by Dafs117
In the most detailed UK Beat Report to date, the November edition takes a look back over the great domestic battle last month, plenty of news analysis and a look at the action packed month that awaits us.
We’ll begin at the top, the heavyweights. David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs) heavily hyped quest for heavyweight supremacy finally heats up this month as he challenges 7ft giant Nikolay Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs) on November 7. In a bout that’s touted David vs. Goliath for obvious reasons, the Russian giant will defend his WBA crown for the second time in his second reign as champion. He returns to a venue where he outpointed former WBO titlist Sergei Lyakhovic (23-3, 14 KOs) in 2008 in a lethargic WBA Eliminator. The Nuernberg Arena should be full of 10,000 fight fanatics come November 7.
Questions will always rise about Haye’s size disadvantage and china chin at heavyweight, but can he be the first Brit since Lennox Lewis in 2003 to capture a heavyweight trinket? Tune in on Sky Box Office on November 7.
Last month saw the year’s most anticipated event kick-off, Showtime’s Super 6 Boxing Classic. The unique tournament features are very own Carl Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) in his journey for 168 pound supremacy. He and speedy American switch-hitter Andre Dirrell (18-1, 13 KOs) split the judges at the Trent FM Arena. Luckily, with some home-cooking, Froch emerged thewinner and collects precious two points into the next stage of the tournament, where he will face Calzaghe foe Mikkel Kessler (42-1, 32 KOs) in a possible unification bout if the Dane defeats unbeaten Olympian Andre Ward (19-0, 12 KOs) on November 21.
Ryan Rhodes (43-4, 29 KOs) and Jamie Moore (32-4, 23 KOs) gave us a cracking light middleweight contest and proved the winner duly merited a crack at the WBC title. Moore was defending his European belt for the second time after impressively winning the belt against former world titlist Michele Piccirillo (50-5, 29 KOs). Moore won the first four rounds before the slow starting Rhodes gained confidence and began to counter effecitively in the fifth. Moore’s weight problems were on show in the sixth as he ran out of gas. In a thrilling seventh round, Rhodes stopped Moore to clinch the European belt and most importantly he’s involved in a WBC eliminator with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (40-0-1, 30 KOs) and belt-holder Sergio Gabriel Martinez (44-1-2, 24 KOs).
In the British Super Bantamweight title contest, Nottingham’s Jason Booth (34-5, 14 KOs) was eventually much “2 Smooth” for his challenger Michael Hunter (29-2-1, 13 KOs) Hartlepool, who retired after the fifth round of their contest in Sunderland. Booth could move on to the European stage in 2010.
The Olympians made another successful return beginning with light heavyweight bronze medallist Tony Jeffries (4-0, 3 KOs) who outpointed Artem Solomko (10-18, 3 KOs) in four rounds. Heavyweight David Price (3-0, 2 KOs) made up for his previous inactivity by stopping previously unbeaten Liridon Memishi (0-1-1, 0 KOs) and outboxing Bulgarian Yavor Marinchev (5-16, 3 KOs) the following week to a four round points victory. Frankie Gavin (4-0, 4 KOs) successfully stopped Steve Saville (19-7, 8 KOs) in the second round of their contest. James De Gale (4-0, 3 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Ally Morrison (2-0-1, 0 KOs) in three rounds. 3 time ABA champion Tony Bellew (11-0, 8 KOs) stopped journeyman in the first round Jindrich Velecky (16-7, 15 KOs). Michael Jennings (36-2, 17 KOs) made the most of a late replacement in the shape of Laszlo Komjathi (35-27-2, 13 KOs) winning every round of their eight round fight.
Paul Smith (28-1, 15 KOs) narrowly defeated Tony Quigley (13-2, 6 KOs) by split decision in a derby fight to win Quigley’s British Super Middleweight belt. A rematch is a certain. Welterweight prospect Jamie Cox (13-0, 8 KOs) retired Manoocha Salari (4-10-3, 3 KOs) in the third round.
Welterweight prospect Adnan Amar (23-1, 7 KOs) won the vacant English welterweight title by stopping Jon Thaxton conqueror Tom Glover (9-7-3, 0 KOs) in the fifth round. Glover had a broken nose in the third.
Aberdeen’s Lee McAllister (30-2, 7 KOs) continued his rise from the flames after his defeat to unbeaten star John Murray (28-0, 16 KOs) by defending his Commonwealth lightweight crown against Charlie Paul King (15-2, 0 KOs) by stopping him in the seventh round with a crushing overhand right.
Slickster Ian Napa (19-7, 1 KO) scraped past Gary Davies (9-3-1, 7 KOs) and stole his British bantamweight belt via a majority decision victory. Mongolian born Shinny Bayaar (14-4-1, 4 KOs) survived a nasty cut over his right eye to win the British flyweight title against Chris Edwards (13-14-3, 4 KOs) by split decision. Unbeaten light middleweight Brian Rose (14-0, 4 KOs) stopped Jason Rushton (18-10, 2 KOs) in the tenth round. Shortly after the fight, Rushton collapsed in the changing room and slipped into a coma. Thankfully the 26 year-old is out of the coma and on the road to recovery.
