HALL OF FAME promoter Frank Warren today held the final head-to-head press conference ahead of the sensational Heavyweight showdown between unbeaten KO Kings & WBO International Champion Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce.The unbeaten Londoners collide in an explosive 12 rounder at Church House, Westminster on Saturday (November 28) live on BT Sport, on a Queensberry Promotions bill.

‘Dynamite’ Dubois (15-0, 14 KOs) will be defending his British, Commonwealth and WBC Silver titles against Olympic silver medallist ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce (11-0, 10 KOs). The vacant European championship is also on the line.

The clash is one of the biggest fights in Heavyweight boxing and the winner will be in line for a world title challenge next year.

Here are a selection of quotes from today’s event.

FRANK WARREN

It’s 40 years of promoting for me on December 1 and this is the most mouth watering fight, three days before that anniversary. What makes it special? They are tremendous Heavyweights who have done everything asked so far. It rarely happens that they do fight at this stage of their careers, but when the fight was put out they both wanted it and didn’t take a backward step. That tells you their self-belief. They believe they have the beating of each other. There is no give in either of them. Joe’s got tremendous amateur experience, was robbed of the Gold medal in the Olympics. He brings that to the table. Daniel has dedicated his life to boxing and look at what he has done after having had just seven senior amateur fights. On the day you have all the experience and punching power of Joe and we have the young hungry lion who wants to get out and show what he has got. Daniel is a tremendous puncher and capturing everyone’s imagination. It’s got the ingredients of an amazing, amazing fight. Whatever happens the winner will become new mandatory for the WBO or fight Usyk for the vacant title if Anthony Joshua fights Tyson Fury. People talk about Daniel like he is a one trick pony and just has a big punch, but he has a great jab. It is superb. Every fight he brings something else. Joe will bring the best out of him. That’s why it is a phenomenal fight. How do I see it? Whoever controls this fight from the beginning will be the winner. This is it — a big moment in time for both of them. The winner is in the big time. If you’re going to watch any fight this year or in the next 12 months this is the one.

DANIEL DUBOIS

I feel confident and left no-stone unturned in training. I am not intimidated by his experience. He has never been in with a fighter like me before and I’m ready to go. I’ve accomplished what I’ve needed to and it’s my destiny. You can argue some guys he beat were past their prime. I am young and hungry. I am ready to go 12 rounds no problem if I have to. I am ready for a long, hard fight but also a quick one. I have the power in both hands to take him out. I will break him down and chop him up. People haven’t seen the best of me. This fight will show I can do something else. I am looking forward to showing my whole repertoire and skill. I want to win in devastating fashion and knock him out. I want to send a clear message to the rest of the fighters in the Heavyweight division and to the world that I am coming. I’m ready for war.

JOE JOYCE

I am not under pressure. I am confident and ready to do the business. The bookies have Daniel in a good position so he has the pressure to deliver. I’m the underdog and coming to take him out. I don’t care if people have written me off. My amateur experience makes a difference. I have been there and been tested. There are no questions about my ability and my achievements. Dubois hasn’t done anything in the Senior amateurs or quite yet in the pros. I feel I have achieved more in my fewer professional fights than he has. I have had the test and answered questions. I’m in a place where I’m ready to go for that world title. I have seen him knockout guys, but do you think I wouldn’t have knocked out those guys? I have power in both hands, I have a good chin, my engine is good and I’m ready to go 12 rounds if need be. If I see the opportunity I will punch him until he’s down. If his power doesn’t put me down he is in a heap of trouble. I’ve taken big punches and kept going forward. I prefer not to take them big shots. I want to move out of the way and not get hit. I’m not blessed with speed but I hit the target and keep coming. I don’t want to leave it to chance. I want to go to work, find my range and knock him out. I have nothing to say to him except respect your elders and he will do on Saturday night.

JACK CATTERALL HAS signed a long-term extension to his promotional relationship with Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions, one that has taken him from Central Area title level to the brink of world title success.

‘El Gato’, 27, linked up with Hall of Fame promoter Warren in 2014 and was speedily propelled into title contention against high calibre opponents. First the then unbeaten Nathan Brough was accounted for, via second round stoppage, to claim the Central Area belt, before decorated amateur and previously unbeaten pro Tom Stalker was stopped in the eighth three months later with the WBO European super lightweight title at stake.

The following year Catterall won the WBO Intercontinental title and has subsequently made eight defences of the belt to put himself into mandatory position for the shot at the full world title.

Inbetween times, the Chorley man won the British title by defeating Tyrone Nurse in October 2017 and scored notable victories over domestic rivals Tyrone McKenna and Ohara Davies.

Now 25-0, Catterall is awaiting a delayed shot at full world honours that has been held up, firstly due to former champion Maurice Hooker taking on and losing a unification fight against Jose Ramirez. The Californian was subsequently ordered to fulfil his WBC mandatory against Victor Postol before taking on Catterall, with the fight being held up due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Ramirez and Postol are reported to be scheduled to fight in August.

“I am delighted we have got a new deal done and I believe now is the right time to sign this new contract, having beaten everybody I needed to beat to get to this position,” said the stylish southpaw.

“I believe Frank is the one, along with BT, to deliver more big fights for me.

“Of course it will be great for us to see the job through together, from the Central Area through to the British and up to No.1 with the WBO. It will be nice to cross the line to being world champion with the promoter that has guided me all the way through.”

Promoter Frank Warren has longed banged the drum for the quietly-spoken Catterall, confidently predicting his world title credentials all along.

