (13-0, 6 KOs) of Pensacola, Fla., and Alfredo Angulo (21-2, 18 KOs) of Los Angeles meets Jorge Silva (18-2-2, 14 KOs) of Chula Vista, Calif.

Meanwhile, Merchant, 81, ends his career as a ringside commentator tonight in Houston where HBO will broadcast Nonito Donaire’s junior featherweight title defense against former champion Jorge Arce. The fight will follow a replay of last week’s pay-per-view bout between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.

“Starting in January, I will become a Tom Brokaw-like senior kibbitzer on major news and events in boxing,” Merchant said. “I was extraordinarily lucky to land with HBO when it was just a start-up. I’m proud to be associated with so many talented people who made us into a ground-breaking network. I’m looking forward now to my new role and to new adventures in television, writing and the expanding media universe.”

Before HBO, the Brooklyn-born Merchant was a reporter, commentator and producer with NBC Sports and the host of an award-winning panel show on USA Network. Previously, he was a sports editor-columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News and a columnist for The Post.

* Broadway Boxing resumes Dec. 19 at the Roseland Ballroom. Proceeds from the show will be donated to the Red Cross to aid Hurricane Sandy victims. Will Rosinsky (16-2, 9 KOs) of Queens takes on Otis Griffin (24-10-2, 10 KOs) of Sacramento, Calif. in a 10-round light heavyweight main event. Tickets priced from $125 to $45 are available by calling 212-947-2577.