Date: Saturday, September 17, 2016
WBO JR. MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT
Location: AT & T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, USA
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions / Frank Warren
Supervisor:
Referee:
Judges:
Results:
TV: HBO / BoxNation
WORLD BOXING ORGANIZATION
Via Email Only July 21, 2016
Lou Dibella
Dibella Entertainment
Frank Warren
Frank Warren Promotions
Re: WBO Middleweight Elimination Bout Negotiations Left Without Effect Avtandil Khurtsidze vs. Tommy Langford
Gentlemen:
Previously, on June 7th, negotiations were ordered for the WBO Middleweight Elimination Bout between Avtandil Khurtsidze and Tommy Langford. However, at this time, the order has been left without effect.
Please be advised that the future of the division will be discussed in depth during the WBO 29th Convention to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from the 17th to the 21st of October.
Yours truly,
Luis Batista Salas, Esq.
C/c Francisco Valcarcel, Esq.
Félix Verdejo sacude a Juan José Martínez con un derechazo al rostro durante si combate celebrado el 11 de junio de pasado en el Teatro del Madison Square Garden. (Archivo / GFR Media)
Aunque tiene dos peleas en agenda antes de pelear por el título, su promotor ya está en pláticas con el campeón inglés Terry Flanagan
Ricky Márquez no es de los que cruza el río antes de llegar al puente.
Pero parece que -en el caso de su pupilo Félix Verdejo-, ya Márquez puede ver el puente en el horizonte.
El puente se llama Terry Flanagan.
“Ya estamos hablando con el promotor de Flanagan (Frank Warren) y está muy receptivo a nuestra propuesta”, dijo anoche a El Nuevo Día Bob Arum, fundador de Top Rank, la empresa que tiene a Verdejo bajo contrato promocional, agregando que no tienen fecha para el encuentro, preliminarmente proyectado para principios del 2017.
El británico Flanagan es campeón mundial de la Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB) en las 135 libras y un púgil muy popular en su país natal, Reino Unido. Tiene marca de 30-0, con 12 nocauts. Su victoria de más relieve fue el 10 de octubre pasado en Manchester, Inglaterra. Esa noche noqueó aparatosamente al cotizado contendiente Diego Magdaleno, (28-2, 12 nocauts) en el segundo round.
El mexicoamericano llegó a la pelea con Flanagan cargando solo un revés profesional, vía cerrada decisión dividida ante el entonces campeón boricua Román “Rocky” Martínez.
Flanagan también noqueó en dos asaltos al mexicoamericano José Zepeda, quien llegó a esa pelea con marca de 23-0 y 20 triunfos por nocauts.
Flanagan tiene señalada una defensa titular este sábado en Cardif, Gales, ante Mzonke Fana (38-9, 16 nocauts).
Por su parte, a Ricky Márquez, entrenador y manejador de Verdejo, le gusta la idea de que la primera cita titular de Verdejo sea con el campeón mundial de Manchaster.
“En mi pensar, (Verdejo) está listo. El pollito está curtido, está ‘ready’ para las peleas grandes, las de título mundial. Y definitivamente en las 135 (libras”, sostuvo Márquez.
“Flanagan es un buen peleador, zurdo, de buenos recursos técnicos. Aunque no tiene record de pegador, a Diego Magdaleno lo noqueó feo temprano en la pelea. Pero para ese tipo de reto nos estamos preparando”.
Contra Juan Díaz la próxima
Antes de retar a Flanagan, el peleador de Las Gladiolas deberá vencer al rudo veterano tejano Juan Díaz (41-4, 20 nocauts), quien fue el campeón mundial unificado en las 135 libras de 2007 a 2008. “Esa pelea será parte de la cartelera de Manny Pacquiao en octubre”, explicó Arum.
Por su parte, Márquez dijo que mucho depende de cómo luzca su pupilo ante Díaz. Tras evaluar su desempeño ante Díaz, podrían optar por otra pelea preparatoria para Félix, antes de la oportunidad titular ante Flanagan.
Local o visitante
Márquez también expresó que están dispuestos a viajar a Inglaterra para retar a Flanagan.
“Todo es negociable. El campeón es él . A nosotros nos encantaría que fuera acá. Pero si esa es la única manera de ganar el campeonato vamos a donde sea”, aseveró el entrenador y manejador. “Yo estoy seguro de que mi gallo no extraña gallinero. Félix pelea bien aquí en Puerto Rico o donde sea”.
Sin embargo, Arum indicó que retar al campeón en su cancha no es la única opción.
“En las conversaciones que hemos tenido al respecto, Frank Warren ha lucido muy interesado en la pelea, y dispuesto a enfrentar a Verdejo en Estados Unidos”, sostuvo Arum.
