NEW YORK (Sept. 14, 2011) – SHOWTIME® will televise yet another important super middleweight world championship bout when former world titlist Mikkel Kessler of Denmark returns to the ring to challenge World Boxing Organization (WBO) kingpin Robert Stieglitz of Germany on Saturday, Nov. 5, from renowned PARKEN Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. The WBO championship fight will be shown on same-day delay and precede the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight title fight between unbeaten defending champion Lucian Bute and Glen Johnson live on SHOWTIME from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).
The Nov. 5 doubleheader will take place just seven days after world champions Andre Ward (World Boxing Association) and Carl Froch (World Boxing Council) collide in The Final of the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Saturday, Oct. 29 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
The addition of Stieglitz vs. Kessler to the Nov. 5 telecast completes a lineup that puts all four super middleweight world titles up for grabs, along with The RING magazine belt and the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup, in back-to-back Saturdays on SHOWTIME.
Stieglitz (40-2, 23 KOs) is at the peak of his game. The 5-foot-11, Russian-born boxer-puncher has won nine consecutive fights and 11 of his last 12. He’ll be making the fifth defense of the WBO belt he won in Hungary on an upset, come-from-behind 11th-round TKO over Karoly Balzsay in August 2009.
“I have a lot of respect for Kessler but he will not take my crown away from me,” said Stieglitz. “It may be that he is a national hero in Denmark, such as Karoly Balzsay was in Hungary, but I travelled there, defeated him and became world champion. The home advantage did not help Balzsay at all and it will not help Mikkel Kessler either. I will defend my title.”
In his most recent outing and lone start this year on April 9, the 30-year-old Stieglitz retained his crown when challenger Khoren Gevor was disqualified at 2:45 of the 10th-round for an intentional headbutt in Germany. In April of 2010, Stieglitz’ unanimous decision over Eduard Gutknecht was dubbed Fight of the Year in Germany.
A true sportsman in and out of the ring who idolizes the Klitschko brothers, Stieglitz is a confident and technically sound boxer with good conditioning and strength. He’s improved most areas of his game in recent years and competes with the poise of a world champion.
As Stieglitz hasn’t fought the caliber of opponents as his challenger, he views the fight against Kessler as a chance to boost his profile in the talent-laden 168-pound division.
Kessler (44-2, 33 KOs) is a former WBA titleholder and WBC titleholder. The 32-year-old is coming off a thoroughly dominant sixth-round TKO over outclassed Mehdi Bouadla last June 4 for the vacant WBO European crown on SHOWTIME. Making his first start in 14 months, Kessler scored four knockdowns – one in the third and fourth and two in the sixth – before the one-sided proceedings were halted at 2:25.
The victory was especially satisfying to the popular, 6-foot-1 Kessler because he escaped virtually unmarked in his first bout since a potentially career-ending eye injury had forced him to withdraw from the Super Six and vacate his WBC title. Prior to leaving the tournament, Kessler was riding high after capturing the WBC crown with an exciting 12-round, unanimous decision slugfest over the then-undefeated Froch on April 24, 2010.
“I look forward to be fighting on SHOWTIME again,” said Kessler. “I want to show the fans in the U.S. that I am the world´s best super-middleweight. After my successful comeback in June, the next step is to become world champion for a fourth time. The fight against Robert Stieglitz will be exciting. He is technically very strong and he deserves to be holding that belt, but I think that I am better and that I will take the title away from him. It will be a great night of boxing with my passionate Danish fans raising the roof at world-famous PARKEN Stadium.”
Kessler, who’s ranked No. 1 in the WBO, attained the WBA belt in June 2008 and made two successful defenses before losing to Ward on an 11th-round technical decision in Group Stage 1 of the Super Six on Nov. 21, 2009, on SHOWTIME. The Dane’s only other defeat came on a 12-round decision to future Hall-of-Famer Joe Calzaghe on Nov. 3, 2007.
The world title fight in Denmark is promoted by Sauerland Event and SES Boxing; the world title fight in Canada by Interbox, DiBella Entertainment and Warriors Boxing.
For information on SHOWTIME Sports programming, exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please visit http://www.sho.com/sports.
Rocky Fielding vs. Paul Morby on Saturday
Rocky Fielding is looking to put on a showpiece performance when he steps into the ring at the Liverpool Olympia this Saturday against Portsmouth’s Paul Morby.