“Jack joined up with us as a relatively unheralded prospect, but I quickly identified that he was one who could go all the way.

“He jumped straight into tough fights against unbeaten opponents and proved that he had something special about him, so we set about building his world ranking and he currently occupies the No.1 spot with the WBO and is mandatory challenger for the world title.

“I am delighted that he is sticking with us for the long-term so we can see the job through and enjoy many more successful nights in the future.”

Williams, 28, has bludgeoned his way into mandatory position for a shot at the WBO World Title held by Demetrius Andrade off the back of four blistering wins since stepping up to middleweight in December 2018 and becoming a two-weight British champion following a one-sided demolition of the previously unbeaten Mark Heffron.

He made a further defence three months later and landed a clinically executed knockout of Joe Mullender in the second round, before stopping the never before stopped tough campaigner Karim Achour in the summer of last year.

Williams rounded off 2019 by knocking the previously No.1 ranked Alantez Fox off his feet and his perch in the fifth round of a magnificent display of clinical brutality against the confident American, whose only loss prior to meeting the Welshman was on points to Andrade.

The Clydach Vale man (22-2-1) is now eagerly awaiting news of a soon-to-be scheduled purse bid for his challenge to Andrade and to discover whether the champion accepts his mandatory or vacates.

“I am happy to have mapped out my future and my entire focus is on getting my world title shot and winning it,” said Williams in reaction to his new deal.

“I am so looking forward to the fight being made and becoming world champion. That is all that matters to me right now.

“We have been good for each other. Frank has delivered the fights to take me to mandatory position and I have done my side by winning them in the way I have. Nobody could ever say there has been any sort of failing on either side.

NEWS: Joshafat Ortiz vs. Joshua Orta this Thursday LIVE on ESPN
“It has all been good, I am happy and looking forward to moving forward.”

Promoter Frank Warren added: “I am delighted Liam has committed to us for the long-term and I am convinced we will soon have a world middleweight champion on our books.

“We have provided the opportunities for him since he moved up to 160lbs and he has taken them and furthered his career in a way few would have imagined. He has taken the division by storm.

“He is fast becoming a bone-fide star at the weight with his style of fighting and the way he goes about his business.

“Hopefully we will have his world title shot nailed down as soon as possible and I am sure it will be the first of many big world title nights for Liam moving forward.”

FRANK WARREN today revealed details of Queensberry Promotions’ bumper ‘The Fight Before Christmas’ show at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday December 21.

The world’s number one heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois (13-0, 12KOs) tops the bill when he defends his WBO International heavyweight title against Kyotaro Fujimoto (21-1, 13KOs).

FRANK WARREN:
“Fujimoto is ranked 12 by the WBA, has a good record and this is a fight that will get Daniel a lot of exposure as we strive to make him a global brand.

“We are working on making Daniel a number one contender with a governing body. I will get him there.

“I loved what I saw of Daniel as a senior amateur, but what he has done as a professional has been punch perfect. At this stage of his career he is the best young heavyweight I have seen in British boxing.

“He is in love with boxing. His mission is to become unified world champion and he will do it. I could make a world title fight tomorrow and he would win, but he needs that little bit more experience. When he wins a world title it is about making sure he keeps it.

“This time next year he is going to do the business (in a world title). And next year there could also be a collision with Joe Joyce.

“Tommy will go much further than KSI as a boxer. He has a great future. There is a lot of pressure through Love Island, but he is confident and mature enough to deal with that. He has a career and it’s my job to deliver and guide him so he can achieve his dreams. If he keeps his side of the bargain and trains we can go on.

I am delighted he is back. He came into the sport as the brother of Tyson and now he is his own man. It will be a cracking card and a Christmas present for the fans.”

DANIEL DUBOIS
“I am very happy. My career has been perfect so far and I have progressed in and out of the ring. I am with Frank Warren who is one of the best promoters ever and there is my Dad, Martin and Tony Bowers. We are going all the way. My trainer Martin has organised so much and puts in so much hard work. I am going to make sure I become a success.

“It is coming together and in each camp I have improved. If I can get to a world title challenge soon I am more than ready. Timing is everything. I will continue winning in style and I will get there soon. It is a hell of a challenge against Fujimoto, but I will be ready and take him out in devastating fashion.

“The boxing audience is taking notice and that is down to the hard work we put in. I’m ready for the next step. I love the recognition. It is what I have been after since I was five-years-old. My feet are on the ground. I just stick to what I am good at and remain humble.

“And I have been a student of this sport since I was young. I am obsessed by it all. The sport is filled with great fighters and I want to be a legend when I have finished.

“Fear is an asset for me. It’s a weapon and I use it in every fight.”

Tickets from £40 are now on sale via Seetickets and will be available via Ticketmaster on Wednesday.

Congrats to the new WBO World Super Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders (28-0, 13 KOs), who became a two-division world champion by defeating Shefat Isufi (27-4-2, 20 KOs) at the Lamex Stadium, Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Scorecards: 120-108, 117-111 and 118-110

Southpaw slickster Saunders was quickly out of the blocks firing in rapier like jabs into the face of Isufi, who had no answers to the movement and range of shots he was being forced to absorb. Saunders looked a class above and Isufi a little befuddled by what was in front of him.

Saunders’ Hertfordshire army were creating quite some atmosphere inside the Lamex Stadium as their man was executing something of a masterclass to which Isufi was offering little in return. Isufi’s expression at the end of round two told of him being utterly perplexed over how to counter the array of shots and nifty movement of the former middleweight world champion.