Para la pelea con Díaz, la idea de Márquez es que Verdejo (22-0, 15 nocauts) se acuartele de nuevo, tal y como lo hizo para su parada pelea, contra Juan José Martínez, a quien noqueó en 5 asaltos en su última salida, el 11 de junio en el Teatro del Madison Square Garden de Manhattan.
http://www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/boxeo/nota/conelojopuestoenelviejomundoverdejo-2220728/
By Frank Warren –
Liam Smith didn’t need asking twice when it was suggested that he might like to defend his title against a certain Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
“Yeah, I’m having that,” he said. “That’s the fight I want – let’s get it on.” Well, it is on, the deal is done and dusted and it’s all happening in America on September 17.
The Mexican superstar detonated a bomb on the chin of Amir Khan last time out and now, of course, the question everyone will be asking is whether Beefy can avoid a similar unhappy landing.
He thinks he can – and so do I. Otherwise we wouldn’t take the match. I think he has a really good chance to beat Alvarez.
Obviously this is a tough fight against one of the world’s greatest boxers, but at this stage of his career he needs a challenge and Beefy certainly won’t duck a challenge.
What he has going for him is his self-belief, the fact that he is natural at the weight and he has a far stronger chin than Amir and is nowhere near as reckless. He is not going up two weights as Amir did, but I think he is one of the best young fighters around and is not in the least fazed about stepping into the ring with the great Canelo.
The worst thing that can happen for him is that he gets beat, but that would be by no means the end of the world for him, or other world title fights. Unlike Amir, he is not nearing the end of his career, he is young enough and resilient enough to come back.
However, I actually think he has the tools to do the job. He is a cannier fighter than Khan and, indeed, other super welterweights. He has stealth and style, along with a mean streak – and he can bang.
Unfortunately Amir didn’t carry the punch power at the weight but, this time, against another Brit, I think Canelo will have his hands full and will discover that Smith’s style has often been likened to that of a Mexican.
Against Canelo you need to be able to put it on him and we know he can be taken the distance, as Matthew Hatton will confirm. What’s more, Liam is a good body puncher and he always seems to rise to the occasion, the better the opponent.
He’ll revel in the atmosphere, believe me, and you never know, the way he rifles in his shots like a smiling assassin, he might just enjoy the last laugh too.
You can see that action live on BoxNation on September 17th.
Date: Saturday, July 9, 2016
WBO LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT
Location: Manchester Arena (formerly M.E.N. Arena), Lancashire, United Kingdom
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions / Frank Warren
Supervisor:
Referee:
Judges:
Results:
TV: USA HBO, Germany RTL
Peter Fury also tweeted this picture showing Tyson’s bruised ankle, suffered during training
- Tyson Fury has postponed his heavyweight world title rematch with Wladimir Klitschko scheduled for July 9 at the Manchester Arena
- Defending champion has sprained his ankle during training in Lake District
- Fury made the announcement via a short video on his Instagram account
- His trainer Peter Fury posted pictures of his bruised and swollen ankle
- Fury stunned Klitschko when he won on points in Dusseldorf in November
Forests of quizzical eyebrows were raised when Tyson Fury pulled out of his world heavyweight title rematch with Wladimir Klitschko but his TV paymaster Frank Warren has confirmed the ankle injury is genuine and the fight will be rescheduled.
Suspicions initially ran deepest in the Austrian Tyrol where Klitschko has been training intensively for his bid to regain the championship belts which Manchester’s Gipsy King prised from him in a huge upset in Germany.
However, the man who dominated the heavyweight division for a decade has accepted the delay, saying: ‘Of course I am currently totally disappointed. I also feel sorry for my fans who were very excited. But this just means I’ll get my belts back a few weeks later.’
Photo by Getty Images / Tyson Fury has withdrawn from his world heavyweight championship rematch with Wladmir Klitschko
Fury’s trainer, Peter, posted a Twitter image of his bruised and swollen ankle
The new working date is October 29, again at the Manchester Arena.
Warren, despite his own disappointment at a cancellation so close to the fight date of July 9, reports that Fury has no option but to withdraw.
As Fury posted pictures of his bruised and swollen ankle on his Instagram site, Warren, head of the BoxNation subscription channel, said: ‘There is no way Tyson could have boxed in the next couple of weeks. He went over on the ankle while running. We’re all gutted this has happened. It has cost us a fortune but we will get it back on.’
Fury had ballooned up to more than three stones over his fighting weight before going into training and there have been reports that he broke camp briefly to attend a rave in Anglesea. Then he posed for selfies with fans in a pub there on Monday as he watched England’s European Championship match against Slovakia.
However, Fury, who was in prime condition at his training camp in Holland two weeks ago, told his supporters: ‘I got a little bad news for you all. Almost 10 days ago I was running in the Lake District and I went over and sprained my ankle. Been to hospital. Had X-rays and MRI scans.
Photo: Kevin Quigley / Fury and Klitschko pictured at a press conference in Manchester to promote the upcoming fight
Photo: Kevin Quigley / Fury goaded his opponent by removing his shirt and saying ‘you lost to a fat man’
Photo: Getty Images / Fury connects with his left hand during his win over Klitschko in Dusseldorf, Germany in November
‘Not broken but I was told to keep off it for six to seven weeks. Tried to train a bit but a second opinion was the same. So sorry to let all my fans down and apologies to everyone who’s booked the date.’
