Sports Network Kick Off The New Season

27.07.04 – With one show left on Sports Network’s calender this Friday (30 July), featuring a potential thriller between Graham Earl and Steve Murray for the British Lightweight title, boxing’s number one organisation are delighted to announce its first shows for the new season.

Kicking off will be the dynamite punching Welshman ENZO MACCARINELLI who headlines the Newport Sports Centre in Wales on Friday 3 September. The all-action 23-year-old puts his WBU World Cruiserweight title on the line for the fifth time as he marks himself out to be one of the hottest talents in the division.

‘Big Mac’ knows he must win to line up a sensational all-British clash with Sheffield’s WBO World Champion JOHNNY NELSON who makes the thirteenth defence of his title the next night, Saturday 4 September, in Dusseldorf, Germany, against the mandatory challenger Rudiger May.

Wins for both will see the pair collide before the end of the year in an intriguing fight between the exciting new charge of the division against the experience

Maccarinelli said, “I’m gunning for Nelson. In my eyes he’s the best in the division and I admire him but we are in the business of proving who is the best so I will be looking to knock out whoever is put in front of me on September 3 and then get it on with Nelson.”

The following week, Friday 10 September, Glasgow hardman SCOTT HARRISON will headline the prestigious Scottish fight venue The Kelvin Hall for the first time as a World Champion when he defends his WBO Featherweight crown.

The Braehead Arena, where all Harrison’s World title fights have been staged, is not available on the date required which has meant a switch to the Kelvin Hall. Glasgow City Council were eager to support Harrison and his next World title fight at the venue and this was the perfect
opportunity.

Harrison has a double incentive to win on the night. One, he will beat Jim Watt’s record of six successful world title fight wins for a Scottish boxer; and two, he will land a dream fight with Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barerra who is the mandatory challenger for his title.

The gritty Cambuslang fighter said, “I’m looking forward to returning to the Kelvin Hall as a World Champion to defend my title. I was Commonwealth Campion when I boxed there over two years and knew that I would one day return to defend a World title. The place is steeped in boxing history and I want to do it justice by putting on a devastating performance to retain my title in front of my fans.”

Promoter Frank Warren said, “I am delighted to announce our first shows in September which are set to be exciting affairs. First you’ve got Enzo and Johnny, two of the best cruiserweights in the World, fighting on consecutive nights and if both win it will set up a massive fight later in the year. Then you’ve got Harrison, who is one of the world’s top featherweights in action and he has Barerra waiting for him.”