Saunders unleashed a flurry of shots in the third that resulted in referee Marcus McDonnell taking a close look at the wellbeing of Isufi but, to his credit, the Albanian fired back and kept the referee off his case for the time being.

The memorising display of Saunders continued through the fourth and Isufi carried on being perplexed by the variety of shots coming in his direction. Isufi was regularly cornered and his only riposte came via wild and hopeful haymakers.

The beginning of the sixth saw Saunders clubbed back towards the ropes by a huge right hand and, for once, the Hatfield man was holding on and subsequently got on his toes and kept out of trouble. It was a warning sign not to take his man too lightly, however much he was on top.

Isufi was showing a new resolve after being flummoxed for six rounds and it was he who was on the prowl stalking his prey. Saunders launched some stunning manoeuvres off the back foot at the end of the seventh.

The 27-0 man went back on the hunt at the start of the eighth and was completely dominant across the full three minutes as Isufi went back into his shell, with the ninth and tenth following a similar pattern.

Isufi was attempting to land bombs but was not finding the target with single shots as Saunders was cruising towards a second world title and was not taking any chances.

He got on his bike in the final round, circling the Albanian and not putting his fine work at risk.

Billy Joe Saunders is now a two-weight world champion.

Sam Bowen has had his opponent confirmed ahead of his next fight.

The Leicester Jr. Lightweight will return to the ring this weekend, exclusively live on BT Sport.

Bowen had been set to defend his British title in his first fight under his new promoter Frank Warren.

‘The Bullet’ will face Argentina’s Horacio Alfredo Cabral on Saturday.

The vacant WBO Inter-Continental crown at 130 pounds will be at stake at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, as part of the supporting cast to Jack Catterall’s WBO Jr. Welterweight title eliminator against Ohara Davies.

Cabral has a record of 21-2 with eight early and was last in action in April when he lost a defence of his WBC International Silver title.

Double Olympic champion Nicola Adams will face Isabel Millan for the vacant WBO interim Jr. Bantamweight female title on the bill, billed ‘The Time Is Now’, while English heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois faces a step-up against America’s Kevin Johnson on the same card as Nathan Gorman and Joe Maphosa return and Lyon Woodstock’s clash against Archie Sharp in a defence of his WBO European super-featherweight crown.

James Branch, Mark Heffron and Ryan Hatton are also set for action on the bill.

By Elliot Foster
https://www.boxingscene.com/sam-bowen-face-argentine-wbo-regional-belt-stake–132333

Anthony Yarde will be back in the ring in less than three weeks’ time.

The undefeated light-heavyweight, who holds a lofty position in the WBO rankings, was most recently in action in June and holds a record of 16-0 with all but one coming inside the distance.

Yarde, 27, stopped Polish southpaw Dariusz Sek inside seven rounds at the O2 Arena in London, exclusively live on BT Sport.

And he will fight on the same platform again on October 20 at the Brentwood Centre in Essex.

The Ilford man, nicknamed ‘The Beast’, is set to defend his WBO Inter-Continental title against Argentina’s Walter Gabriel Sequeira (21-4, 15 KOs) at the top of a card being promoted by Frank Warren.

Sequeira, 31, was last in action in April when he retained his Argentinian title with a sixth-round stoppage of Gaston Alejandro Vega.

Also on the card, there will be action for the Joe Mullender, whose last outing came against Lee Churcher for the vacant IBF European middleweight title last December, and the vacant British title will be at stake when welterweight pair Johnny Garton and Gary Corcoran square off.

Bradley Skeete, the man who recently relinquished the Lonsdale belt but was stopped inside two rounds when he challenged Kerman Lejarraga for the vacant European welterweight belt back in April, will return on the bill, while there is a super-middleweight contest between rivals Umar Sadiq and Zak Chelli set.

Further details regarding the card will be revealed in due course.

By Elliot Foster
https://www.boxingscene.com/anthony-yarde-vs-walter-gabriel-sequeira-set-october-20–132317

Multi-year licensing agreement will bring the best events from the UK and Europe to boxing fans in the United States and Canada on the ESPN family of networks.

Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and Top Rank are proud to announce an exclusive, landmark multi-year licensing agreement that will bring the best events from the United Kingdom and Europe to boxing fans in the United States and Canada.

“We are committed to securing the biggest and best events from around the world,” said Top Rank President Todd duBoef. “Our long-term objective is to showcase global talent and to expose the next generation of boxing stars. Frank Warren is a legend with a keen eye for building talent, and his, elite stable has proven to resonate with North American fans.”

“I am absolutely delighted and honoured to announce this landmark multi-year deal with Top Rank that will see my Promotions going forward feature regularly on the ESPN platforms in the US and Canada. This was a very attractive opportunity to us due to the level of exposure our stable of fighters will benefit from by being showcased by one of, if not, the biggest broadcaster in Sport. Boxers like Terence Crawford and Vasiliy Lomachenko appear on ESPN, and our boxers will be sharing a broadcast home with them going forward. The agreement will open doors for them to get their name known coast to coast in North America and eventually become stars there.” Warren said.

“The level of exposure, consistency of events being shown and our long and valued relationship with Top Rank will ensure this deal will be a huge success for all involved. US Boxing fans tuning in on ESPN can look forward to seeing competitive match-ups featuring some of the UK’s finest Boxing talent on a regular basis,” Warren added.