The postponement will not be helpful to Klitschko, given the strain of perfecting preparations at the age of 40.
But Fury’s promoter Mick Hennessy says: ‘There is no way we could let Tyson fight a man like Klitschko when anything less than 100 per cent fit. And we will rearrange the fight.’
There had also been rumours that tickets were not going well but Warren reports: ‘We had sold more than 17,000, which left only a couple of thousand remaining.’
Tickets already purchased will be honoured in October.
Photo: Getty Images / The Ukrainian was left stunned after Fury won their first fight on a unanimous points decision
Klitschko had said earlier this week that Fury reminds him of Hitler due to his comments on Jewish people
Normally mild-mannered, Klitschko’s Hitler comparison was out of the ordinary and has clearly offended Fury
Klitschko’s manager, Bernd Boente, says: ‘This is unfortunate. Wladimir was in great form. But we will be ready to go to Manchester on the new date.’
Earlier in the day, Fury responded angrily to Klitschko likening him to Adolf Hitler. Klitschko made that stark comparison after reading Fury’s views on Jewish people.
As a member of the travelling community, Fury responded: ‘You recently said I’m like Hitler. Wladimir has no education in the matter. He does not realise Hitler killed hundreds of thousands of gypsies, if not millions.
‘A lot of my ancestors were mass-murdered by Hitler. To call me that is a very, very bad insult, friend. Let’s not forget that your people the Ukrainians were the guards in the death camps where my people were slaughtered. You stupid f****** Ukrainian p****.’
There was much hype and mutual promotional baiting before the November fight in Dusseldorf.
Now the bad blood is for real.
Fury v Klitschko will be televised live on BoxNation, most likely on Saturday, October 29.
Photo: Getty Images / Tyson Fury’s war of words with Wladimir Klitschko has continued ahead of their world heavyweight title bout
Fury has hit out at Klitschko once again on Instagram, describing him as a ‘stupid f****** Ukrainian p****’
Beefy took just a minute and a half of the second to successfully defend his light-middleweight title against Predrag Radosevic in front of his home crowd in Liverpool
Over and out: Smith defeated Radosevic inside two rounds
Liam Smith took a step closer to a dream fight against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez by successfully defending his WBO light-middleweight tonight in front of his home fans in Liverpool.
Smith impressed as he stopped challenger Predrag Radosevic in just two rounds to stretch his unbeaten record to 24 fights.
He put Radosevic down with a left hook to the body and the Montenegrin showed little enthusiasm to get up as he waited for referee Steve Gray to count him out.
It was not the way Smith would have wanted to win and questions will be asked about Radosevic, who showed little appetite for the fight.
Smith will press on and promoter Frank Warren is in talks with Canelo’s camp about a possible fight against the Mexican sensation.
Warren was in negotiations with Golden Boy six months ago only for Canelo to opt to fight Amir Khan instead last month.
Smith, 27, is due a huge fight to give him the limelight he deserves and he is one of the least-heralded of Britain’s 13 world champions.
After the crowd inside the Echo Arena paid tribute to Muhammad Ali, Smith did a number on Radosevic to become the first man after two-weight world champ Felix Sturm to stop the Montenegran.
Smith edged the first round, knocking Radosevic’s head back with a strong jab before clouting him with a stinging right.
His jab rocked Radosevic again in the second, pinning him in the corner and he opened up on the challenger.
He unloaded a flurry of shots before winding Radosevic with a left hook to the ribs.
Radosevic rested on his hunkers, but did not want to rise to his feet as Gray counted to 10 to end the contest one minute and 34 seconds into the second round.
He told his corner he felt like he had broken a rib, such was the venom of Smith’s punch.
Smith will not care and he has recorded the 13th stoppage of his 23 wins as he improves to 23-0-1.
But what is clear is that he needs a better class of opponent to show the world just how good he is.
www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/liam-smith-defends-world-title-8116756
Liverpool’s WBO Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Smith came face-to-face with Montenegro’s Predrag Radosevic at today’s press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool. Undefeated Smith, 22-0-1 12 KO’s, makes the second defence of his world title against WBO European Champion Radosevic this Saturday at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, live and exclusive on BoxNation.
Scouse hero Smith knows he will have to be at his very best if he is to avoid any slip-ups against a rough and ready Radosevic. Smith’s promoter Frank Warren has hinted at a potentially huge fight for Smith in September should he overcome Radosevic. However, the Merseyside maverick says there’s no danger of him overlooking his latest challenger.
“I’m buzzing to get back in the ring on Saturday. I’ve been out of the ring since December and I’ve had a good rest. I’ve been linked with some big names but none of those fights can happen if I don’t win this weekend. I’m fully focused on Predrag Radosevic; he’s a dangerous opponent and has my full attention. I’m from too good a family and too good a gym to overlook anyone,” said Smith.
