Ricky Burns and Kevin Mitchell have promised a Battle of Britain when they clash at the SECC in Glasgow on Saturday 22nd September.
Scottish star Burns, a two-time and two-weight world champion, meets English ace Mitchell in one of the most highly anticipated fights in recent years, to be televised live and exclusive on BoxNation.
The pair met head-to-head today at RAF Hendon to announce their showdown and squared-off in front of the iconic WWII Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes and will meet again tomorrow in Glasgow.
Both fighters showed a deep respect and friendship for each other, but insisted it will be put aside when they collide in the ring.
Burns, who’s making the second defence of his WBO World Lightweight title against Mitchell, said simply, “The countdown is on,”
“The fight trade has been talking about us two meeting for a while now and it’s happening at the perfect time,”
“Mitchell is a great fighter and I’ve got to know him well outside of the ring, but it’s a shame in this business that that will have to be put aside while we’re fighting it out and there can only be one winner,”
“For me it’s about testing myself against the best and proving how good I am. Mitchell’s the next best in Britain and I’m sure he’s going to give me the hardest fight of my career and that’s what I’m preparing for – a real battle,”
For Mitchell it will be his second shot at a world title with his sole loss coming against Michael Katsidis – who Burns defeated last year – in 2010, but he’s rebounded with a fantastic win over John Murray last July.
“Ricky’s a great person, a lovely guy and I consider him a mate of mine,” said Mitchell, known as the Dagenham Destroyer.
“Business is business though and if I lose then I’m back to the bottom of the pack and I’m not going there so it’s must win fight for me, losing to Ricky is not a option,”
“We’re full of respect for each other, we’re both at the top of our game and it’s a fight between the two best in Britain and two of the best in the world, it’s going to be a great fight for the fans and media,”
“Once we’re in that ring and the bell goes, though, it’s going to be brutal, Ricky knows what he’s got in front of him and I’m going to be hitting him harder and faster than he’s ever been hit before,”
“I’m in this business to win world titles, I lost the first attempt against Michael Katsidis and I won’t be needing a third, this is it for me.”
Tickets are available NOW, priced at £50, £75, £100, £150 and £200, from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or online at eventim.co.uk and Ticket Soup on 0844 295 4000 and ticketSOUP.com
Jose Pedraza to co-feature Night of Champions card in Carolina, Puerto Rico
July 2, 2012 – The 23-year-old top super featherweight prospect, José “Sniper” Pedraza (9-0, 6KO), has been added to the August 31, 2012, “Night of Champions” boxing event taking place at the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum in Carolina, Puerto Rico. His opponent will be announced on a later date. The 10-round main event will feature Thomas Dulorme (15-0, 12 KOS), who will face Colombian fighter Ivan Hernandez (29-3, 23 KOS).
On June 15, 2012, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Pedraza was featured as the main-event and defeated fellow countryman, Carlos “Special Edition” Claudio (14-7, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision.
“I’m happy that I’m the co-feature on this boxing card and I’m excited to fight for the people of Carolina and all of Puerto Rico,” said Pedraza, who’s promoted by Universal Promotions, Gary Shaw Productions and DiBella Entertainment. “I’m a versatile boxer who gives his all in the ring and I always put on a good show for the people regardless of the opponent. After defeating Carlos Claudio, I rested for a week and then started my conditioning. Right now, I just started my gym training.”
During his spectacular amateur career, Pedraza built up an impressive record of 160 wins and 16 losses. He won a silver medal in the World Championships in Italy, and captured gold medals in the Central American Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, PR, the Copa Romana in Dominican Republic, and in the qualification tournament in Guatemala for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China, among others.
Pedraza and Dulorme are members of “Team Puerto Rico Boxing”, which is a collaboration between Gary Shaw Productions, DiBella Entertainment and Universal Promotions, made with the goal of gathering the best of Puerto Rico’s boxing talent.
Darryll Williams vs. Tony Shields on Thursday
Young super-middleweight talent Darryll Williams takes another step on the ladder when he takes on Hull’s Tony Shields over four rounds on Thursday night’s exciting BoxAcademy show live on BoxNation from the York Hall, Bethnal Green.
