UKTV has today announced its presenting team for the live and exclusive broadcast of Haye Day this Saturday at the O2, as David ‘The Hayemaker’ Haye takes on Arnold ‘The Cobra’ Gjerjaj.
Matt Smith, best known for his role presenting football for the likes of the BBC and ITV will anchor the live broadcast, alongside Andy Shephard. The pair will be joined by boxing legend, Barry McGuigan, whose son, Shane, will be in The Hayemaker’s corner in his role as trainer of the former world heavyweight champion.
Commentating on the fight will be Ronald Macintosh, who has previously covered four Olympic Games for the BBC, plus a number IAAF and NBA competitions. He will be joined by former world welterweight champion Darren Barker – with both giving their views and opinion round-by-round from the undercards to the main event.
UKTV will also have Sophia De Stefano and Kiri Bloore roaming from back-stage to ringside, giving first hand experiences of the atmosphere in The O2, plus all the major talking points on social media.
On the announcement David Haye said: “I was really impressed with the coverage and production of my comeback fight and I’m looking forward to once again be fighting on Dave and taking the sport to a broader audience. This Haye Day will feature a longer live show with an even better undercard and more musical entertainment. It promises to once again be a must-watch event.”
Steve North, General Manager for Dave, added “After the highly watched first match we are delighted to welcome David back to the channel, and we are confident we can continue to build on the brilliant sporting coverage we delivered in January. The second Haye Day promises even more entertainment and even more boxing as we are able to offer more air time for fans to see boxing for free.”
UKTV’s Dave will also broadcast a build-up show on Friday 20th May at 8pm ‘David Haye vs Arnold Gjergjaj: Countdown To HayeDay’ with all the news, views and opinion ahead of the fight on Saturday evening.
‘Haye Day’ will be promoted by David’s own promotional company Hayemaker Boxing Ltd with support from The O2. Live Boxing: David Haye v Arnold Gjergjaj is produced for UKTV and executive produced by UKTV’s Helen Nightingale.
David Haye takes on Arnold Gjergjaj at The O2 on Saturday 21 May. Watch the fight exclusively live on Dave from 8pm.
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UKTV’s leading free-to-air entertainment channel Dave has secured the exclusive UK rights for former two-weight world champion David Haye’s latest fight as he continues his comeback to the ring. ‘Haye Day’ will once again air on Dave, live from The O2 on Saturday 21 May.
A peak audience of 3.2 million people tuned into Dave in January to watch ‘The Hayemaker’ return to the ring for the first time in three and a half years and knock out Mark de Mori in 131 seconds.
Haye, one of only two boxers to have unified the cruiserweight division and won the heavyweight world title, now turns his attention to Arnold ‘The Cobra’ Gjergjaj – the EE-EU heavyweight champion from Kosovo who is unbeaten in 29 fights (21 KOs). ‘The Cobra’ has real pedigree having sparred with some of the biggest names in boxing including current WBA, WBO and IBO heavyweight world champion, Tyson Fury, and the man he won those titles from, Wladimir Klitschko.
Also fighting on the Haye Day bill is former two-time world heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs, with the view to a showdown with David Haye later in the year if both are victorious. Nicknamed ‘The Cannon’, Briggs brings a wealth of experience with a record of 59 wins (52 KOs) and six loses. Briggs has been actively pursuing a fight with The Hayemaker for a number of months.
Haye Day will also see two Essex-based middleweights fight for the English title as ‘Smokin’ Joe Mullender takes on Lee ‘Banjo’ Markham over 10 rounds. The personal rivalry between the two hard hitting, all-action middleweights provides the ideal warm-up with neither fighter willing to taking a backward step in what promises to be a battle that goes the distance.
Commenting on the announcement, David Haye said, “I’m thrilled that my latest fight will once again be free-to-air on Dave. I was overwhelmed with the peak audience of 3.2 million who tuned in to my fight against Mark de Mori. Boxing is booming in the UK right now and these figures prove it. I always said I wanted to bring boxing back to the masses and in partnership with UKTV we really did do that in January.”
He adds, “I was really impressed with the coverage and production of my comeback fight and I’m looking forward to once again be fighting on Dave and taking the sport to a broader audience. This Haye Day will feature a longer live show with an even better undercard and more musical entertainment. It promises to once again be a must-watch event.”
The Hayemaker, who was the first British boxer to become a unified cruiserweight champion in 2008, as he won the WBA, WBO, and WBC titles, as well as The Ring magazine honour. Haye then moved up to heavyweight and won the WBA title in 2009 after defeating Russian giant Nikolai Valuev, making him only the second boxer in history to have unified the cruiserweight titles and won a heavyweight world championship.
