LONDON (Dec. 3, 2009) Unbeaten (Won 28 – Ko 16 – Lost 0) British Lightweight champion and European No 1 mandatory challenger John Murray will get his shot at the European title against champion and WBC number 3 ranked Anthony Mezaache of France early in 2010. The event will take place in Manchester after Hennessy Sports and R2 Image and Events came to an agreement for the event to be promoted by Hennessy Sports which in turn cancelled Tuesday’s scheduled purse bid..
Mick Hennessy said: “This is a great fight of which the winner will be in pole position to fight for a major world title in 2010. Both Bernard Roos (R2 Image & Events) and I will talk to the WBC to see if the fight could also be a WBC Final Eliminator. John is proving himself to be one of the best and most exciting Lightweights in world boxing. Anthony Mezaache has proved himself to be an excellent and very determined European champion and I believe with John Murray’s relentless all action style that this is going to be a very explosive contest.
“I would like to thank Bernard Roos for stepping up to the plate to make this fight happen on behalf of Anthony Mezaache. This will be Bernard’s and Anthony’s second trip to the UK this year as they were both here in February when Anthony beat then European Champ Jon Thaxton on a unanimous points decision to win the EBU title”
2009 has been a successful year for John after stopping current Commonwealth champion Lee McAllister in 8 rounds back in January. He also took out British and Commonwealth challenger Scott Lawton inside 6 rounds in June and Former British & European champion Jon Thaxton in explosive fashion in 4 rounds which was witnessed at ringside by Manchester City stars Micah Richards, Roque Santa Cruz and Vincent Kompany.
Man City fanatic Murray now has the chance to fill the void that fellow blues supporter Ricky Hatton seems to have left in Manchester.
Mick Hennessy added “All you have to do is look at his last 3 fights to see that WBC number 8 ranked Murray is on the road to glory, his record speaks for its self”
Date and Venue will be announced soon.
Darren Barker: Great Viewing Figures On ITV
LONDON (Dec. 2, 2009) British and Commonwealth Middleweight champion Darren Barker showed he has the potential to become a major sporting star on Saturday night when 625,000 viewers tuned into ITV4’s BIG FIGHT LIVE to watch him fulfil his life time ambition of being crowned the new British Middleweight Champion. Promoter Mick Hennessy said “These are fantastic viewing figures, boxing has been a huge success on ITV4 over the last 15 months, we have peaked over 600,000 quite a few times now and if ITV used the full power of their network to cross promote these top class fighters it is obvious their viewing figures would go through the roof.”
“Darren Barker is already by far the best middleweight in Europe and we are going to launch him on the world scene next year so he can fulfil another dream, to become a marquee world champion”.
MUNROE SHOWING HIS SUPPORT FOR LOCAL CHARITIES
By Andy Scott
EUROPEAN super-bantamweight champion gets into the Christmas spirit for a very good cause.
After a twelve round war against Simone Maludrottu only two weeks ago, anyone could forgive Leicester’s Rendall Munroe for putting his feet up and enjoying the Christmas break.
Munroe produced a superb performance to retain the title on points and leave himself on the verge of a shot at the world title.
But Britain’s best known binman is already back on his daily rounds and will be putting his running shoes on in aid of some local charities this Sunday.
Rendall and the Derby Telegraph reporter Mark Ecklid will be running three miles, dressed as in support of the ward that looks after counselling mothers who have lost children during pregnancy.
Not only this but ‘2 Tone’ will be dressed in a Santa Claus suit for good measure.
Munroe is famous for his ring walks in which he dons his usual hi-vis work uniform and woolly hat. It is the money he earns from wearing the hat to the ring that is being split between the Derbyshire Hospital and LOROS, a hospice in Leicester that deals with terminally ill patients.
The three miles should be of no problem to Rendall who is renowned for his super-fit lifestyle in which he covers half marathon distances on a daily basis.
Fans are encouraged to show their support for the two who will be setting off from Markeaton Park in Derby at 11am.