The UK’s only fight dedicated TV channel BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456, Virgin 546) has lined up a strong schedule for early 2012 featuring FOUR world title fights all live and exclusive on the New Home of Boxing.
On Saturday 18th February, it’s the big one from Germany with Britain’s Dereck Chisora challenging World Boxing Council (WBC) World Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko for his title from the Olympiahalle Munich.
Chisora has the opportunity to pull off a massive upset and dethrone the three-time world champion who has already beat Brits Danny Williams and Herbie Hide in world title fights and gave Lennox Lewis a very close brush with defeat.
Then a week later, One of Britain’s two remaining world champion’s, Nathan Cleverly, makes a long awaited return to Wales to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Light-Heavyweight title for the first time in front of his own home fans on Saturday 25th February at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.
Unbeaten Cleverly was involved in one of the best fights of this year against rival Tony Bellew that he won with a pulsating twelve-round decision and will be looking to unify the 175lb titles in 2012.
Also in February, exciting Londoner Kevin Mitchell has his first fight since beating John Murray in a thrilling contest in July when he takes on unbeaten Irishman Stephen Ormond on Friday 10th at the York Hall.
March features Britain’s second world champion, the all-action Ricky Burns, on Saturday 10th from Glasgow when he makes the first defence of his WBO World Lightweight title.
He put himself amongst the greats of Scottish boxing with wins over Roman Martinez last year and his amazing victory over Michael Katsidis last month to become Scotand’s first two-weight world champion in nearly 20 years.
Unbeaten British and Commonwealth Super-Middleweight Champion George Groves, who had one of the most explosive wins of the year with his second round KO of former champion Paul Smith, makes his return in early March as he continues his march towards a world title.
In January, BoxNation opens with a cracking card from the home of London boxing, the legendary York Hall on Friday 13th, when new British Cruiserweight Champion Leon Williams makes the first defence of his title against Middle Area champion Shane Mcphilbin. Williams was due to face Tony Conquest, but with Conqueror suffering from a serious viral infection this week, he has had no choice but to pull out. However Conquest, The Southern Area Champion, has been replaced in a like for like swap with the Middle Area Champ, meaning that the York Hall card remains just as strong.
The following week on Friday 20th, Liverpool favourite Derry Matthews challenges unbeaten Italian Emiliano Marsili for the Vacant IBO World Lightweight Championship from the Liverpool Olympia.
With more big fights from here and abroad to be added, BoxNation is the ONLY place to watch the best boxing action LIVE.
THREE UNDEFEATED DBE PROSPECTS TO SEE ACTION TOMORROW NIGHT
New York, NY – (12/29/2011) – This Friday night, former undisputed world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor returns to the ring and the 160-pound division when he faces 24-year-old Jessie “Beast” Nicklow, of Baltimore, MD, in the main event of a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, live at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), from the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, CA. Seeing action on the undercard will be four of DiBella Entertainment’s (DBE) undefeated prospects: lightweight Jose Pedraza (5-0, 4KO’s), welterweight Alex Perez (14-0, 8KO’s), and junior welterweight Ivan Redkach (8-0, 7KO’s). The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Gary Shaw Productions.
Pedraza-who is part of a group of fighters known as Team Puerto Rico, promoted by DBE, Gary Shaw Productions and Universal Promotions-is one of the hottest prospects in all of boxing. Pedraza was recently recognized as one of Dan Rafael’s 2011 “Prospects to Watch”, on ESPN.com. Rafael noted that “Pedraza, a 2008 Olympian and 2009 silver medalist at the amateur world championships, is perhaps the most heralded Puerto Rican prospect since Miguel Cotto came out of the 2000 Olympics.” Pedraza, known as “The Sniper”, turned pro in February of this year, and has thus far torn through the competition, scoring three first round knockouts in the process. Pedraza will be looking to capture his first title as a professional when he takes on Herbert Quartey (7-6, 4KO’s) in an eight-round contest for the WBC junior lightweight youth title.
Perez, a New Jersey Golden Gloves champion, turned pro in 2004 after compiling an impressive 56-3 record as an amateur. Since turning pro, Perez has gained valuable experience sparring with such world champions as Sergio Martinez, Miguel Cotto and Felix Sturm. Perez will square off against Calvin Odom (15-11, 11KO’s) in an eight-round welterweight showdown.
The Ukraine-native Redkach, who now calls Los Angeles his home, is coming off an impressive third-round TKO over Vernon Alston in his last bout on the undercard of Andre Berto’s IBF welterweight championship match against Jan Zaveck, on September 3. Redkach will look to keep things rolling when he takes on Dillet Frederick (8-4-3, 5KO’s) in a six-round junior welterweight contest.
Mike Tyson — Hotel Room Hit by Intruder … While Tyson Was SLEEPING
Talk about having a death wish — TMZ has learned, some dumbass broke into Mike Tyson’s Vegas hotel room this weekend while the ex-boxing champ was sleeping … but lucky for the intruder, dude escaped before Tyson could break his face in.
Sources tell TMZ, Mike was staying at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Saturday night — where he and his fam crashed after attending Stevie Wonder’s New Year’s Eve concert.
We’re told Tyson was sleeping like a baby … when all of a sudden, he awoke to rustling sounds and saw a flashlight. But by the time Iron Mike realized what was happening, the intruder had already run out of the room.
According to sources, security at the hotel was called and they are currently investigating the situation. Nothing was reported stolen from the room.
A rep for the hotel tells TMZ, “We have received a report of an incident that is currently under investigation. As always, guest safety is of the utmost importance.”