The first show under the agreement will be Warren’s stacked card on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Morningside Arena Leicester in Leicester, England. That main event will feature WBO No. 2 super lightweight contender Jack “El Gato” Catterall (22-0, 12 KOs) against fellow top contender Ohara Davies (18-1, 14 KOs). Two-time Olympic gold medalist Nicola Adams (4-0, 3 KOs) and young heavyweight knockout artist Daniel Dubois (8-0, 8 KOs) will also see action on the bill. Dubois will face his toughest test to date against former world title challenger Kevin Johnson.

Warren, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008, has been promoting cards for nearly 40 years and has one of the sport’s deepest rosters. He has helped turn many of the United Kingdom’s biggest stars into fan favorites across the pond. Ricky Hatton, Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe, Prince Naseem Hamed, and Amir Khan all fought under the Warren banner.

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 Former WBO lightweight holder Terry Flanagan (33-0, 13 KOs) and promoter Frank Warren believe that the Manchester-based southpaw can emulate his idol Ricky Hatton by becoming a two-weight world titlist.

The 28-year-old meets Taxas’s Maurice Hooker (23-0-3, 16 early) for the vacant WBO light-welterweight title at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night in a fight that “Turbo” believes can get him on the right track after deciding to vacate his 135lbs belt in order to seek fresh challenges.

“That would mean everything to me,” said Flanagan when speaking to David Anderson of the Daily Mirror about what victory would mean to him.  “Ricky is someone I looked up to as a kid so to emulate what he did would be a dream come true.”

Warren handled Hatton’s early career and laid the groundwork for his June 2005 win over the legendary Kostya Tszyu at the same venue.

With all the fight week talk focused on the comeback of Tyson Fury, who meets Sefer Seferi over 10, Warren feels that Flanagan can quietly slip in and possibly steal the show by netting another WBO belt.

“They both have a great desire to win,” he said when comparing Flanagan to “The Hitman”.  “They don’t know what defeat means.”

The show will be shown live on BT Sports here in the UK as well as being streamed live in the US via Showtime’s Facebook page.

By Terence Dooley —  Photo by Lee Smith / Action Images

https://www.boxingscene.com/flanagan-warren-anticipate-hatton-moment-on-saturday–128814

Terry Flanagan and Maurice Hooker will clash for the vacant WBO Super-Lightweight World Championship at the Manchester Arena on Saturday 9th June. The exciting match-up lands on the same card that features the return of former Heavyweight World Champion Tyson Fury.

Flanagan is stepping up to 140 pounds after vacating his WBO Lightweight World Title, and is confident of becoming a two-weight World Champion.

He currently holds the longest undefeated record in British boxing (33-0, 13KO’s) and will be aiming to unify the Super-Lightweight division once he triumphs at his ‘home’ Arena on June 9th.

“Winning this fight will prove that I’m a legitimate 140 pound fighter,” said Flanagan. “I’ll be looking to unify all of the belts later in the year. I’m looking for the likes of Mikey Garcia after I win the WBO belt on June 9th. It’s a massive unification fight and I hope those are the fights Frank can make.

“He is a very good unbeaten fighter, he fights on the back foot and looks to catch you from distance. I’m not looking past Hooker but I’m very confident I’ll be able to deal with anything he throws at me to become a two-weight World Champion.”

American challenger Hooker has been training with pound-for-pound star Terrance Crawford in preparation for his showdown with Flangan and has had plenty to say about the Ancoats star since their match-up was first announced earlier this year.

“I’m gonna wake him up,” said Hooker. “He’s weak and he’s soft. He hasn’t fought anybody. He fights little guys. I hit hard with both hands. He’s never fought anyone with skills like me. He runs a lot. He does that real good. Power? He hasn’t got any power. He pitty-pats!”

Hooker, whose record reads 23-0-3 (16 KOs) has claimed that ‘Turbo’ is a dirty fighter and has torn into the Mancunians tactics.

“I’ve been watching his fights. He holds a lot, he uses his forearm to the head. He does a lot of stuff dirty. I’m going to stop him and I’m going to show him who’s the best at 140! It could be the first round, second round or third round… but he’s going down!”

Tickets for Flanagan v Hooker are available purchase NOW via the Manchester Arena on www.manchester-arena.com and tel: 0844 847 8000.

Tickets for this unmissable event start from just £40.

https://www.frankwarren.com/flanagan-v-hooker-lands-on-fury-comeback-card/

By Frank Warren

Billy Joe Saunders is literally steeling himself up as he begins preparations for the second defence of his WBO world middleweight title on September 16.
 
To ensure he is in the optimum condition for the challenge ahead, Bill has taken up residence in the Steel City of Sheffield, where he will now be trained by Dominic Ingle at the fabled Wincobank gym.
 
I honestly believe this is a smart move by Bill, who has removed himself from any distractions on the home front and he will receive top coaching from one of the game’s top operators.

We are very close to the point of being able to reveal exactly who will be challenging Bill for his world title at the Copper Box. Everything is in place and it is essentially a done deal, but I don’t like to jump the gun until the last i has been dotted and the final t crossed.
 
To be quite honest, there are enough boxers who cannot seem to resist letting the cat out of the bag on social media these days before contracts are signed and sealed and I wish they would keep it buttoned until we are in a position to make a formal announcement.
 
Bill, thankfully, isn’t one to get ahead of himself and his defence against the highest ranked available contender by the WBO will be confirmed very soon.
 
