16.04.07 – Michael Sprott says he wants a shot at the new WBA World Heavyweight Champion Ruslan Chagaev once he beats Matt Skelton next month. Chagaev caused a major upset on Saturday when he beat the giant Russian Nikolay Valuev on points in Germany despite giving away 11-inches and 6 1/2 stone to the champion and Sprott is using Chagaev as the golden carrot to beat the Bedford scrapper at the ExCeL London. Sprott lost to Chagaev last year in Hamburg when he was stopped in the eighth round despite a brave challenge from the battling Brit..
But Sprott has rejuvenated his career following the stunning one-punch KO win over former Olympic Champion Audley Harrison in February and is desperate to have another crack at the Uzbekistan giantkiller.
“Get me in the ring again with Chagaev and I promise I will beat him this time around,” said Sprott.
“I was shocked that he won because he’s smaller than me but from what I understand he boxed well on the outside and jumped in with fast counters,”
“I said to him straight after the first fight that I wanted a rematch and he said yes so I hope that he will face me again and this time I know how to beat him,”
He added, “I’d be happy to fight him in Germany because I’ve boxed there plenty of times before and on my last trip I beat the previously unbeaten home fighter Rene Dettweiler. In fact, I’ve boxed in Germany so often that I have got a fan club there!”
“First things first though and I’ve got to beat Skelton and that is going to be a tough fight,”
“My confidence is sky high after beating Audley Harrison and with a potential world title fight against Chagaev for the winner that is all the motivation I need beat Skelton.”
The undercard features Kevin ‘Mighty’ Mitchell and younger brother ‘Vicious’ Vinny, the return of Graham Earl, Former European Featherweight Champion Nicky Cook, heavyweight Derek ‘Del Boy’ Chisora, former British Featherweight Champion Andy Morris, the highly anticipated professional debut of Swindon’s 2006 Commonwealth Games Champion Jamie Cox plus Eddie Cocoran and Grant Skehill.
Matthew Marsh takes on Rocky Dean for the Vacant South Area Super-Bantamweight Championship and Thomas McDonagh and Martin Concepcion face each other in an Eliminator for the British Light-Middleweight title.
Tickets for Revenge, priced at £40 £50 £75 £100 £150 & £200, are available from:
SEE TICKETS: 0870 060 3794 www.seetickets.com
TICKETMASTER: 0870 602 1122 www.ticketmaster.co.uk
ExCeL LONDON: www.excel-london.co.uk