Live Boxing: David Haye v Arnold Gjergjaj will be shown live from The O2 and has been ordered by UKTV director of commissioning Richard Watsham and Dave general manager Steve North. The three-hour special will include highlights from the night’s undercard at The O2, including Briggs; a 10-round English middleweight title fight; Sheikh Fahad Bin Khalid Al Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar and the country’s first ever professional boxer, makes his debut plus all the action and insight from ringside and musical performances from a number of household names.
Richard Watsham said, “I’m thrilled that David wants to be back on Dave for his next fight, it speaks volumes about our relationships with top talent. We broke records for the channel back in January when David defeated Mark de Mori. I have no doubt that with the developing rivalry with Shannon Briggs adding extra tension, 21st May promises to be bigger, better and even more entertaining.”
Steve North added, “After the smash-hit first match we are delighted to welcome David back to the channel, and we are confident we can continue to build on the brilliant sporting coverage we delivered in January. The second Haye Day promises even more entertainment and even more boxing as we are able to offer more air time for fans to see boxing for free.”
‘Haye Day’ will be promoted by David’s own promotional company Hayemaker Boxing Ltd with support from The O2. Live Boxing: David Haye v Arnold Gjergjaj is produced for UKTV and executive produced by UKTV’s Helen Nightingale.
The announcement comes off the back of the recently announced BDO World Trophy Darts 2016, which airs on Dave the weekend following Haye Day, starting Saturday 28 May at 12 noon.
David Haye takes on Arnold Gjergjaj at The O2 on Saturday 21 May. For tickets to #HayeDay visit theo2.co.uk or watch the fight exclusively live on Dave. #HayeDay
Hayemaker Promotions signs deal with talkSPORT
Hayemaker Promotions has agreed a deal with talkSPORT for the exclusive radio broadcast rights of former two-weight world champion David ‘The Hayemaker’ Haye’s upcoming fight versus Arnold Gjerjaj at The O2 on Saturday May 21.
talkSPORT, the world’s biggest sports radio station, will broadcast ‘Haye Day’ live, with expert commentary and analysis giving listeners all the news, views and opinions from ringside as it happens. The partnership was announced on talkSPORT’s Drivetime show this afternoon, with the station confirming that they will be broadcasting a tantalising build-up to the big fight, with Haye joining the talkSPORT team on-air every week in the countdown to the event. Haye will also visit the talkSPORT studio to join a Fight Club heavyweight special, which will broadcast from 8-10pm on Thursday 19 May.
Commenting on the deal, David Haye said: “I’m delighted that the world’s biggest sports radio station will be broadcasting my next Haye Day event to their millions of listeners. I’ve always been impressed with talkSPORT’s commitment to boxing, whether it be their live fight broadcasts or popular shows such as Fight Club. Their coverage and portfolio of live sports events is unrivalled and I’m thrilled they will be bringing the action, entertainment and excitement of Haye Day from ringside to listeners in the UK and across the world.”
“In January, 3.2 million watched the fight and 16,000 packed in to The O2, this Haye Day will be bigger and better and, by partnering with talkSPORT, even more fans will have the chance to follow what promises to be another amazing night of entertainment.”
Liam Fisher, National Radio Controller for talkSPORT’s owner Wireless Group, said: “David Haye is one the biggest names that boxing has seen in a generation and, as he continues his comeback, it’s fantastic that talkSPORT can be an exclusive part of it.”
“Saturday 21 May will see talkSPORT as the only place to hear full commentary of both the FA Cup Final as Man United take on Crystal Palace, and David Haye back in action.”
Haye Day features The Hayemaker take on the undefeated Arnold ‘The Cobra’ Gjerjaj who has won all of his 29 professional bouts (21 KO’s). The Cobra boasts an impressive record and currently holds the second longest winning streak in heavyweight boxing, behind only the current WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who is yet to be beaten in his 36 professional fights. The Cobra has impressive pedigree having sparred with the current WBA and WBO heavyweight champion and, the man he beat for those titles, Wladimir Klitschko.
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Shannon ‘The Cannon’ Briggs features on a stellar undercard that also includes Joe Mullender taking on Lee Markham for the English middleweight title as chief support plus Sheikh Fahad Bin Khalid Al Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar and the country’s first ever professional boxer, making his debut. A raft of young Brits also be in action including; lightweight Floyd Moore; light welterweight Kay Prospere; light heavyweight Ollie Patterson and heavyweight Nick Webb.
Tickets to Haye Day at The O2 on May 21 are available on general sale now via www.theo2.co.uk.