After originally being scheduled to box Cuban Richar Abril in place of original challenger Anthony Crolla, Mathews and promoter Frank Warren have had a nightmare week getting a fight on after Abril pulled out of the contest for a SECOND time a week ago (the first in March) and late replacement Ismael Barroso of Venezuela suffered visa problems that meant he too had to withdraw.
The rumours that have been gathering pace for some time in Britain regarding a potential summer fight between Finchley’s Dereck Chisora (20-5, 13ko) (who, incidentally has dropped the ‘c’ from his first name on twitter!) and Liverpool’s David Price (19-2, 16ko) may need to be put to bed after a social media exchange this afternoon between Chisora himself and Price’s promoters Sauerland Event, appeared to kill any hope fans had of the fight being made.
The saga began with a brief tweet from Kalle and Nisse Sauerland, regarding the proposed June 6th return of Price to the UK, and a potential showdown with Chisora. It read;
Tonight in Liverpool, after what has been nothing short of an unfortunately farcical situation, hometown man “Dirty” Derry Mathews (37-9-2, 20ko) will step into the ring against Canadian late replacement and unknown quantity, Tony Luis (19-2, 7ko).
It’s a fight that has ended up being for the vacant WBA interim lightweight strap, and after the circus that promoter Frank Warren has had to endure to put it together, Derry is lucky really to be fighting anybody at all.
In a spectacular performance Crawford floored the undefeated former unified featherweight titleholder four times. At first the Cuban Olympic gold medalist appeared to be putting on a boxing clinic, however the Omaha fighter stayed calm, made adjustments, and completely turned the fight around in the 5th with a knockdown. His switch to southpaw, proved effective, and definitely demonstrated his ability to adapt.
There exists no happier man in Liverpool than exciting bantamweight prospect Ryan Farrag, 13-1 (2KO’s), who was recently announced as the mandatory challenger for the coveted British title held by Lee Haskins, 31-3 (13KO’s).
The announcement made by the British Boxing Board of Control on 9th April called for purse bids to be conducted on Wednesday 13th May, with the bout to take place no later than the end of July.
Weigh-In: Lucas Matthysse 139 – Ruslan Provodnikov 139.5
Patrick Teixeira 160 -Patrick Allotey 157
Lamont Roach Jr. 133.5 – Jose Miguel Castro 133
Sidney McCow 146 -Paulo Souza 150.5
Vitor Freitas 135 – Guillermo Sanchez 133
Vitaly Kopylenko 160 – Lekan Byfield 158
Members of the media and fans got a preview of what to expect in the ring on Saturday with former World Champions Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse and “The Siberian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov during today’s final press conference for Matthysse vs. Provodnikov at the Oneida Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR.: 171 ½ Pounds
ANDRZEJ FONFARA: 171 ½ Pounds
AMIR IMAM: 140 Pounds
WALTER CASTILLO: 138 Pounds
Former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. held a media workout on Friday in front of a packed house at Ten Goose Boxing Gym in Van Nuys, Calif., as the Mexican superstar prepares to make his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® debut on Saturday, April 18, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
By my reckoning, and that of most in the know, Terence “Bud” Crawford (25-0, 17ko) is one of boxing’s brightest stars. Last years Boxing writer’s Fighter Of The Year will make his 140lb debut this Saturday when he steps up in weight to face Thomas Dulorme (22-1, 14ko) in Arlington, Texas for the vacant WBO strap.
The fight will be screened as part of a split card on HBO in America and Boxnation in the UK.
On May 23rd in Boston, Mass, North London’s James “Chunky” DeGale (20-1, 14ko) will attempt to become the latest British fighter to travel to America and win a version of the world title, following Sheffield’s IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook who dethroned Shawn Porter in Carson, California, last August.
DeGale will contest the vacant IBF 168lb strap vacated by countryman Carl Froch, against arguably the trickier of Michigan’s Dirrell brothers, Andre. (24-1, 16ko)
Many British fans will remember him from his controversial SD loss to Froch in Nottingham as part of “The Super Six” tournament. A fight many Brits and Froch fans readily concede Dirrell was unlucky to lose.
This Saturday night Turning Stone Resort and Casino will host an HBO event that will likely be the leading candidate for fight of the year by night’s end. Stylistically speaking this is as close to a hardcore-fight fans dream matchup as any other on the busy spring fight schedule. Lucas “The Machine” is set to do battle against Ruslan “The Siberian Rocky” Provodnikov with the victor possibly facing the co-feature bout winner between Terrance Crawford and Thomas Dulorme. Who will survive this firefight that promises to produce enough electricity to light up all of New York City?
Ruslan Provodnikov came up the hard way both in and outside the ring. From his humble begins as a member of a communal tribe in Western Siberia to grinding his way up the ranks on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Ruslan has out kicked his coverage long ago and overachieved beyond his natural skill set. His coming out party was a war with Timothy Bradley now two summers ago. He followed that narrow-points loss to Bradley with an obliteration of Mike Alvarado.