Fielding’s birth name is Michael and the obvious link with him being called Rocky, like the iconic Sylvester Stallone character in the hit film, isn’t actually the case.
“It’s nothing to do with the films actually,” he explains. “When I was born I was 10lbs, so I was like a little rock,
“My dad called me The Rock and as the years have gone on I’ve played football before I started boxing and all my mates would call me Rocky ever since. It’s a good name to have as a boxer, but my style is a bit different to ‘The Rocky’.”
Fielding has fond memories of the Olympia, it was the venue where he beat three men in the one night Prizefighter tournament to win the trophy.
It was also the venue of his second professional fight, where he beat Lee Duncan in November last year and the Liverpool boxer has promised another victory there.
“The Olympia is a bit of a good luck omen for me,” Fielding said. “As well as winning Prizefighter I had my second pro fight there as well,
“I’m proud to fight at that venue, it’s only five minutes from where I live, so I always get great great support and the whole city gets behind me,
“Hopefully there will be a bit of deja vu to what happened at the Prizefighter, but instead of three knockouts there will only be one.”
‘Rocky from Stocky’ has only had a few weeks’ notice for Morby, but feels his participation with Prizefighter has helped him prepare for this fight at short notice.
“Taking part in Prizefighter has been a good help with this fight,” the 24-year-old continued. “You have three fights in one night and you are fighting different opponents with different styles,
“I’m ready to fight anyone, a southpaw or orthodox but I’m ready to fight,
“I originally hadn’t been training for a southpaw, however in the last two weeks, we have brought in a number of southpaw boxers, after it was announced I will be fighting Paul. Everything has been spot on with sparring.”
Fielding is well aware of what his opponent on Saturday is capable of and has watched Morby in action.
“I watched him box (Beijing Olympian) Tony Jeffries about two weeks ago,” he said. “I’ve got it recorded on Sky, so after training I sit down for a couple of hours and just go over things from that fight.
“He’s a good southpaw, he knows the game, against Jeffries, Paul made him look ordinary, but I’m not going to let him make me look ordinary.
“I’m going to put a show on in my hometown and show him the difference, but he is a tough lad, and his last three fights have been 10 rounds so he knows what he’s doing but he hasn’t been in there with anyone like me yet.”
Fielding features on the undercard of Stephen Smith’s British and Commonwealth Featherweight title defence against Lee Selby, live on Sky Sports 1HD.
EDDY HUSSEIN SET TO FOLLOW CHAMPION FATHER INTO THE RING
New Frank Warren signing Ediz (Eddy) Hussein is itching to follow in the footsteps of his farther when he makes his professional debut at London’s world famous York Hall on Friday 30th September.
Hussein features on the undercard of the exciting Commonwealth Super-Featherweight clash between champion Liam Walsh and challenger Paul Appleby.
The show is the first to be promoted by Frank Warren’s sons Francis and George for Queensberry Promotions.
Eddy’s father, Mo, a former Commonwealth Lightweight Champion, was also promoted by Warren in the 1980s and fought fifteen times at the home of London boxing.
The West Ham fighter doesn’t want to look to far ahead, but would love to emulate his father’s achievements in the ring.
“I would love to achieve what my dad has achieved,” he continued. “If I’m even half the fighter he was I’ll be happy.
“My dad has been a great help and has passed on lots of his knowledge, it’s great to have him in my corner.”
Many great boxers have come from the East End, and with the area rich in boxing history, Hussein is looking forward to joining current WBO Inter-Continental lightweight champion Kevin Mitchell and unbeaten prospect Billy Morgan.
“Kevin Mitchell only lives around the corner from me, because I’m from Dagenham,” Hussein continued. “Every now and again I go running with Kevin, it’s a massive advantage being able to talk to Kevin and get advice from him ahead of my debut.”
The York Hall is an iconic boxing venue in the heart of the East End and Hussein is looking forward making his boxing bow there.
“I have boxed at the York Hall before as an amateur so I know it,” he said. “I’m hoping there is going to be a great turnout, and it is always a great atmosphere at the York Hall.
“It’s a venue my dad boxed at a number of times, I’m just looking forward to it. I’m raring to go and can’t wait to perform in front of the local people.”
“Training has been going really well, and we’ve been doing a lot of sparring. I have a rough idea of who I will be up against,” he added. “I’m prepared for any sort of fighter, I’ve been sparring with all types of people with different styles and I’m ready for anyone really.”
Remaining tickets priced at £40 and £60 are available from Box Office 01992 550 888.