The Rios and Diaz fights, which will be contested against opponents to be named, will headline TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate.”
Name: Darryll Williams
Weight: Super-middleweight
Born: Kings College Hospital, south-east London
Age: 22
Family background: I’ve just one older brother but he weren’t into boxing; more a businessman. I live in Forest Hill with my mum. No kids yet.
Trade: At the weekend I do a bit of part-time door work and stewarding.
Nickname: ‘Ferocious’! My trainer David gave it to me. He says it’s the kind of person I am.
What age did you become interested in boxing and why? I was always interested in fighting, always a street fighter. I loved a good old ‘one on one’ and I had a knack for it; a real ‘handy’ man! So I was already half way there when I first entered the Total Body Fitness gym in Forest Hill when I was 18. The fighter within was already there, I just needed to learn a bit of boxing technique.
What do you recall of your amateur career? I boxed out of the Double Jab gym in Forest Hill. It was a small club that wasn’t really established. I was coached by David John who still trains me as a pro today and we had this weird matchmaker who we called Hannibal Lecture. For my second bout I was matched with a boy having his eighth. For my seventh fight I was put in with a kid who’d already had 27!
I only had nine amateur bouts, four wins, five losses. Twice I lost at the London final stage of the national novice championships. However, in my mind, only one of those five defeats was ‘fair and square’. One time I was disqualified, others I had points deducted. It was very disheartening.
Basically, I came with something different to the ‘tap-tap’ that the amateur establishment seemed to favour. I had a bit of a rough style which didn’t really fit with the amateurs. Looking back, I had a real street fighting mentality, wasn’t really in the ‘sportsmanship’ mode. I loved the eye bogging, all the intimidation stuff. That’s what made it a fight. I’ve calmed down since.
Right from the start, I had a lot of head movement – liked to roll and dip – plus I turned my wrists over and loved the body shots. I liked to get up close. I was always around a pro environment, did a lot of sparring up The Peacock (pro gym in Canning town).
A guy I knew who used to arrange camps abroad showed one of my fight DVDs to (ex Mike Tyson trainer) Kevin Rooney and he was so intrigued with my style that he invited me over to the Catskills with the intention of competing in the New York Golden Gloves but because of (lack of) funds we couldn’t get over there in time.
In hindsight, I probably should’ve tried my luck at one of the more established clubs in south London but loyalty to my coach clouded my judgement. I knew David really believed in me. I certainly wish I’d had the experience of a lot more amateur bouts. I’d be a better fighter today if I had. Still, the amateurs was a good learning curve. Having regrets just provides excuses for failure.
Why did you decide to turn pro when you did? I knew my style was better suited and I’d learn more. I was always in your face, pressurising, working the body. Sparring the likes of Billy Joe Saunders, Steve O’Meara, and James DeGale, I was already more accustomed to the pace of the pros. The pros and amateurs are two very different ways of boxing.
Tell us about your back up team: I’m managed by Dean Powell, promoted by Queensberry Promotions and still coached by David John. I believe David had 28 amateur contests and fought in the Junior ABAs. We work very well together, listen to each other, bounce ideas. He’s very calm, seldom shouts, whereas I’m the opposite. Raw!
David’s very technical, puts a lot of emphasis on my body and feet position after I’ve thrown punches. Am I in a position where I can be hit?
Two guys also help me with my strength and conditioning. Warren, who has a place in Dulwich, is very scientific. He’s worked with David Haye and Jade Johnson, the long jumper. We do a lot of plymetric and stability work. Then there’s Daniel Hewitt, a bit of a freelancer, who does a lot more raw stuff with ‘pullies’, sledgehammers, shot putts. Together, Warren and Daniel take care of both the grit and the science. It’s good.
What’s your training schedule? Which parts do you most and least enjoy? I usually train six days a week at Miguel’s gym in Brixton. I start my day at about 5a.m with some interval sprints then I’ll do my own plymetrics, stair hopping and stuff. Straight after, I’ll go for my long distance run, between three to five miles.