He added: “I want to put on a good performance back in my home city. I won the title in Manchester and defended it in Manchester but there’s no place like home. I’m going to put on a show for everyone at the Echo Arena and watching at home on BoxNation”.
Radosevic, who is ranked number 11 with the World Boxing Organization, is on a red-hot three-fight winning streak since losing his unbeaten record at the hands of controversial WBA Super-Middleweight Champion Felix Sturm in July 2013 and insists he isn’t in Liverpool to make up the numbers.
He said: “It’s a great honour to be here and fighting on a Frank Warren promotion. On Saturday night I’ll be taking that belt home with me; I’m not here as a tourist. I believe I have what it takes to beat Liam and become the new world champion.”
Ellesmere Port star Paul Butler finds himself within striking distance of another shot at becoming a two-weight world champion. Standing in his way of making history is Thai terror Petchbarngborn Kokietgym who boxes out of Bangkok. Former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Butler is excited to show off his new skills against Kokietgym.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday night. Obviously I’ve got a new trainer and I’m buzzing to show everyone what I’ve been up to in the gym. I’ve got a good opponent but we’ve been putting the hours in in the gym and you’ll see a new Paul Butler this weekend,” said Butler.
EBU European Bantamweight Champion Ryan Farrag makes the first defence of his belt against Karim Guerfi. The Everton Red Triangle man is confident of getting a knockout win over the tricky man from Manosque in France.
He said: “Karim is a good opponent. He’s the type of opponent I want to be in there fighting but I believe I’ve got the beating of him. He’s going to be in for a rough night; I’m looking forward to punching him in the face and keeping hold of my belt!”
Lastly, Tom Stalker looks to make it third time lucky when he challenges Portugal’s Antonio Joao Bento for the Vacant European Lightweight Championship. ‘The Captain’ is confident there are big fights ahead of him should he claim the European crown on Saturday.
Stalker said: “In the past year I’ve had three draws a win and a loss. Frank Warren has stood by me and got me another great opportunity. It’s about time I repaid their faith in me. I’m going to put in a great performance on Saturday and finally get my hands on that belt.”
Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren has issued a statement on making a potential unification clash between WBO lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan (30-0, 12 KOs) and WBA lightweight king Anthony Crolla (31-4-3, 13 KOs). “In simple terms, no barriers, no excuses, let’s get it done! The ball is now firmly in Team Crolla’s court. Flanagan is ready and I’m ready and our door is open,” stated Warren.
Quite simply, Flanagan v Crolla has to happen. when has there even been an opportunity to see two world champions from the same city, in fact the same school, attempt to unify their World titles?
Far too often, politics get in the way of making great events, now so more than ever before. During my 35 year career, I have co-promoted countless of events with major promoters in the UK and around the world, including Matchroom so I see no reason why this cannot happen again.
It seems the one stumbling block being flagged up by Matchroom Sport was the issue of the respective fighters rival broadcast platforms, Sky Sports, who televise Anthony Crolla’s fights and BoxNation, who televise Terry Flanagan. To get over this, as Terry’s exclusive Promoter, I am prepared to agree, subject to contract and the commercial terms offered by Sky, that Sky Sports Box Office, can have the exclusive UK broadcast rights to the event to make it happen.
This should ensure that the Sky Sports/BoxNation argument cannot be used as a smokescreen to prevent this fight from happening. I will not make counter offers to secure the event for BoxNation providing Sky Sports Box Office do not offer unreasonable terms.
I will agree to this if the following terms are accurately reflected in a contract:
- The Event is staged by Queensberry Promotions Ltd and Matchroom Sport Ltd, on an equal 50:50 basis. All decisions regarding the event, including pricing and costs, must be mutually agreed.
- The Event takes place in 2016 at the Manchester Arena.
- Manchester Arena’s official ticketing partner, Eventim, receive the sole and exclusive ticketing rights for the event. No secondary ticket agents are permitted to be a sponsor, associate or partner of the event, such as StubHub and the like.
- Each co-promoter is responsible for paying the purse of their respective boxers (i.e. Terry Flanagan to be paid by Queensberry Promotions and Anthony Crolla to be paid by Matchroom Sports) with an undercard to be mutually agreed.
This is an opportunity for both Terry and Anthony to earn career high purses, along with delivering a huge British unification clash for the fans. There is no reason why we cannot move forward on what are fair and reasonable terms for all involved and get this fight on, that is of course if they want it to.
Contrary to the opinion of a few people with their own agenda, no other fight for either fighter can deliver them the type of pay day and profile that is possible from this event. It has all the ingredients to be a special night and an historic one for Manchester. Two World Champions from the same City, same school and arguably the number 1 and 2 in the lightweight division putting it all on the line for local bragging rights. Add on top of that that one is a City fan and the other United. What more could you ask for?
Boxing fans have called for Promoters to put aside rivalries, egos and personal agendas and collaborate to deliver the best possible fights for the public. Here is the perfect opportunity to do this and I’m playing my part.
I am making this statement public to show boxing fans how serious I am about making this event happen. Neither the fighters, nor the public deserve to miss out on what will be a memorable night for British boxing.