It promises to be some night on September 16, with Bill set to be part of a thrilling double-header before attention switches Stateside to Las Vegas and the long-awaited blockbuster between Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.
 
For fight fans it will be a night that is really going to take some topping.
 
For Bill, should he successfully negotiate his business in London, he will be straight onto the next one because he is going to have a busy time of it from now on.
 
Circumstances beyond our control have kept him out of the ring for lengthy spells over the last year or two so he has got to get active now and remind everyone of what he is all about.
 
We need to get him going again, keep him motivated and in condition, so he can do what he does best.
 
Bill is the sort of fighter, a bit like Tyson Fury in some ways, who needs to know exactly who he is up against and when in order to get him stimulated to continue training.
 
He will have that now along with every opportunity to prove that he is one of the best champions out there.

www.boxingscene.com/frank-warren-on-billy-joe-saunders-return-on-september-16–118042?print_friendly=1

Zolani Tete v Victor Ruiz Photo Credit: Action Images / Craig Brough –

By:  Herman Gibbs –

CAPE TOWN – Eastern Cape bantamweight Zolani ‘Last Born’ Tete oozed class over 12 rounds on his way to an emphatic points win over Filipino Arthur Villanueva on Saturday’s ‘City of Champions’ card at Leicester Arena, England.

The fight was a title eliminator for the WBO bantamweight crown held by Filipino Marlon Tapales who claimed the belt last July. Tete was in command from the opening bell and in the 11th round, he dropped Villanueva.

After 12 rounds, Tete was declared the unanimous points winner with scores of 120-107 and 119-108 (twice). Despite the huge margins, the fight was not one-sided but on the occasions when Villanueva broke through his opponent’s defences, Tete responded almost immediately with telling counter-punches to wrest back the initiative.

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Frank Warren 

 Tete is putting on a masterclass here in Leicester! Heading towards another belt.”

 

Meanwhile, in an interesting development, WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel, announced before the start of the bout that Tapales had been stripped of the title because he failed to make weight at the weigh-in for his scheduled defence against Japan’s Shohei Omori on Sunday in Osaka Japan.

As Tete’s bout against Villanueva was originally scheduled to be an elimination bout to determine the mandatory challenger for the WBO bantamweight title, it was elevated to an interim title fight. In the event of Omori winning, he’ll be declared the champion.

Previously, the Mdantsane-born Tete, 29, won the IBF super flyweight title in December 2015. Tete fights under the banner of British promoter Frank Warren. During the pre-fight announcements, Tete and one of his cornermen wore a T-shirt bearing the late Nick Durandt’s photo with the words RIP. A few years ago, Tete was trained by Durandt.

www.iol.co.za/sport/boxing/sas-tete-all-class-as-he-reigns-supreme-to-win-wbo-interim-title-8779988

Former Heavyweight Champion of the World Tyson Fury came out to support his fellow Mancunian Terry Flanagan at Frank Warren’s open workouts at The Printworks earlier this evening. Flanagan makes the fifth defence of his WBO Lightweight World Title against dangerous Russian Petr Petrov at the Manchester Arena this Saturday, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

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Fury, the former linear, WBA Super, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine World Heavyweight Champion, watched on as local hero Flanagan was put through his paces by trainer Steve Maylett in front of hundreds of Manchester fight fans.

terry-flanagan (1)Undefeated Flanagan, 32-0 13 KO’s, looked in fantastic shape ahead of the toughest fight of his career and treated fans to a scintillating display of speed and power. The proud owner of the longest undefeated record in British boxing was delighted to see Fury showing his support and backed the man who dethroned long-reigning Heavyweight icon Wladimir Klitschko way back in 2015 to win his belts back.

“It was brilliant seeing big Tyson here showing me some support,” said Turbo. “We are both Manchester lads and want to make our city proud. He shocked the sporting World by beating Klitschko in Germany and I plan on shocking the World by beating Vasyl Lomachenko after I deal with Petrov on Saturday.

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“Like everyone in boxing, I can’t wait to see Tyson back in the ring where he belongs. He is a man of the people and always puts a smile on your face. I’m backing him to win all of his belts back and reclaim his place as the best Heavyweight on the planet.

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“I’m over the moon with the turnout today. It’s great seeing so many young fans taking an interest in the sport and backing one of their own! There’s a massive buzz around the city and seeing all these fans here today has given me a massive boost.”

 

 

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Terry Flanagan vs. Petr Petrov tops an unmissable evening of action at the Manchester Arena; Super-Welterweight rivals Liam Smith and Liam Williams clash for the WBO Interim World Title; double Olympic Gold Medallist and women’s boxing icon Nicola Adams OBE fights for the first time as a professional and former Team GB Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois makes his highly-anticipated professional debut along with a talent packed undercard.

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The World Boxing Organisation today sanctioned the bout between Liam Smith and Liam Williams for the WBO interim super-welterweight world title. Smith and Williams’ showdown will take place at the Manchester Arena on Saturday April 8th, broadcast live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Promoter Frank Warren: “I am delighted to have delivered this opportunity for these two outstanding fighters. This fight has all the ingredients to be a fight the year contender and now, with the added prize of the interim belt, there is more than just pride on the line for both.

“It is well documented that Canelo has plans to step up in weight and that could well see the winner of this becoming a recognized world champion. It’s a great all-domestic clash that I don’t think will go the distance – they are going to come out swinging and it will be exciting while it lasts.”

