Murray vs. Mitchell tickets on sale; Maloney wants to make Hall-McDonnell; Lynes wants revenge against Witter

Tickets are now on sale for the summer sizzler between John Murray and Kevin Mitchell at London’s ExCeL on Saturday 9th July. On a blockbuster show titled North ‘n South, Mancunian ace Murray finally faces hard Londoner Mitchell after years of building up their bitter rivalry for the Vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental Lightweight Championship.

Unbeaten Murray has cleaned up domestically winning the British and European titles and Mitchell is the only fighter left in his way.

Mitchell has his first fight since his world title challenge last year against Michael Katsidis, and he’s taken the hardest option for his comeback to prove that he is the real thing.

Both fighters are not only fighting for pride, but for the opportunity of challenging for a world title if they win.

It’s all set to be an explosive night of action with a quality packed undercard featuring the best in young British talent to be announced.

Tickets for North ‘n South are available now, priced at £40, £50, £75, £100, £150 and £200, from 0844 844 0444 or www.ticketmaster.co.uk or from www.frankwarren.tv

Maloney keen to make Hall-McDonnell

FRANK MALONEY believes European bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell is on a collision course with British king Stuey Hall later this year.

McDonnell (16-2-1) has more pressing things on his mind like Saturday’s Commonwealth title defence against Kenyan Nick Otieno (21-6) at Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield.

Maloney promotes both men and believes a triple title domestic showdown will capture public imagination.

He said: “Right now in Britain the best domestic fighters are facing each other and that trend needs to continue.

“We’ve had James DeGale-Georges Groves, in July Kevin Mitchell takes on John Murray and Jamie against Stuey can stand alongside them.

“Jamie didn’t seem so keen recently believing he has passed Stuey, but I am sure he and his manager Dennis Hobson can see that is the biggest payday until moves for a world title.

“There is no reason why it cannot happen in September or October at the very latest.”

McDonnell’s trainer Stefy Bull is confident of the outcomes against Hall, warning the Darlington man: “You can have it because there will only be one winner.”

Maloney expects Otieno to give the Doncaster man a tough test in the Sky televised show adding: “All of Nick’s defeats have been to men with world title aspirations and last time out he went the distance with a top class Thai fighter, Thangtong Kiattaweesuk.

“I don’t doubt for one second that Jamie will give a master class, but a stoppage win would be a special result.”

Tickets are selling fast for this show. The last few are available Priced £100 VIP, £65 Ringside, £30 General Seating. Call 0114 243 4443 to book yours

LYNES EYEING REVENGE AGAINST WITTER AT PRIZEFIGHTER

Colin Lynes is aiming to go one step further in his second appearance in Prizefighter – and hopes to take out Junior Witter on his way to glory on June 7 at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

Lynes and Witter are part of the line-up for the second outing of the Welterweights in Prizefighter and the 19th edition of the series, live on Sky Sports, and for Lynes, it’s a second crack at Prizefighter after losing out to Gavin Rees in the Light-Welterweights final in December 2009.

Fight fans hoping to catch the last Prizefighter of the series need to act fast though, as promoters Matchroom Sport have a limited number of tickets left priced £35 unreserved, £60 ringside and £100 VIP – to book call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.

Hornchurch’s Lynes will be aiming to go one better in his second crack at the tournament, and he hopes to take care of unfinished business with Witter in the process. The pair met at the east London venue in 2005 for the Yorkshireman’s British, Commonwealth and European titles and Witter held on to them with a unanimous points decision.

“I’d love to get it on with Junior Witter and avenge that loss,” Lynes told Steve Bunce’s BBC London Boxing Hour. “I pushed him all the way but I was a bit in awe of him and I didn’t step it up in the later rounds, like Timothy Bradley did when he beat him. But I’m a more experienced fighter now and although I really respect Junior I wouldn’t be holding back this time, I’d be straight on him.

“Going into the fight I believed I could win of course, but any close rounds you start giving them to the Champion, but I really needed to put my foot on the gas and take over some of those rounds.”

Lynes and Witter won’t have it all their own way on the night though, with a strong line-up gunning for the trophy and the £32,000 winner’s cheque. Boxing pundit Steve Bunce has run the rule over the eight contenders in the latest Prizefighter Podcast, which also includes interviews with Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch, Kell ‘Special K’ Brook and a look back at the International Heavyweights won by Mike Perez. The podcast can be downloaded for free on iTunes via the link on the official Prizefighter website homepage – www.prizefighter.co.uk

Former British champion Kevin McIntyre, unbeaten prospects John Wayne Hibbert (Essex) and Bobby Gladman (Cheshunt), popular north London-based Moroccan Yassine El Maachi, Bermondsey’s Irish European title challenger Peter McDonagh and Aylesbury’s Nathan Graham complete the line-up for June 7 – and Lynes has told them what to expect.

“Prizefighter is exciting and it’s reaching out to a new boxing audience,” said Lynes. “It’s make or break. For fighters who still think they’ve got it, Prizefighter is the first thing that shows you haven’t so you have to make sure you don’t fall into that category.

“Regardless of who you’ve got, I wouldn’t try to box anybody. In the final against Rees, I thought ‘he’s a short fella so if I box him, I’ll outclass him’ but in the final of Prizefighter – and indeed all the fights – you cannot afford to go behind in that opening round. Gavin would be the first to admit that he felt some of the punches as I finished really strong, but that first round I tried to box his head off, but in Prizefighter you have got to get straight to it and put them under pressure from the first bell.

“You need to go at it every round in every fight, but that’s my cup of tea and why I enjoy it so much. It’s making me do stuff I wouldn’t normally do, it’s a different style of training to the 12 rounders, it keeps you young, keeps you lively and excited and it’s great or the public.”

Tickets for Prizefighter Welterweights II at York Hall, Bethnal Green in east London are available from Matchroom Sport priced £35 unreserved, £60 ringside and £100 VIP – to buy call Matchroom Sport on 01277 359900.