In simple terms, no barriers, no excuses, let’s get it done! The ball is now firmly in Team Crolla’s court. Flanagan is ready and I’m ready and our door is open.
www.fightnews.com/Boxing/warren-calls-for-flanagan-crolla-unification-clash-337007
March 21, 2016
Liam Smith C/O Frank Warren
Austin Trout C/O David W. Bunting
Re: WBO Jr. Middleweight Championship Bout Liam Smith vs. Austin Trout
Gentlemen:
Please be advised the parties have 30 days to negotiate an agreement for the WBO Jr. Middleweight Championship bout between Liam Smith and Austin Trout. If an accord is not reached within the time frame, a Purse Bid will be ordered.
The minimum acceptable bid for the Jr. 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. – Chairman, WBO Championship Committee
Photo by: Getty Images /
Terry Flanagan retained his WBO world lightweight title with a unanimous points decision over Derry Mathews.
The undefeated Manchester fighter, 26, was awarded a 117-110, 115-112, 117-110 verdict over his Liverpool opponent.
Flanagan was docked a point in the eighth round by referee Phil Edwards for using his forearm, after receiving repeated warnings for pushing.
But it made no difference at the Liverpool Echo Arena as 32-year-old Mathews slipped to a 10th defeat.
Flanagan has now won all 30 of his professional fights.
His promoter, Frank Warren, says “the obvious next fight” for him is against fellow Mancunian and holder of the WBA lightweight world title Anthony Crolla.
“We’ve made him a big offer,” said Warren on Box Nation. “Let the two of them fight. There’s no problem from our end. It’s a fight that could be made.
“Other than that I like the Linares fight,” he added, referring to Venezuelan three-weight champion Jorge Linares, who currently holds the WBC version of the world lightweight title.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/35796605
Credit: Photo by Dave Thompson/Getty Images / Liam Smith made a successful defense of his WBO title today in Manchester.
Liam Smith made a successful first defense of his WBO junior middleweight title today in Manchester, stopping Jimmy Kelly in the seventh round when Kelly’s corner threw in the towel.
Smith (22-0-1, 12 KO) did the job in front of him, and while the fight was rightly criticized coming in due to Kelly (16-1, 7 KO) being a totally unproven fighter with a paper ranking from the WBO allowing the fight to happen at all, the fight itself was an enjoyable watch, with both guys working hard and throwing punches. Kelly, 23, had never even fought at the higher levels domestically before this fight, but he showed up and looked pretty solid at moments, before he was eventually overwhelmed by the pressure and power of the 27-year-old titleholder.
While BoxNation’s TV scoring had this a shutout at the time of the stoppage, BLH actually gave Kelly two of the first three rounds, and he had plenty of success in a couple of others, too, before he started to look a bit worse for wear in round six. That round, perhaps frustrated by the way things were going, Kelly threw a pretty blatant headbutt into the mix, costing him two points on the cards. BLH had it 58-54 for Smith at the time of stoppage.
The stoppage came in a bit of an unusual manner, as Kelly was being battered against the ropes, just worn out by the pressure from Smith, when he basically collapsed without being hit again. Referee Marcus McDonnell oddly ruled this to not be a knockdown — it was, and should have been called as one — but it didn’t matter. Kelly’s corner knew the score, and they waved it off with the white towel moments later, saving their fighter.
Smith won the title in October, so made a quick turnaround for his first defense, saying that he didn’t even have time to celebrate winning before he had to get ready for the next fight. He recently negotiated for a fight with Shane Mosley (to whatever degree the negotiations were serious), and we’ll have to see what he does next. He’s got the belt, but he’s also known only in the UK.
Promoter Frank Warren floated the name of Miguel Cotto after the bout in the post-fight interviews.
“In an ideal world, I’d like to get him out again in February on the Liverpool show. If he wants to do that, it’s not a problem. If not, we’ll sit down with his management and work out an opponent,” Warren said. “The Cotto fight, if we could make that, I think we’d all be happy. But it’s about (Liam Smith). He’s still got a long way to go. I think he’s only going to get better and better.”
“I’d love to (fight in February),” Smith said. “I’m going to make a decision in the next couple of days. But I don’t want to come flat and let all the hard work go. But I would love to do that fight in Liverpool.”
(Credit: Photos by: Getty Images; PA; Graham Chadwick; Reuters)
- Billy Joe Saunders has returned to the ‘big stage’ as a professional boxer
- His early exit at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing was a great disappointment
- Saunders fights Andy Lee for the WBO middleweight title on December 19
- He said he’s learned from his mistakes as a highly-regarded 18-year-old
Billy Joe Saunders is still haunted by what he did in the summer of 2008.
At just 18 years old, he was considered one of the hottest prospects in all of world amateur boxing and had broken ground as the first ever member of the British Romany community to qualify for the Olympic Games.
But it all turned sour that August in Beijing and, seven years on, what happened in China still keeps him up at night.
