Fox Sports en Español has signed a two-year programming deal with boxing promoter Top Rank that will deliver live boxing to the network every month. This deal covers three fights per month, with at least one taking place in Mexico.

Punches-filled "Top Rank Live" debuts January 16 with the 10 Round Welterweight Title fight between Vanes Martirosyan and Kassim Ouma at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. An undercard features Joksan Hernández vs. Miguel Angel García.

"We haven't had a consistent live spot for boxing," says Joshua Glassel, programming director for Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español. "We want to create appointment television with boxing every single week."

He adds that until now the network's boxing offerings has been inconsistent, featuring both taped matches and live events "from time to time" and that fans regularly send emails and call in inquiring about boxing content. The launch of "Top Rank Live," Glassel indicates, will boost the networks "fight" lineup, which already includes mixed martial arts coverage on Friday nights.

"It's the perfect opportunity to move forward with our efforts and hone in on boxing," says Glassel. "This is the highest level of boxing that we could achieve."

Executives from Fox Sports en Español and Las Vegas-based Top Rank believe that the action-filled fight cards will satisfy Hispanics' thirst for boxing. Additionally, the show will allow fans to follow popular fighters as they battle it out for higher rankings and world title slots.

"Boxing has always been popular with Hispanic audiences, so when the deal presented itself it just made sense to be able to deliver live boxing from Top Rank to our audience," says Steven Graciano,  director of marketing and communications at Fox Sports en Español. "We can get more of an audience now that we have this programming."

Conversations about a potential partnership began several months ago with Fox Sports en Español executives, and were later expanded to include Fox Sports Net, Graciano explains. The signed deal calls for one "Top Rank Live" event to be distributed each month on Fox Sports Net and its regional sports network affiliates.

Boxing - along with baseball and soccer - has long been a significant part of the programming mix at Fox Sports en Español.

In March 2009, the network partnered with Thompson Boxing Promotion for the exclusive airing of broadcast fights featuring the promoter's boxers through 2011. The network also aired 22 one-hour programs in 2009 devoted to boxing match highlights.

"Top Rank Live" Fight Schedule