SHO Preview: "Relentless" Cotto vs Mayorga

With their highly anticipated world championship confrontation less than one month away, boxing fans will get exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the training camps and lives of boxing superstars Miguel Cotto and Ricardo Mayorga when “Relentless,” a 30-minute preview of the first major pay-per-view world championship boxing event of 2011, premieres tonight/Friday, Feb. 18, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME®.

Cotto, the Pride of Puerto Rico, will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight title against two-division world champion Mayorga on Saturday, March 12, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Cotto vs. Mayorga will be produced and distributed LIVE by SHOWTIME PPV®, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

“Relentless” provides exclusive interviews and reactions from their explosive, trash-talking, kickoff press conference in New York, where Mayorga promised to force Cotto to retire following the March 12 showdown.

In addition to the fireworks expected in the ring, the event also marks the first time in five years that Hall of Fame promoters Bob Arum and Don King have joined forces for a promotion. “Relentless” will take a look back at some of the legendary fights that Arum and King have promoted, including flashbacks to the unforgettable Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier battles and footage from Sugar Ray Leonard’s controversial split-decision victory over “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler in 1987.

“Relentless” also takes a look at World Boxing Council (WBC) female super welterweight champion Christy Martin and her miraculous comeback trail in search of her landmark 50th professional victory against Dakota Stone.

Finally, the preview piece builds on and explores the relationship between Cotto and Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward. “Relentless” will investigate the connection between the two boxing icons, who started working together following Cotto’s win over former WBA super welterweight champion and future rabbi Yuri Foreman in June of 2010. On March 12, Foreman will take on Top-10 contender Pawel Wolak in an undercard 10-round super welterweight rumble.

Cotto, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, has held a world title every year since 2004 and has won 15 of the 17 world championship bouts he has fought. Mayorga, of Managua, Nicaragua, is known for his reckless abandon and fearlessness inside the ring – a style of fighting that has produced 23 knockouts out of his 29 victories and legions of fans.

Cotto and Mayorga have fought a boxing who’s who of the last decade, including Manny Pacquiao, Oscar de la Hoya, ”Sugar” Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Vernon Forrest, Cory Spinks, Fernando Vargas and Felix Trinidad.

Airdates for “Relentless” are as follows:

DATE | TIME | CHANNEL
Friday, Feb. 18 | 10 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Thursday, Feb. 24 | 7:35 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Friday, Feb. 25 | 10 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Tuesday, Mar. 1 | 10 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Thursday, Mar. 3 | 7:30 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Friday, Mar. 4 | 11:45 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Monday, Mar. 7 | 9:30 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Wednesday, Mar. 9 | 10:30 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Friday, Mar. 11 | 10 p.m. ET/PT | SHO EXTREME
Saturday, Mar. 12 | 1:30 p.m. ET/PT | SHO

The Cotto vs. Mayorga pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95. It will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. For Cotto vs. Mayorga fight week updates, log on to www.sports.SHO.com or www.toprank.com