He had reached the pinnacle of his sport only to come crashing down to earth with an early exit. He’s back at the peak again, now as a professional, and insists there will be no tumble this time around.
Saunders faces Andy Lee for the Irish southpaw’s WBO middleweight title at Manchester Arena on December 19 in his first crack at world honours after racking up a perfect 22-0 record in the paid ranks. He insists he’s ready this time.
Billy Joe Saunders is ready for the big time this time as he fights Andy Lee for the WBO middleweight belt
‘I know I can’t come out of that ring a failure,’ he said, leaning back from a table at the Slainte restaurant above Marbella’s MGM gym. ‘I failed on the big stage, at the Olympic Games, and I think about it all the time.
‘I’m at that stage again now and I’m not prepared to do that. I’m not prepared to fail on this big stage again.
‘What happened then was a blessing in disguise because now I know what I lost there.’ Saunders, the teenage welterweight, had cruised past Turkey’s Adem Kilicci 14-3 in the first round to set up a showdown with gifted Cuban Carlos Banteaux in the Last 16.
That’s where it all went wrong for the Hatfield youngster, who initially blamed the judges’ scoring on his exit and resulting failure to medal.
But, reflecting on the trip to the far east, the 26-year-old knows the damage was done long before he stepped through the ropes that day. He said: ‘I did that when I was 18 through my own stupidity.
‘I was in the Olympic Village, running up and down, partying, I was 17, 18 and I didn’t know what stage I was on.
‘The Cuban, I would have beaten eight times out 10 and he went on to win silver. Think what I could have done at that age.
‘But it’s the reason why I’m here, at the MGM Gym in Marbella, in these surroundings, away from everyone on my own training and everything is going perfectly.
‘So now there is nothing I can look back on and say, ‘I didn’t do this right, I didn’t do that right, that was my excuse’. There aren’t any excuses.’ Jimmy Tibbs’, Saunders’ fabled east-end trainer, has worked with British world champions such as Nigel Benn, Barry McGuigan, Charlie Magri and Chris Pyatt. He has often said that Saunders is better than any of them.
Saunders won the Commonwealth and European belts when he beat Chris Eubank Jr last year
Saunders will fight Andy Lee (above) for the WBO middleweight title he won from Russian Matt Korobov
Tibbs has, however, always insisted that his unbeaten charge would only attempt to join that clutch of esteemed fighters by claiming the world title once he was completely ready.
Now, seven years since he turned over, Saunders’ run to 22-0 has been punctuated by the British, Commonwealth and European middleweight titles. He also became the first traveller to win the British title outright when he successfully defended the Lonsdale belt for the third and final time in his high-profile money fight with Chris Eubank Jr last year.
Tibbs, his promoter Frank Warren and Saunders himself are now all confident that everything is in place to add a world title to his collection.
Saunders said: ‘I never really did say I want to be world champion in another ‘X’ years. I always said I want to fight for a world title when I am 26, 27, that’s what I said. Now I am 26.
‘I wanted to be that little bit more mature. I didn’t want to just go in there, win it and then get beaten. I want to keep it and I’m not scared of anybody at middleweight.’
Despite his heartbreak in China, Saunders has turned it around to become one of the most successful members of that talented seven-man squad which eventually represented Team GB in 2008 after Frankie Gavin missed the weight.
Light-welterweight Bradley Saunders has had bad trouble with his hands and was disqualified in a stay-busy eight-rounder in September while light-heavyweight Tony Jeffries had such terrible hand injuries he was forced to retire after just 10 professional fights. He now runs two successful boxing gyms in Los Angeles.
The career of Beijing bantamweight Joe Murray, currently 15-2, has stagnated and he has not boxed since February when he was stopped inside five rounds by Liam Walsh in his challenge for the British and Commonwealth super-featherweight titles.
Saunders says, as a teenager, he brought the defeat on himself but now he’s a more mature competitor
Super heavyweight, and captain of the team in China, David Price was tipped as a potential long-term king of the heavyweight division but he has considered retirement after being badly knocked out by Erkan Teper in July.
The flyweight, Khalid Yafai, since turning professional has captured the British super-flyweight champion and is widely expected to go on to challenge for world honours.
But so far the only man from that team to become champion of the world is James DeGale, the middleweight gold medalist in Beijing, who is now the IBF king up in the 168lb super-middleweight division.
And Saunders, who is bidding to join him at boxing’s top table later this month, thinks his old friend from Harlesden will unify the titles to become the undisputed champion following his successful first defence against Lucian Bute.
Saunders added: ‘I think people have forgotten about his performance a bit because unfortunately for him, he boxed on the same night as Tyson Fury.
Saunders beli
eves his friend James DeGale didn’t get the recognition he deserved for beating Lucian Bute
‘But I think DeGale is a very very good fighter and is a very good friend of mine as well.
‘He loves pressure. To go to Canada and do that to Bute, you have to take your hat off to him. He’s a really good fighter and he won’t be a flash in the pan, he’s going to keep it going.
