By Jake Donovan

The December 14 quadrupleheader on Showtime has already been targeted as one of the best cards of what has been a terrific 2013 boxing season. Four major title fights head to the Alamodome in San Antonio, topped by a welterweight grudge match between Adrien Broner and Marcos Maidana.

Even with the fan-friendly lineup in store for boxing fans, most were pleasantly surprised to learn that over 10,000 tickets were sold as of mid-November. Anticipation continues to build for what serves as the final major stateside boxing telecast of the year, much to the delight of the events handlers.

“This is a terrific show from top to bottom, and the fans have responded,” says Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “We are well on pace to sell between 20,000–30,000 tickets at the Alamodome,” which has been configured to seat 35,000 fans.

Ticket sales have more than doubled the last Showtime-televised event in town, though that show featured two Fight of the Year candidates. Omar Figueroa and Nihito Arakawa inflicted inhumane amounts of punishment upon one another during their 12-round lightweight war, while Jesus Soto Karass rode out the worst moments of his main event with Andre Berto to stop the welterweight titlist in 12 rounds.

Soto Karass returns to town, appearing in the co-feature. The resurgent welterweight will take on one of the fastest rising talents in the sport when he faces Keith Thurman, who also fought on that show, earning the “Knockout of the Night” bonus for his 10th round stoppage of Diego Chavez in a matchup of unbeaten welterweights.

In addition to Broner-Maidana and Thurman-Soto Karass, two more fan friendly bouts round out the televised quadrupleheader. The always-exciting Leo Santa Cruz makes the first defense of his 122 lb. belt as he faces Puerto Rico’s Cesar Seda. Opening the telecast, 175 lb. titlist Beibut Shumenov comes out of hibernation to make his Golden Boy debut, as he faces unbeaten challenger Tamas Kovacs.

“This show is the perfect ending to one of the best years we as fight fans have enjoyed in a long time,” Schaefer insists, enjoying this show as much as a fan as he has in promoting it.

The idea behind the main event was floated as early as June, when Maidana and Broner enjoyed statement-making wins in the welterweight division, both of which came in their opponent’s proverbial backyard.

Maidana (34-1, 31KO) picked up his third consecutive win with a 6th round stoppage of Josesito Lopez in California in early June. Broner followed suit two weeks later, lifting a welterweight title with a 12-round win over Paul Malignaggi in his opponent’s native Brooklyn.

Broner made his welterweight debut in the fight, coming on the heels of a pair of knockout wins at lightweight, where he had just moved up last November. The showdown with Maidana marks the first defense of his welterweight belt.

“This is one of those fights – we call this show ‘Danger Zone’ – it’s one of those fights that perfectly fits the title,” Schaefer believes. “It’s a danger zone for Broner. It’s a danger zone for Maidana. It’s what we as fight fans want to see.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox