When Showtime released its spring boxing schedule, it made note at the end of the announcement that the network was also working on summer fights for Adrien Broner and Mikey Garcia.
Little did anyone know -- including Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager for Showtime Sports -- that they would face each other. But that is exactly what will happen.
Showtime on Thursday announced that Broner, a former four-division world titleholder, and Garcia, a reigning lightweight titlist, will square off July 29. They will meet in a scheduled 12-round bout at a catch weight of 140 pounds at a site to be determined.
"I always want to fight the best. I know a lot of people are probably counting me out. I just see two fighters that got chips on their shoulders ready to put on a great show of boxing." Adrien Broner
Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, is a possible site and is pursuing the bout.
"I always want to fight the best," Broner said on a teleconference with boxing writers to discuss the fight. "I know a lot of people are probably counting me out. I just see two fighters that got chips on their shoulders ready to put on a great show of boxing.
"You've got two guys in their prime, in their highest level of their career right now who want to fight each other, so let's do it."
Garcia said it was the right fight at the right time.
"Broner has lost. I don't lose. I don't believe anyone around my division can beat me and I believe I'm the better fighter." Mikey Garcia
"We had already talked about a possible matchup for later in the year and when we couldn't find anything else available that made sense at lightweight, we looked at the 140-pound division for somebody who could make a big fight, and Adrien Broner's name came up. And, along with Stephen, we were able to look into Adrien Broner and work everything out," Garcia said. "It's the biggest fight we can both get in our careers.
"Broner has lost. I don't lose. I don't believe anyone around my division can beat me and I believe I'm the better fighter."
Garcia will move up five pounds for the nontitle bout, electing to do so because there was no lightweight fight nearly as significant available to him this summer.
"I haven't fought anyone who's been champion in four divisions," Garcia said. "There's no one else available who has that résumé. It's the biggest fight available for me right now.
"Originally, my plans were to unify at 135. If that was not available I'd look for big names to defend my title against at lightweight, but that was not quite available and Adrien Broner is a much bigger name, a bigger star, so it made more sense to go and pursue the Adrien Broner fight than making a title defense.
"I would like to come back down to lightweight and unify or defend my title [after this] before I permanently move up. If unification matches are available at 135, that's what I will do."
Broner was stripped of his junior welterweight world title the day before a defense against Ashley Theophane 14 months ago because he could not make weight, but agreed to return to junior welterweight for the fight.
Broner's last fight, a 10-round split decision in his hometown of Cincinnati against Adrian Granados on Feb. 18, was at the 147-pound welterweight limit. The weight was increased a couple of weeks before the fight because Broner was having trouble cutting weight.
Last week, Espinoza told ESPN that the fight was being discussed, but that weight was a major obstacle and far from being a done deal.
They were able to overcome the weight question by getting Broner to agree to come down to 140 pounds, even though recent photos of him -- as he was being sent to jail for three days last month -- showed that he was clearly not close to that weight.
Broner, who has had numerous legal problems, spent three days in jail in Kenton County, Kentucky, for an outstanding warrant for disorderly conduct from an incident at a bar in 2014.
Garcia said he insisted the fight take place no heavier than 140 pounds and Broner agreed.
"I made it clear I'm still a lightweight," Garcia said. "My best division is 135 and I wouldn't go any higher than 140 pounds with Adrien. I made that clear from the beginning. I'm glad Adrien Broner and his team agreed. I think it's a pretty even match, but I feel I have the edge when it comes to boxing skills, technique, timing and distance."
In the end, Espinoza said it was an easy fight to make.
"Conversations started about a week ago and here we are, a week later, after a holiday weekend, announcing the fight," Espinoza said. "These talented fighters showed no hesitation in doing this whatsoever."
Espinoza said once the fighters realized there was no bigger fight for either of them in the immediate future, it came together quickly.
"Once everyone understood that, it clicked. That's really what got it done. Weight and money melted away," he said. "These are two world-class competitors who want to do the biggest fights possible."
Broner said he is taking the fight seriously and would make the weight with no issue.
"Making weight is not going to be a problem," Broner said. "For my last fight I was coming from 180 pounds. I've kept my weight down. I've kept my body in OK shape. Mikey is a great opponent, a great fighter. As long as I have my A-game I will be OK. I'm taking my career more serious. I'm looking forward to putting on a great fight.
"I have no problem making the weight, just like when I fought for the title and I made the weight easy. Once Adrien Broner is focused and on track nobody can beat me. Only I can beat me. I feel like my back's against the wall."
Espinoza said there would be financial penalty if either fighter is overweight, "but we're not going to get into any details." As far as Broner making weight, Garcia said, "There is some concern but he agreed, his team agreed and he seems confident he will make it."
Broner (33-2, 24 KOs), 27, has won world titles as a junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight while also being one of boxing's most polarizing figures.
Garcia (36-0, 30 KOs), 29, of Moreno Valley, California, one of boxing's pound-for-pound best, has won world titles in three divisions -- featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight. He claimed a lightweight world title with a crushing third-round knockout of Dejan Zlaticanin on Jan. 28 in Las Vegas.