ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will return for its 17th season Friday, Jan. 3, at 9 p.m. live on ESPN2, WatchESPN and broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+ with a 12-round IBF title bout between Junior Lightweight titlist Argenis Méndez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) and undefeated Rances Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs). The 10-round co-feature will pit up and coming Middleweight contender Caleb Truax (23-1, 4 KOs) against Ossie Duran (27-11-2, 10 KOs). ESPN Deportes – which will re-brand its coverage as Noche de Combates (formerly Viernes de Combates) – will air the bouts at 10:30 p.m.
Blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore and ringside analyst Teddy Atlas will return to describe the action for ESPN2. Studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN), who will fill-in ringside for Tessitore during the season opener, will return for his second season providing all the latest boxing news and highlights. Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights with Pablo Viruega for Noche de Combates (Fight Night) on both ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will anchor the studio. Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez will join Trejos and González in studio throughout the season. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn), who last year became the series’ first-ever on-site reporter, will contribute to Friday Night Fights in English, and Noche de Combates in Spanish. Read more on ESPN Media Zone.
Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Networks
Fri, Jan 3
9 p.m.
Argenis Méndez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) vs. Rances Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs)
12-rounds, IBF Junior Lightweight Title
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+,
WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 10
9 p.m.
Arash Usmanee (20-1-1, 10 KOs) vs. Juan Antonio Rodríguez (25-4, 23 KOs)
10-rounds, Junior Lightweights
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 24
9 p.m.
Javier Molina (14-1, 6 KOs) vs. Kendall Holt (28-6, 16 KOs)
10-rounds, Junior Welterweights
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
Fri, Jan 31
9 p.m.
Zsolt Erdei (33-1, 18 KOs) vs. Elvir Muriqi (40-5, 24 KOs)
10-rounds, Light Heavyweights
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes+, WatchESPN
