Hot prospect for 2010 Kell Brook will face tough Eastern European opposition on February 13 in an eliminator for the WBO World Welterweight title currently held by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. The 23-year-old British champion, and 2009’s British Boxing Writers’ Young Boxer of the Year, takes on Poland’s Krzysztof Bienias at Wembley Arena on Frank Warren’s huge Night of the Champions extravaganza. Bienias is the current WBO Intercontinental champion, a belt that will be on the line in North London. And the 29-year-old, who has a 39-3 (16) record and has previously challenged for the European light-welterweight title, is currently ranked number four by the WBO..
Brook, who is undefeated in 20 fights and who has just raced to a Lonsdale belt outright inside 12 months, is rated seven by the organisation.
“Bienias has a great record and he’s going to be a very dangerous opponent,” said the Sheffield sensation.
“He’s the kind of guy that I need to beat if I’m going to get to world level.
“He’s above me in the ratings and if I beat him then I’m going to be progressing nicely and I’ll be one step closer to that world title opportunity.
“Bienias hasn’t been beaten for five years and he’ll be coming to London to win.
“But it’s a fantastic opportunity for me to make a big statement and I’ll be looking to keep up my run of KO victories.
“I’ve been saying for the last year that I want to be tested and I’m ready for world level and this fight is the perfect chance to do just that.
“Winning the Lonsdale belt outright is a dream come true but it’s just the start. 2010 is going to be my year and I’ll be the name on everybody’s lips.
“I want to be a world champion by the end of the year.”
Main event features the explosive heavyweight showdown between British heavyweight champion Danny Williams and Commonwealth champion Sam Sexton; Kevin Mitchell’s WBO Intercontinental Lightweight title defence; Derek Chisora versus Matt Skelton for the Vacant English Heavyweight Championship; The Olympians James DeGale, Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders; plus Vinny Mitchell and Liam, Michael and Ryan Walsh.
Tickets priced at £40, £50, £75, £100 and £150, are available from:
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0871 220 0260
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MUNROE MAY GIVE UP EUROPEAN TITLE
RENDALL MUNROE will meet Frank Maloney this weekend to discuss his ring future.
The Commonwealth and European super-bantamweight title holder will be meet Maloney at the FA Cup tie between Millwall and the team he loves to hate Derby County.
Early in 2010 Leicester City fan Munroe will face Victor Terrazas in a final eliminator for the WBC world title held by Japanese ace Toshiaki Nishioka.
Maloney explained: “There is a lot to talk about when I meet Rendall, but giving up his titles is a possibility because there will be obligations expected.
“The Commonwealth council have been patient and Rendall has been a fantastic EBU champion and faced every mandatory contender.
“Because the Terrazas fight appears imminent he will not be able to defend either title in the first few months of 2010 and it would be unfair to hold up other boxers like Jason Booth.”
Maloney has revealed that he has already received a “derisory offer” for Munroe to face Terrazas in Mexico.
He added: “Because of the holiday period I haven’t spoke to anybody directly from Terrazas’s promotional team, but I will next week and make a tempting offer
“We had one offer top go over there which shows they want to the fight on, but I am just as desperate to get home advantage.
“It could well go to purses bids in mid-January and I would be hopeful of winning, but we cannot leave anything to chance if the Mexicans win it.
“They could suddenly put a date on us, but if they did we would already have a training camp in the US or Mexico sorted and be ready to go.”
LARRY TO EXPLODE ON BELSHAW!
LARRY OLUBAMIWO will be pushed towards a British heavyweight title because his promoter fears time might catch up. ‘The War Machine’, 31, takes a step up in class when he meets Irish puncher Scott Belshaw at Brentwood Centre on Friday 22nd January. Olubamiwo (6-1) knows an impressive performance against Belshaw (10-3) will put him in the title picture.
The Londoner’s promoter Frank Maloney said: “I am going to start moving Larry up in class this year. “If he keeps making progress he should be in a position to fight for the British title by the end of 2010.
“People might say I am rushing Larry, but he doesn’t have as much time on his side as younger fighters in my stable like Tom Dallas and David Price.”
Five of Larry’s six victims have failed to last two rounds and Maloney added: “Belshaw has critics but can hit.
“I promoted him early on and had real hopes, but our relationship never really worked out.
“It is a big chance for him to prove me wrong for giving him his contract back.
“He has lost a couple recently but that was against Tyson Fury and Audley Harrison. If Larry does as good a job then he deserves to be up there.”
Top of the bill is Ian Napa’s (19-7) British bantamweight title defence against Jamie McDonnell (12-2-1)
On the same bill Cheshunt’s cocky Ashley Sexton (8-0) faces fellow extrovert Usman Ahmed (6-2-1) in a clash for the vacant English flyweight championship.
On the comeback trail is former British super-featherweight champion Carl Johanneson (27-4) who boxes for the first time since his defeat to Kevin Mitchell in March 2008.
Tickets for this top class show, priced £80 and £35 are available on line www.frankmaloney.com or 0871 226 1508