Liam Smith: “I’m delighted that Frank (Warren) has delivered this opportunity,” said Smith. “I’d like to thank my management team and the WBO President Francisco ‘Paco’ Varcarcel for keeping faith in me. I said I would be a world champion again in 2017 and this is my opportunity. The winner of this is a world champion in waiting. I don’t think Canelo has any intention of defending the 154lbs world title.

This is a win-win situation for me. If I beat Liam Williams I’ll be in an unbelievable position again. If Canelo decides to defend his belt I think I could do a million times better against him in a rematch. It was well publicized that I had the worst training camp of my career heading into that fight. He’s a world class fighter and I want to test myself against elite fighters. If not, there are huge fights against the likes of Miguel Cotto out there for me. First and foremost I have to beat Liam Williams on April 8th.”

Liam Williams: “This is a massive opportunity for me,” said Williams. “It is a huge fight and a brilliant chance for me to propel my name to the top of the sport. This is going to be a proper fight and I’m delighted that Frank keeps on delivering these opportunities for me. There are some huge fights out there for me if I deliver on April 8th. I was already massively motivated for the Smith fight but this has given me another big boost. I’ve been working towards an opportunity like this all of my career and I’ll be bringing that belt back to Wales with me.

www. fightnews.com/Boxing/smith-williams-now-wbo-interim-jr-middleweight-title-398662#more-398662

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing –

David Higgins of Duco Events, who is the co-promoter of WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker, will be at WBO Head Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico on February 1 when the purse bid for Parker’s mandatory defense against WBO#2 Hughie Fury will be decided. Frank Warren, who is the promoter of Fury, is expected to be in Puerto Rico also when the envelopes are opened.

“The stakes are very high and it’s a nervous situation,” Higgins said. “You have to try and predict what the revenues are going to be and then bid the most you can. If you bid too much you could lose a lot of money very quickly. And if we don’t bid enough, we lose control. We want to fight in New Zealand because we want home advantage. Last year was an Olympic year and Joseph Parker was the most Googled of any New Zealander.

“I’d like to think there’s a better understanding now of how big it is especially now Joseph is world champion. That last fight was watched in 100 television markets. Nearly every sport you can name receives government support and given the fight would attract international visitors and profile you’d like to think it would be seriously considered. I don’t want to pre-empt anything but we probably will prepare a proposal and see if there’s a willingness to make it happen here in New Zealand.

“If he were to beat Hughie Fury his stocks in the UK go through the roof. That sets up a juicy unification bout with the winner of [Wladimir] Klitschko and Joshua. If Joe fought Joshua it would sell out Wembley – you’re talking 100,000 people and millions globally. That could be as soon as June.

“Alternatively you could have Tyson, Hughie’s cousin, calling for his belt back. Another option would be Wilder. That’s another possible unification. So by the end of this year, provided Joseph keeps winning, he could have been in two worldwide events and be a global superstar. But winning is the key in boxing.”

saunders-khurtsidze

By Keith Idec –

The WBO informed promoters for its middleweight champion, Billy Joe Saunders, and No. 1 contender Avtandil Khurtsidze on Thursday to begin negotiations for a title fight.

If Frank Warren, Saunders’ promoter, and Lou DiBella, Khurtsidze’s promoter, can’t come to an agreement within 10 days a purse bid will be ordered. The minimum bid for the Saunders-Khurtsidze fight would be $200,000, as per WBO rules for the middleweight division.

England’s Saunders (24-0, 12 KOs) reportedly is interested in fighting Japan’s Ryota Murata (12-0, 9 KOs), the WBO’s No. 2-ranked contender at 160 pounds. A fight against Murata would be more lucrative for Saunders, particularly in Japan, but Khurtsidze would have to be compensated before agreeing to step aside and allow that fight to happen.

Khurtsidze has been adamant, though, that he wants to be Saunders’ next opponent.

Brooklyn’s Khurtsidze (32-2-2, 21 KOs) has been the No. 1 contender for Saunders’ championship for nearly 11 months, since he stopped previously undefeated Antoine Douglas (19-1-1, 13 KOs), of Burke, Virginia, in the 10th round March 5 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The 37-year-old Khurtsidze’s No. 1 ranking didn’t stop the WBO from skipping him last month and installing its 154-pound champion, Canelo Alvarez, as the mandatory challenger for Saunders.

An Alvarez-Saunders fight would’ve been much more lucrative for Saunders – and the WBO – but Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) ultimately agreed to face fellow Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs, 1 NC) on May 6 at an undetermined site. Khurtsidze’s representatives didn’t file an appeal of Alvarez’s installation as Saunders’ mandatory challenger because they were told the WBO would grant Khurtsidze a shot at Saunders if Alvarez decided to fight Chavez.

The 27-year-old Saunders has fought just once since he won the WBO 160-pound title from Ireland’s Andy Lee (34-3-1, 24 KOs), whom Saunders defeated by majority decision 13 months ago. The British southpaw beat Russia’s Artur Akavov (16-2, 7 KOs) by unanimous decision December 3 in Paisley, Scotland, but admitted after their 12-round fight that he performed poorly during his first fight in nearly a year.

www.boxingscene.com/saunders-khurtsidze-wbo-orders-promoters-start-negotiations–113029?print_friendly=1

logo batistaWORLD BOXING ORGANIZATION

Luis Batista Salas, Esq.

