Boxing crisis averted: Santa Cruz-Mares, Gonzalez-Sor Rungvisai now on different dates

A potential conflict that would have seen a pair of major boxing cards take place on rival networks, in the same city, on the same night, was averted early Thursday.

WBA featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz was originally due to defend his title in a rematch with Abner Mares at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sept. 9 – on Showtime. Meanwhile, recently deposed pound-for-pound king Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez’s attempt to reclaim his WBC super flyweight crown from Thailand’s Srisaket Sor Rungvisai is scheduled for the StubHub Center in nearby Carson on HBO on the same date.

With rival promoters K2 (Gonzalez) and Richard Schaefer (Santa Cruz), plus the two major cable boxing broadcasters pitted against each other, it appeared as though a stalemate that would split the audience and do neither card any favors was inevitable.

However, the intervention of Dan Beckerman, president and CEO of the AEG group that operates both venues, proved decisive. Beckerman brokered a deal between the rival parties that will now see Santa Cruz-Mares remain at Staples Center, but be switched to Oct. 7.

“Each (promoter) now has a clean night with separation (from other bouts) and the fans can watch both,” Beckerman told the Los Angeles Times.