With all eyes in the UK turning to boxing on the 7th and 8th of March, there is one man who doesn’t care about British boxing or tradition, or even British fight fans. The “Spanish Bull”, Kiko Martinez intends to put the horn into “The Matador”, Rendall Munroe at Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre in Nottingham on March 7..
The little Spaniard was picked this past August to be the opponent in a tuneup fight for Irish superstar Bernard Dunne, but Martinez never got the script. The 21 year old Iberian took the smile out of all those Irish eyes in attendance at The Point in Dublin by destroying Dunne in a single round with the kind of explosive power punching display that would have been a credit to today’s top heavyweights.
Martinez, who has been finishing preparations in his gym in Alicante and will be arriving in the Midlands next week, said, “I’m coming to England to redeem myself for the misunderstanding in Belfast when I was supposed to fight Wayne McCullough. This time, there will be no slip-ups about my weight; my title is on the line and without that, I get no work, so there’s no way I’m letting some guy who I’ve never seen or heard of take my title. There will be no Robin Hood story happening this time in Nottingham.”
Monroe will complete his sparring this week by traveling across to Leeds everyday to work with Carl Johanneson, who is his final week of his own sparring for a British title defense against one of Britain’s up and rising superstars, Commonwealth titlist Kevin Mitchell, the night after Munroe vs. Martinez on March 8 in London.
Johanneson’s punching power and rugged, come forward fighting style will help Munroe prepare. The speed of Munroe is something that Johanneson’s manager Frank Maloney hopes will benefit Johanneson as Mitchell is one of the fastest super featherweights in the division.
But speed alone, can’t win a fight as Mitchell has never been in the ring with anyone of the experience and ability of Johanneson. This is Mitchell’s step up in class and Johanneson intends to make sure that he doesn’t stay there.
“Kevin has been looked after and well matched,” said Johanneson. “He’s had his mother at every fight, making sure that he is safe. I’m glad she’s there because the punches that I’m going to land will be harder than he’s ever felt and his pretty boy image will be dented. If his corner doesn’t want to pull him out, at least his mother will instruct them to protect her son.”
Johanneson will be looking to steal the thunder from the cruiserweight unification fight of Londoner David Haye and Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli. Both these fights are sure to be explosive and boxing fans are certainly in for a glorious weekend with the punching power of the European champion and the boxing skills of Rendall Munroe on March 7 in Nottingham and the cruiserweight shootout at London’s 02 Arena on March 8.
Promoter Frank Maloney is expecting three victories over that weekend and will be looking to hear the following announcements: ‘and the new European super bantamweight champion Rendall Munroe, and still British and new Commonwealth super featherweight champion Carl Johanneson and the undisputed cruiserweight WBC, WBA and WBO champion of the world, David Haye!’
Frank Maloney Promotions presents “The Bull vs. The Matador”, Rendall Munroe vs. European super bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez, at Nottingham’s Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre on Friday, March 7, 2008. Tickets are priced at £75 and £35 and are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Box Office at 0871 226 1508. For any further press information please call 0208 467 7647.
Sky Sports will televise live on SS2 starting at 9:30PM.
Frank Maloney Promotions also announces “Northern Rock”, the first title defense by British super flyweight champion Chris Edwards, who faces Doncaster’s English champion Andy Bell at the Metrodome in Barnsley, England on Friday, March 28, 2008.
On Friday, April 18, 2008, Frank Maloney Promotions return to London when British light middle champion Gary Woolcombe faces the challenge of former titleholder Ryan Rhodes at historic York Hall on “Divine Retribution”. Also featured will be John McDermott and Pele Reid, who will argue the vacant English heavyweight title.