Chairman WBO Championship Committee

Via Email

January 26, 2017

post

Re: WBO Middleweight Bout Negotiations Billy Joe Saunders vs. Avtandil Khurtsidze

Gentlemen:

Please be advised the parties have ten (10) days to negotiate an agreement for the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Billy Joe Saunders vs. Avtandil Khurtsidze. If an accord is not reached within the time frame, a Purse Bid will be ordered.

The minimum acceptable bid for the Middleweight division is $200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dollars).

Any one of the parties involved may call for a Purse Bid at any time during the negotiation process.

Yours truly,

Luis Batista Salas, Esq.

C/c Francisco Valcarcel, Esq.

Billy Joe Saunders vs. Avtandil Khurtsidze (1)

 

logo batista    WORLD   BOXING ORGANIZATION

Luis Batista Salas, Esq.

Chairman

WBO Championship Committee 

January 24, 2017

             

 Sin título

Re:     WBO HEAVYWEIGHT PURSE BID

Joseph Parker vs. Hughie Fury

 

Gentlemen:

As per Section 11 through 14 of the WBO Regulations for World Championship Contest (www.wboboxing.com), please be advised that a purse bid will be held at 11:00 am AST on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at the:

 

WBO Headquarters

1056 Muñoz Rivera Avenue

Suite 711-714

San Juan, PR 00927

+1 (787) 765-4444

 

The minimum acceptable bid for the Heavyweight Title is $1,000,000.00 (One Million Dollars). The Purse division for Champion Parker will be 60% and for the Challenger 40%, as accorded during the 2016 WBO Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

President Francisco Valcarcel will be presiding.

Cc:      All Bona Fide Promoters

imagespetr-petrov

By Steve Kim –

According to Artie Pelullo, the head of Banner Promotions Petr Petrov, will be getting another crack at a world title in the spring.

Pelullo confirmed promoter Frank Warren’s announced on Monday, that WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan (32-0, 13 KOs) would be facing Petrov on April 8th in Manchester, England – as part of Warren’s new television deal with BT Sport.

“Petr Petrov is fighting on April the 8th for the WBO lightweight championship of the world against Terry Flanagan in Manchester,” the veteran promoter told Boxingscene.com.

Petrov is a hard-nosed grinder who has a record of 38-4-2 (19 KO’s) and figures to be a tough out for Flanagan.

“I think that Frank (Warren) wants to make good fights for his network over there and in fighting Petrov… the WBO had ordered that  Petrov would be next in lieu of  (Felix) Verdejo fighting on February the 3rd. So Frank called me and said,’Do you want the fight?’ and I said absolutely.”

Verdejo is ranked number one by the WBO, but last year was sidelined with a motorcycle accident that kept him sidelined for the latter part of 2016. He has a tune-up bout scheduled next week in Puerto Rico.

Petrov, a Russian who his based in Spain, is the top rated contender in the WBA, and that title is being contested for by Jorge Linares and Anthony Crolla in a March rematch.

This figures to be a solid match-up and Pelullo mentioned – “the fight will be shown in the United States. We have the rights for the fight on American television.”

Flanagan was last in action back in November when he battered Orlando Cruz for a TKO win in Wales, while Petrov broke down and stopped Michael Perez last September in California.

www.boxingscene.com/terry-flanagan-vs-petr-petrov-us-tv-says-pelullo–112928?print_friendly=1

billy-joe-saunders-wbo-champion-boxing_3762903  Billy Joe Saunders must wait slightly longer to defend his world title

Billy Joe Saunders’ world title defence against Artur Akavov has been postponed by a week to December 3.

Saunders had been due to make the first defence of his WBO middleweight strap on Saturday night in Cardiff, but the fight will now take place in Paisley a week later.

Problems with the translation of medical paperwork supplied by the Russian’s team have forced an unavoidable delay, with the bout having already been delayed once after Saunders suffered an injury in training.

“It’s extremely frustrating for all parties and especially Billy who has been itching to get back into the ring following a frustrating 2016,” said promoter Frank Warren.

“The medicals were sent late and mostly in Russian and once translated it then became apparent they were not complete. Ultimately, it would be too late to find a suitable replacement so postponing it was our only option.

“I feel for Billy Joe as he was ready to make the first defence of his world title and for all of the fans who wanted to watch him.”

Alex Vaysfeld, from Akavov’s team, said: “This is no more than a translation problem and will be easily rectified upon Akavov’s arrival in the UK and I’m glad Frank was able to postpone for just a week.”

Saunders, who seized the title from Ireland’s Andy Lee 11 months ago, admitted his frustration at the postponement.

He said: “I was ready to put on a big performance and defend my title in style in Cardiff but unfortunately this latest issue was totally out of our control.

 billy-joe-saunders-boxing-sport_3770602 Unbeaten Saunders will be aiming to take his record to 24-0

“The fight is still on, that’s the main thing and I’ll be fully prepared to defend my title in Scotland next week before moving on to a blockbuster fight in 2017.”

The Cardiff event is still set to feature four big title fights as Terry Flanagan defends his WBO world lightweight championship against Puerto Rico’s Orlando Cruz, while Welshman Liam Williams challenges Gabor Gorbics for the vacant WBO European super-welterweight title.

Tommy Langford faces Sam Sheedy for the vacant British middleweight title and Tom Stalker and Craig Evans do battle for the third time for the WBO European lightweight championship after two hard-fought draws.

www..skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10669017/billy-joe-saunders-vs-artur-akavov-delayed-until-december-3

image Billy Joe Saunders on his way to the WBO world middleweight title against Andy Lee

Billy Joe Saunders doesn’t believe he’ll be at his ‘career best’ when he makes his maiden WBO world middleweight title defence against Russian Artur Akavov but he is hoping to ‘blow the cobwebs off’ en route to a successful first victory as champion.