Because David works during the day, I don’t go to the gym until about 5p.m. I’ll pass the time in between by reading, or studying fighters. I watch a lot of DVDs of guys like Zale, Graziano, Henry Armstrong, Marciano…I love the windmill types!
At Miguels, I’ll do a few rounds shadow, then some pad work with me standing on this big bouncy tyre. I find it really helps my balance. I’ll do 6-8 rounds on the pads, 6-8 on the bags, sometimes holding light dumbbells to help build up explosiveness in the arms. Then I’ll have a skip, do some stretches plus my dips, press-ups and neck rolls with weights. It usually takes well over two hours.
I get around for sparring; go the TKO or Jimmy Mac’s place over in Loughton. That’s my favourite part of training. The worst bit is those early morning runs, especially in winter when the freezing cold burns your hands. You just have to bite on your gumshield and keep going.
Describe your style? What are your best qualities? I’m very, very high energy and quite explosive. I had a couple of very big knockouts in the amateurs. I’ve got quick feet to get around the outside of opponents guards so I can strike them on the ear or side of the jaw. I use a lot of feints.
What specifically do you need to work on to fully optimise your potential as a fighter? Continue to develop my boxing brain, improve as a tactician. You can never be too smart. You need to be really fit mentally so that you can stay calm. I need to keep studying fights so that I can become a professor!
What have you found to be the biggest difference between the pro and amateur codes? The pace. Plus you’re allowed to work inside. During my pro debut, I was constantly waiting for the ref to shout ‘Break,’ but it never happened. That caught me off guard a bit.
Who is the best opponent that you’ve shared a ring with? I’d say it’s a Nigerian guy I sparred who they call ‘Lightening Quick Larry’. He’s a light-middle who trains with Spencer Fearon. He had over 100 amateur bouts and had excellent speed and technique. I think he’ll go places, definitely.
All time favourite fighter: Tyson. I loved his velocity. He was exceptional in the way that he came at you but seldom got hit.
All time favourite fight: So many. I’d say Tyson’s demolition of Tyrell Biggs. That was the Texas Chainsaw Massacre! He was so focussed on breaking Biggs down and letting him know: ‘Remember Me!’ He ruined him.
Which current match would you most like to see made? Probably a rematch between Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly. I thought the first one was quite close and very exciting.
What is your routine on fight day? I try to have a lay on until about 10 or 11 but the excitement usually gets to me. It’s like the day of a school trip when you were young. I’ll have some porridge – long lasting energy – then, after that, I’ll prepare myself mentally. I try not to stress, conserve all my energy for the fight. I’m not fearful because I know what I’m doing.
I like to get to the arena early so I can get comfortable, get my seat in the changing room. Then I like to start warming up straight away; stretches, shadow box and pads. I need to get the muscles pumping and get a sweat on. I’m naturally in ‘Fight Face’ mode because I know what I want. I’m not at college, I’ve no girlfriend. I’m fully focussed on pursuing my boxing dream.
Entrance music: I want The Fugees: ‘Ready or not,(here I come)’
What are your ambitions as a boxer? I’ve got targets written on the wall so that when I get up for my morning run, I know what I’m doing it for. Right now, I just want to get as many fights as I can, as quickly as I can, to build up a fan base and an atmosphere surrounding me. In 2013 I’d definitely like to be fighting for an Area title.
How do you relax? I like to read and I love the computer games, especially the shooting and action games.
Football team: Big Arsenal fan. I used to go, growing up, but it’s a flipping lot of money so now I watch it on TV with my dad. He’s also a big Gooner and apparently was a pretty good player before I came along!
Read: I love books on war strategies, power. I like non- fiction. Anything that’s real life.
Music: I’m a bit of an allrounder; jungle, R ‘n’ B, rap, old school garage. I’d say Drake is my favourite artist.
Films/TV: The Matrix is my favourite. That’s so possible. I also like Blade, The Demolition Man and Terminator.
Aspiration in life: Right now, everything is boxing related. I want it all, to be in The Hall of Fame, part of ring history!
Motto: ‘Let’s Go To Work!’ My boots, trunks and gumshield are my work uniform!