London (5, Sept 2011) Tyson Fury says he will battle with North American champion Nicolai Firtha at Belfast’s King’s Hall on September 17 because he wants to give the Irish fans a night to remember.
The 12 round international contest will be shown live on Channel 5.
British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Fury could have fought lesser men but instead he faces the 32-year-old from Ohio who two fights ago went the distance with the new WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin who recently won his title with a points win over Ruslan Chagaev.
Firtha won the NABA title in 2010 after stopping Tony Grano in two rounds and since then he has been in the form of his life, his most recent victory coming on 13th August in Ohio and he has warned Fury’s promoter Mick Hennessy that he is ready to halt the Fury bandwagon.
Unbeaten Fury says he is taking “a bit of gamble” against 6ft 6′ Firtha but is ready to handle what he expects to be the biggest challenge of his career. Fury says, “There was a lot of talk about me fighting Martin Rogan and a few other names like Mike Perez and Leif Larsen were mentioned but I’ve accepted to fight Firtha who’s a lot younger than Rogan and has mixed in a lot higher company than any of those other guys.
“With two weeks to go I know this is a risk, a gamble but I’m a true fighting man and a man of honour and I’m prepared to fight any man on the planet and I want the Irish fight fans to come out and see a real fight not some knock over job.
“Anybody who knows anything about boxing can see that this is a risky fight because Firtha has gone the distance with the man who now holds the WBA belt which David Haye once held. It’s going to be a big test for me so soon after me beating Dereck Chisora but I know it’s a challenge that I can rise to.”
Promoter Mick Hennessy expects Firtha to bring out the best in Fury and says a win will help Fury’s stock rise even further on the world scene.
Hennessy commented: “Firtha is always in great shape, he’s coming off the back of a good win and a very good performance against Povetkin the WBA champion so it’s going to be real test for Tyson but I believe in Tyson and that’s why I’m prepared to put him in with such an opponent.
“Although the fight has been agreed with just over two weeks to go, the Firtha camp have known about the possibility of this fight for some time. We had been looking at the Rogan fight but when that fell through then we looked to make the Firtha fight. Tyson’s profile in America is on the rise and a win against Firtha will only help that.
“It’s going to be a great night’s boxing at the King’s Hall with former WBC Champion Junior Witter fighting current Irish welterweight champion Stephen Haughian and Ryan Greene and Willie Thompson who will be fighting it out for the vacant Northern Ireland Light Middleweight title”.
Also Joining these fighters at the King’s Hall will be a host of talented boxers including Kid Galahad, Phill Fury, Tommy Tolan, Phil Townley and former British title challenger Kevin O’Hara who is looking to get his career back on track.
Tickets priced from £28.00 are available to purchase from the Ticketmaster box office on 0844 277 4455 (24 hour). Tickets are also available in person from Ticketmaster outlets, and online from www.ticketmaster.ie.
The Fight Card
4 x 3 Min Rounds
PRO DEBUT – Dee Walsh** vs. Gerard Healy
6 x 3 Min Rounds
Phill Fury (Lancaster) vs. TBA
6 x 3 Min Rounds
Kevin O’Hara (Belfast) vs. TBA
6 x 3 Min Rounds
Kid Galahad (Sheffield) vs. TBA
6 x 3 Min Rounds
Tommy Tolan (Belfast) vs. Joe Hillerby (Belfast)
8 x 3 Min Rounds
Willie Casey (Limerick) vs. Daniel Kodjo Sassou (Poilters, France)
10 x 3 Min Rounds – Northern Ireland Light Middleweight Title
Ryan Greene (Lurgan) vs. Willie Thompson (Ballyclare)
10 x 3 Min Rounds
Junior Witter (Sheffield) vs. Stephen Haughian (Lurgan)
12 x 3 Min Rounds
Tyson Fury (Galway / Nutts Corner) vs. Nicolai Firtha** (Akron, Ohio, USA)
**Subject to board approval.
Tickets on sale now for
“The Only Show in Town”
King’s Hall, Belfast, Sat 17th September
London (23rd August) Tickets for the upcoming “The Only Show in Town” Boxing Bonanza which is taking place at the famous King’s Hall, Belfast on Saturday 17th September are now on Sale.
Tickets priced from £28.00 are available to purchase from the Ticketmaster box office on 0844 277 4455 (24 hour). Tickets are also available in person from Ticketmaster outlets, and online from www.ticketmaster.ie.
Prices:
£28.00 Unreserved floor seating
£28.00 Unreserved Balcony Seating
£50.00 Silver Ringside Seating
£100.00 Gold Ringside Seating
Cleverly vs. Bellew tickets on sale
Tickets are now on sale for Nathan Cleverly’s blockbuster showdown against Tony Bellew on Saturday 15th October at the Liverpool Echo Arena.
Cleverly defends his WBO World Light-Heavyweight for the second time against the Liverpool “Bomber” in what is sure to be one of the most explosive fights of the year.
Not only are both fighters putting their unbeaten records on the line, but there is also plenty of pride at stake.
A top quality undercard featuring the best in young talent will be announced shortly.
Tickets are priced at £40, £50, £100, £150 and £250 and are available from:
Liverpool Echo Arena
Box Office: 0844 8000 400
www.echoarena.com
Frank Warren Promotions
www.frankwarren.tv
WALSH AND APPLEBY TARGET BURNS
Liam Walsh or Paul Appleby could be on a collision course with WBO World Super-Featherweight champion Ricky Burns.
But first they will fight each other on Friday 30th September at Bethnal Green’s York Hall.
The pair meet in a clash for Walsh’s Commonwealth super-featherweight crown on an action-packed Friday night fight.
The show is promoted by Frank Warren’s sons Francis and George, and features some exciting youngsters eager to make a name for themselves, while Walsh and Appleby top the bill in a classic Battle of Britain.
And there’s plenty of mutual respect as they attempt to close the gap on Scottish stylist Burns, the country’s top man at 130 pounds.
“Liam’s a good fighter, and he’ll give me a tough contest,” said former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion Appleby.
“But I’m confident that I’ll win. I’ve been in great shape since I teamed up with trainer Billy Nelson.
“I feel like I have improved 100% in the last few months.
“People are going to see a far better fighter on September 30, and I’m really looking forward to coming down to London and sampling the York Hall atmosphere.
“As for Burns, he’s on the agenda, but it’s a long term goal.
“A fight between us has been spoken about for a while, I’d love to fight for a world title. But all I’m concentrating on is Liam Walsh at the moment.”
Undefeated Walsh, one of the three fighting brothers from Cromer in Norfolk, spoke in similar vein.
“All this talk of Burns means nothing if I get beaten against Appleby,” said the 25-year-old southpaw.
“The only fight that I am thinking about at the moment is the one against Paul in a couple of week’s time.
“I’ve seen some of his fights before, and even when he has lost, he has been a real threat, really dangerous.
“He’s coming down to London determined to take my belt off me, and I have to give him 100% respect.
“I’ll have the home support, so Paul’s already shown plenty of guts agreeing to get on the plane, so fair play to him.
“I’m expecting the toughest fight of my career, and I’ll have to be at my very best to keep hold of my title.”
Tickets, priced at £40 and £60, are available on 01992 550 888.