The Hatfield fighter steps back into the ring on Saturday, October 22, for the first time since snatching the belt from Irishman Andy Lee in Manchester almost 10 months ago.

Saunders has been added to the ‘Little Less Conversation’ show at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.

The 27-year-old has been hampered by a combination of injuries and fruitless negotiations leading up to his first defence and he’s not taking the prospect of European WBO middleweight champion Akavov, who is on an 11-match winning streak, lightly.

Speaking at a pre-fight press conference in London on Monday, Saunders said: “There was the hand injury which stopped me fighting [Max] Bursak [in April] and from then onwards it’s been very frustrating for me.

“I’ve got a new date now and I’m not overlooking him [Akavov].

“He went to the World Championships with Russia so he has some pedigree, has only lost once and I’ve been out of the ring for nearly 10 months.

“I personally don’t think this will be my career best, I need to blow some of the cobwebs off but I know I’ve got to look good doing it and then we’ll look at a big fight in the new year.”

Should his first defence go to plan, Saunders is open to getting back into the ring in December but says he is aiming for a date in February or March next year – against either feared unified WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin or WBO light middleweight king Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

He continued: “I’m not overlooking anyone but the next big fight I want after this is one of Canelo or Golovkin. My goal is Golovkin in February or March.

“Am I good enough for Golovkin? There’s only one way to find out.

“I’m 27 now, in my prime. If I can’t beat Golovkin now I’ll never beat him.

“If I don’t rise to the occasion I’ll get sharply found out. I believe I can beat him.”

He added: “He’s not invincible. If he wants to fight in December I’m ready. A unification overrules a mandatory so he can do it if he wants to. I’ll go to America and fight him. Canelo? I’ll beat him seven days a week and twice on a Sunday.”

Promoter Frank Warren added: “We’re not looking past this fight against Akavov.

“Everyone just thinks he’ll turn up on the night and that’s it.

“Providing Bill comes through this fight and comes through it well, doesn’t sustain any hand injuries and nothing goes wrong then we’ll look at either Golovkin or Canelo.”

www.whtimes.co.uk/sport/boxing/billy_joe_saunders_focussed_on_wbo_title_defence_against_the_wolverine_1_4726181

Eubank-v-Langford

By Frank Warren –

My recent purse bid win could prove pivotal to the career of our unbeaten middleweight Tommy Langford.

The 27-year-old holds the mandatory spot for the British title held by Chris Eubank jnr and after winning the right to stage the fight, Eubank will have to put up or shut up.

As most people who have any previous when it comes to dealing with them will testify, attempting to second guess Team Eubank is anything but an exact science. What we do know, however, is that the British title does appear to hold a value to them.

Offers have been presented in the last year or so for a rematch with Billy Joe Saunders, a challenge for the WBA regular title held by Danny Jacobs and, most recently, a shot at the three world title belts held by Gennady Golovkin.

The fact that two of those career-furthering opportunities were knocked back for a tilt at and then a defence of a domestic championship does suggest they won’t give it up without a fight and Eubank jnr remains two defences away from ownership of the belt.

That’s the theory anyway, although there is always very little method in the madness, so watch this space.

What we do know for sure is that our man Langford is more than up for the job in hand.

It is a logical next step for Tommy, who already holds the Commonwealth and WBO Intercontinental titles, and claiming the scalp of Eubank would afford him the greater exposure and credibility his talents deserve.

One thing is for sure, he will not be coming in just to make up the numbers.

By his own honest admission, Tommy is not a devastatingly powerful puncher, but he picks his punches well and it is an accumulation of well-timed shots that overwhelms his opponents.

He is supremely conditioned and able to maintain the same workrate from the first bell to the last. It was actually not until his 16th fight – against Lewis Taylor for the Commonwealth – that he was judged to have first dropped a couple of rounds.

He is at the point in his career where he is ready to step it up. Tommy is ranked at No.2 by the WBO and could jump straight into world title contention if he wished but, like Billy Joe before him, he wants to prove his worth at every level before competing for global honours.

You rightly wouldn’t get the credit you deserve as a world champion if challenges on the home front were given a swerve.

A Langford victory would certainly leave the Eubanks pondering the wisdom of a few swerves of their own that they may live to regret. A look at the bank balance could well bring about a few sighs of ‘what might have been’ had it not been for a few lost paydays.

When it comes to signing up for this one, it won’t be Tommy mislaying his biro.

www.boxingscene.com/frank-warren-breaks-down-chris-eubank-jr-vs-tommy-langford–107696?print_friendly=1

 

WBO_logo

August 1, 2016

Frank Warren, Queensberry Promotions

Bob Arum,  Top Rank, Inc.

Re: Negotiations for Mandatory WBO Lightweight Title Bout Between Terry Flanagan vs. Felix Verdejo

Gentlemen:

Please be advised the parties have 20 days to negotiate an agreement for the Mandatory WBO Lightweight Championship bout between Terry Flanagan and Felix Verdejo. If an accord is not reached within the time frame, a Purse Bid will be ordered.

The minimum acceptable bid for the Lightweight division is $150,000.00 (One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars).

Any one of the parties involved may call for a Purse Bid at any time during the negotiation process.

Yours truly,

Batista Salas signature

Luis Batista Salas, Esq.

C/c: Francisco Valcarcel