‘All the tools are there for DeGale, as long as he turns up he’s going to be a tough cookie to beat. I think he’s going to unify the division now.
‘Given Andre Ward has moved up, the champions at his weight are Badou Jack, Arthur Abraham and Fedor Chudinov. In my personal opinion, DeGale beats all of them within a month.
‘He was always talented, now he’s showing it. He’s come a long way since the Olympics and so have I. Now it’s my time to win that world title.’ Suddenly, seven years in boxing seems like a very long.
Date: Saturday – October 10, 2015
WBO LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT
Location: Manchester Arena (formerly M.E.N. Arena), Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions / Frank Warren
Supervisor: Istvan Kovacs
Referee: Terry O’Connor
Judges: Mark Nelson (10-9); Deon Dwarte (10-9); Dave Parris (10-9)
Results: The Champion Terry Flanagan retained the WBO Lightweight Title against Diego Magdaleno by TKO in the 2nd. round.
TV:
Date: Saturday – October 10, 2015
VACANT WBO JR. MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT
Location: Manchester Arena (formerly M.E.N. Arena), Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions / Frank Warren
Supervisor: Istvan Kovacs
Referee: Marcus McDonnell
Judges: Steve Gray (56-58); Mark Nelson (57-57); Andre Van Grootenbruel (57-57)
Results: Liam Smith has become the new WBO Jr. Middleweight champion after seeing off John Thompson with a seventh-round knockout.
TV:
VACANT WBO JR. MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT
LIAM SMITH VS. JOHN THOMPSON
August 24th 2015
Frank Warren
Frank Warren Promotions:
Re: Vacant WBO Jr. Middleweight Championship Bout
Liam Smith vs. John Thompson
Dear Mr. Warren:
The WBO World Championship Committee has been made aware that negotiations for a match in Manchester, England on October 10, 2015 between Liam Smith and Michel Soro for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight Championship of the World started three weeks ago, but despite Top Rank agreeing to the terms, Soro and his managers have repeatedly made strong public statements suggesting that they are at odds with his promoter over the terms presented to them.
We are also aware that in light of assurances that an agreement would be reached, tickets went on sale and your company contracted with numerous suppliers, etc. This situation, ongoing for weeks, has had a detrimental effect on the promotion of the event promotion with the public uncertain as to who Smith’s opponent will be and whether the fight will take place at all.
Given Michel Soro’s dispute with his Promoter and the power and discretion afforded to us by Section 1 (b) 19 of the WBO Regulations for World Championship Contest to determine the contestants for a Vacant Championship, we have decided to proceed pursuant to Section 20 (PROCEDURE WHEN A TITLE IS DECLARED VACANT) and declare John Thompson the “Best Classified Contender Available.”
For the above reasons, we are formally granting permission for Liam Smith to fight John Thompson for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight Championship of the World.
This determination of the WBO World Championship Committee to allow Thompson to replace Soro will not adversely affect Soro’s position within the WBO World Championship Ratings.
Yours truly,
(Signed by: Luis Batista Salas, Esq. Chairman)
cc: Top Rank, Michael Borao, Omrani Raycal, Che Guevara, Francisco Valcarcel Esq.
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2015
WBO MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT
Location: Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick, Ireland
Promoter: Queensberry Promotions / Frank Warren
Supervisor:
Referee:
Judges:
Results:
TV:
By: Dan Rafael –
Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, one of boxing history’s most dominant big men, will make a mandatory defense against Tyson Fury, a rare opponent bigger than him, on Oct. 24 at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, after their camps made a last-minute deal and avoided a purse bid Monday.
With a purse bid scheduled for noon ET at the WBA headquarters in Panama City, Panama, Klitschko’s K2 Promotions and Fury promoter Mick Hennessy, who had been negotiating for weeks, reached an agreement with four minutes to spare.
Had the fight been put up for auction — Klitschko, as champion, was entitled to 80 percent of a winning bid and Fury 20 percent — they risked losing promotional control of the bout, as representatives for British promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren as well as Russian promoter Vlad Hrunov himself showed up at the purse bid intending to put in offers for a fight that surely would have garnered a winning bid of at least $15 million.
“We had constant conference calls with each other and the lawyers, and then four minutes before the deadline we reached an agreement,” Klitschko manager Bernd Boente told ESPN.com. “I think a good deal is one where both sides are happy, and both sides are happy with this deal. Mick Hennessy and Tyson Fury are happy and Wladimir and our side are also happy.”
Boente was in Germany but said he was in constant contact with Hennessy as well as Tom Loeffler, managing director of Klitschko’s K2 Promotions, who was in Panama, as they finalized the agreement.
Klitschko will be returning to defend the title at Esprit Arena for the third time. In 2012, he pummeled former cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck in a fourth-round knockout, and in 2010 he dominated Eddie Chambers before scoring a crushing knockout with five seconds left in the 12th and final round.
Both fights drew massive crowds of more than 50,000 to the indoor soccer stadium, and this is a far more anticipated fight than either of those.