In the news last month, Danny Williams (41-8, 31 KOs) is allowed to keep his British belt despite his humiliating points defeat to Carl Baker (9-4, 6 KOs) in the most recent edition of Prizefighter. This news has put a spark in his step and he won’t retire from the sport.
Amir Khan (21-1, 15 KOs) will defend his WBA crown against Dimitri Salita (30-0-1, 16 KOs) on December 12, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle. It’s a massive date for the 140 pound division as WBO titleholder Timothy Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs) also defends against his mandatory challenger Lamont Peterson (27-0, 13 KOs) and on the same card Juan Diaz (35-2, 17 KOs) and Paulie Malignaggi (26-3, 5 KOs) will fight in a rematch of their controversially scored fight in August. Khan and Salita are adamant that race and religion will not be a topic discussed in their pre-fight interviews.
Kell Brook (20-0, 13 KOs) had to pull out of his welterweight contest with Chorley’s Michael Jennings (35-2, 17 KOs) due to a viral infection. The bout is likely to be re-scheduled.
Light welterweight prospect Chris Evangelou, wanted by many promotional companies across the pond, has decided to sign his services to Calzaghe Promotions. He’s the biggest prospect so far to sign under the Calzaghe banner. He’ll make his debut on November 20 in Newport.
The newest line-up of Prizefighter has been released with the light welterweights taking the stage on December 4. The competition is headlined by former WBA champion Gavin Rees (28-1, 14 KOs) and also features former European titlists Ted Bami (26-5, 13 KOs), Colin Lynes (31-6, 12 KOs) and Jason Cook (25-2, 12 KOs) in another star studded and competitive field promoted by Barry Hearn.
Undefeated light heavyweight student Nathan Cleverly (18-0, 8 KOs) will have to travel to Italy to face his opponent Antonio Brancalion (32-7-2, 8 KOs) for the vacant European light heavyweight title. A date and venue has not been announced.
Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KOs) hinted on Soccer AM that he will make his comeback to training in the New Year and that he would love another crack at Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KOs).
Joe Calzaghe is off out TV screens when he was booted off BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing losing out to actress Zoe Lucker in a dance off. Not to worry, as a new TV show Calzaghe Clan has hit our TV screens in Wales.
And to round-up the news, boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard made a brief visit to Wales last month.
In a bout that could possibly be ignored by Sky, the heavily anticipated rematch between Irish cab driver Martin Rogan (12-1, 6 KOs) and Norwich’s Sam Sexton (12-1, 5 KOs) will take place on the 6th of November at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast. In the first fight, Sexton was out on his feet when the doctor stopped the fight due to excessive swelling on Rogan’s left eye. He’ll be trying to re-capture his Commonwealth belt. On the undercard, Scotland’s Alex Arthur (27-2, 20 KOs) will continue his run at lightweight against an unnamed opponent.
On the same night, Paul McCloskey (19-0, 9 KOs) fights Daniel Rasilla (15-2, 4 KOs) for the European light welterweight belt also in Northern Ireland. On the undercard, Martin Lindsay (14-0, 6 KOs) will fight against an unknown opponent and Steve Williams (8-0, 3 KOs) and Michael Grant (12-0-1, 1 KO) will compete for the vacant English light welterweight title.
Hopefully on a lucky Friday the 13th, Matthew Hatton (37-4-1, 14 KOs) will challenge against Lovermore N’Dou (47-11-1, 31 KOs) for the IBO light welterweight belt. Robert Norton (31-4-1, 19 KOs) will defend his Commonwealth cruiserweight title.
Rendall Munroe (19-1, 8 KOs) will defend his European Super Bantamweight title for the fifth time against Simone Maludrottu (30-2, 11 KOs) in Nottingham on the 20th. Olympian Tony Jeffries (4-0, 3 KOs) and heavyweight prospect Tom Dallas (7-0, 5 KOs) fight on the undercard.
Bradley Pryce (28-7, 17 KOs) tops the show in Newport on the same night as Munroe’s defence. Pryce will fight journeyman Sergejs Savrinovics (7-15-1, 4 KOs) in a stay busy fight. Welterweight Tony Doherty (21-1, 9 KOs) will fight for the first time in 20 months as the chief support. Prospects Chris Evangelou and Lee Lewis will make their debuts on the same bill.
Charismatic light middleweight Anthony Small (22-1, 16 KOs) defends his British and Commonwealth belts in Wigan on Friday 27 against Thomas McDonagh (34-2-3, 7 KOs). In the neighbour county, Curtis Woodhouse (10-1, 5 KOs) makes his comeback fights since his shock points defeat to Jay Morris (11-14, 3 KOs) and will face lightweight brawler Graham Earl (26-4, 12 KOs) in Hull.
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