Kell Brook will face African opposition on December 11 in a defence of his WBO Intercontinental welterweight title.
The Sheffield sensation had been due to defend against former World title challenger Michael Clark, but Clark has had to withdraw from the contest after he encountered passport issues with US authorities due to unpaid child maintenance charges..
Instead Brook will meet Ghana’s Philip Kotey at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Frank Warren’s big 30th anniversary show, live on Sky Box Office.
The 28-year-old southpaw has 15 knockouts in 21 wins, with five losses and two draws in his eight year career.
And Brook knows that he will have to be at his best if he is to keep alive his hope of a world title shot in 2011.
“I want to send a message to Mike Jones, because he looks like the one I’ll be fighting for the title,” said Brook.
“Nothing less than a sensational knockout will satisfy me.
“I wanted to put Michael Jennings away, and I didn’t get that chance because the fight was stopped on a cut.
“But this time around there will be no escape for Kotey.
“He’s in for a painful night in Liverpool.”
Unbeaten Brook, a former British champion, has compiled a classy unbeaten record since turning professional.
And he is on the verge of a transatlantic match up with US prospect Jones, who is promoted by Bob Arum.
“I’ve been waiting for a title shot for a long time,” he said. “I’m so
close I can touch.
“I cannot afford to slip up now against Kotey.”
Tickets for the Return of the Magnificent Seven, priced at £40, £50, £100, £150 and £250, are available from:
The Liverpool Echo Arena
0844 800 0400
www.echoarena.com
BURNS PROMISES TO TURN THE HEAT UP ON EVENSEN
Ricky Burns says he’ll warm the hearts of fight fans this week after the Big Chill hit Scotland.
The 27-year-old makes the first defence of his WBO World Super-Featherweight title against
Andreas Evensen at the Braehead Arena, Glasgow on Saturday night.
The challenger is guaranteed a frosty reception after temperatures in the north of the UK plummeted to -15 this weekend.
Burns has been running in the snow in his native Coatbridge, and is refusing to let the weather disrupt his preparations.
It kept him away from a media event on Monday at a whisky distillery, but won’t prevent him defending his title.
“We’re used to a bit of cold up here, but I’m going to turn the heat up on Evensen on Saturday.
“He’s going to find himself in a blizzard of punches – and there is no way he’ll be able to dig himself out.
“My trainer Billy Nelson asked me if I wanted the heaters on at the gym the other day.
“But I told him I’ll quite happily work up a head of steam all by myself.
“I’ve been running in the snow, real Rocky stuff, but as the old saying goes, no pain, no gain.
“The mercury might be falling outside, but at the Braehead arena on Saturday the battle will be white hot, and believe me, Evensen’s in big trouble.”
Tickets for Monarch of the Glen, priced at £50, £75 and £100, are available from:
Braehead Arena
0844 499 1700
www.braehead-arena.co.uk
Ticket Master
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
See Tickets
0871 620 7054
www.seetickets.com
Golden Girl Set To Transform LondonÆs æIt GirlsÆ Into The æThe Hit GirlsÆ
The elegant stuccoed Nash houses, of Park Crescent and the other prestigious neighbourhoods, that edge LondonÆs Regents Park are home to many from the æIt GirlÆ and æLadies that LunchÆ cliques. Not exactly where you would expect the sport of boxing to hold much appeal.
However should female boxer Marianne æGolden GirlÆ Marston, who has recently introduced her industry leading WomenÆs Boxing Classes at the all new boutique style RingTone Health & Fitness Gym in Drummond Street, have her way the society belles of the exclusive NW1 environs will soon become the æHit GirlsÆ and æLadies that PunchÆ and their topic of conversation, over drinks at Quaglino’s, will be on the merits of Grant or Reyes Boxing gloves rather than the latest bag from Gucci or Prada.
ôRingTone is more like a private fitness club, but boxing based.ö explained Marianne, ôItÆs stylish, nothing like a conventional boxing gym, and has a lively fun atmosphere.
Hopefully this new breed of gym Ben (Day) and Scott (Borthwick) have created will attract those that wouldnÆt have dreamed of going to a boxing gym before.ö
Marianne, whose background – private all girl school educated and holding a B.Sc. (Hons) in Microbiology – is far from the pugilistic norm, first created the classes after returning from America in 2009, where she had been training under the guidance of Heavyweight Champion of the World SmokinÆ Joe Frazier and Cruiserweight World Champion Steve æUSSÆ Cunningham, having noticed that the only type of boxing fitness programmes being offered to women were of the less effective aerobic æBoxerciseÆ sessions so she decided it was time to create a proper series of true Boxing and Boxing based Fitness classes specifically for Women.
ôItÆs crazyö Marianne exclaimed, ôback in 2008, while I was in full time training in America with Joe Frazier, I returned to the UK for a month and tried to find a gym to train at. I was told by many that they donÆt train girls and others, such as All Stars, that they only offer æBoxerciseÆ classes to women.
When I returned home last year things werenÆt much better, but I did find a gym I could train at. While I was there I got approached by various women that wanted to do boxing for fitness, so decided to start offering WomenÆs Boxing Classes.ö
The classes Marianne created are far removed from the aerobic ‘Boxercise’ classes offered by most fitness centres and personal trainers. Her classes are the real deal and include many of the conditioning exercises and boxing drills taught to her by her famous mentors in America for her own fight preparations.
ôBoxing provides the most effective form of exercise around.ö said Marianne, ôThe workout is close to 60% Anaerobic, it increases your metabolism long after youÆve finished exercising.
It æs probably the most effective workout for anyone looking to lose weight and tone up, plus you learn to box. Boxing is also a great way to relieve the stresses of the day.ö
In addition to the Wednesday evening class at RingTone Health & Fitness Gym, Marianne leads her unique series of WomenÆs Boxing Classes at the Ultrachem TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, East London, the Boxing Clinic at The Angel, Islington in North London and the Tokei Gym at London Bridge on the South Bank of the Thames.
For further information on MarianneÆs WomenÆs Boxing and Boxing Fitness Classes see www.womensboxingclasses.com