Terms of the Klitschko-Fury agreement were not disclosed, but the showdown looms as one of the most significant heavyweight title bouts in recent years given Klitschko’s enormous popularity in Germany as well as Fury’s following in England. Also, it is a bout that fans have looked forward to for the past few years.
“It is definitely a very big fight,” Boente said. “Tyson Fury is a top challenger without any doubt. It’s a tough fight, no doubt.”
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Klitschko (64-3, 54 KOs), 39, who is from Ukraine and lives in South Florida, will be making the 19th title defense during his nine-year, second reign — second-longest in heavyweight history behind only Joe Louis, who held the title for more than 11 years.
Klitschko’s 18 consecutive successful title defenses are third most in heavyweight history behind Louis’ all-time record of 25 and Larry Holmes’ 20. Klitschko is coming off a one-sided decision victory against then-undefeated Bryant Jennings on April 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
With the win against Jennings, Klitschko moved to 25-2 overall in world title bouts. When he faces Fury, it will be the 28th world heavyweight title bout Klitschko will be participating in, which will break the all-time record of 27 that he and Louis share.
England’s 6-foot-9, 260-pound Fury, 26, who will be the sixth undefeated opponent Klitschko will be facing in his last seven title defenses, is known for his outlandish trash talk, which undoubtedly will help sell the fight.
But Fury (24-0, 18 KOs) has also earned his position as Klitschko’s mandatory challenger. He scored a 10th-round knockout of contender Dereck Chisora — his second win against him — in their November title elimination bout. Fury knocked out Christian Hammer in the eighth round on Feb. 28 to stay busy before the title shot.
“I promise I won’t do a David Haye and s— myself. I’ll KO this super champ. I don’t talk unless I can back it up,” said Fury, taking a shot at countryman David Haye, who trash-talked Klitschko relentlessly and then did virtually nothing in a one-sided decision loss he blamed on a sore little toe when they met in a 2011 title unification bout.
Boente said the bout will be televised on HBO in the United States and RTL in Germany — networks that have contracts with Klitschko. He said the television outlet in the United Kingdom was not settled. He said talks are ongoing with ITV, Sky Sports and BT.
“We are happy we found an agreement in the end,” Boente said. “There are always certain points and certain issues you have to deal with but the good thing is we reached an agreement and that’s what counts. Maybe it was good we had the pressure of the purse bid to reach an agreement.
“Mick Hennessy and myself both said why is it necessary to give other promoters a chance to outbid us and promote the fight when we could have a nice cooperation? I am confident we will work together very well. We all want this to be a megaevent. The fight inside the ring could be absolutely thrilling and we will make sure that there will be a sold-out arena and television viewers around the world for this great fight.”
UK promoter Frank Warren has revealed that plans have been set in motion for the WBO World middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KO’s) to defend against his mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders (21-0, 11 KO’s) on September 5th in London, UK.
Speaking to iFL TV Warren said the proposed date should be confirmed soon and that he will be looking for a suitable outdoor arena in which to stage the bout.
“Yeah I think it deserves that, it’s a big fight. It’s a great fight. I mean, you look at Andy Lee and what he has done over the last few years. It’s marvellous what he’s done when you think he’s gone into every fight as the underdog and the old equaliser has taken everybody out.”
Lee’s last three fights have seen him claw back from severe deficits and emerge with the upper hand. He went down heavily in the first round against John Jackson in June last year and was under intense pressure in the fifth round when he pulled out a counter right hook that left his pursuer face down inhaling the canvas.
Six months later he was matched against the undefeated Russian Matt Korobov for the vacant WBO belt and was behind on points in a close contest until another right hook turned the tide for him.
He followed up with a sustained barrage that forced the referee to step between them, ending the contest in his favour.
His last fight finished in a draw against Peter Quillin, who vacated the belt Lee claimed against Korobov.
Again, he was down in the first and made the trip again in the third, but rallied back in a very tetchy affair to score his own knockdown in the seventh; a crucial contributor to being able to hold on to his belt as the judges could not separate them at the final bell.
Lee is on the best run of his career and looks to continue in the same vein against a young, undefeated southpaw who has been out of action since handing Chris Eubank Jr. his first pro defeat last November.
Saunders obtained the mandatory spot for Lee’s belt with that win but was given step aside money by Quillin’s representatives to allow the American ahead in the queue.
Now, his time has finally come around and instead of traveling to the States as the away fighter, he will likely get to fight close to home in front of a packed stadium of fans.
It looks like he made the right decision, and he will prepare for his first world title shot with a warm-up against an as yet unnamed opponent at the Velodrome in Manchester on July 11th(Boxrec.com). The plan is to shake off the cobwebs as well as a calf injury Warren says he picked up six weeks ago.
Lee is from Limerick in Ireland but spent a good chunk of his childhood in London, and Saunders’ accent indicates he is based somewhere near the capital
It will build into a significant enough event to warrant the hiring and booking of a huge venue. Then it is all up to the fighters to put on a good show.
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