(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
Edmonton, Canada (Lub ob hlis ntuj 21, 2018) – Lub ntiaj teb no Boxing Council (Qhov) Diamond champion Callum “ntiaj teb no” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos) takes on late replacement Nieky “lub Ntuj” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos) no hnub vas xaum in the last Ntiaj teb Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Lub teb chaws yelemees
The Smith vs. Holzken card, pib thaum 2 p.m. THIAB, will air live in Canada, heev dua lwm yam rau Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, ntawm lub teb chaws Yelemees, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Tu siab, a fight in this state is out of the questions. It is not possible for me to go into the ring like this and I would like to apologize to my fans. I was well prepared and looking forward to fighting Callum.”
The Smith-Holzken winner will advance to the WBSS super middleweight championship final against World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) Super Middleweight ntiaj teb tau zus ib “Sir” George Nyuaj (28-3, Kos), of the United Kingdom, Lub rau hli ntuj 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Super Channel mas yuav kis tau tus kom txoj cai nyob rau hauv Canada rau tshaj tawm hauv xov lub ntiaj teb Boxing Super Series ntawm MP & Silva, ib tug uas thoob ntiaj teb xov xwm tuam txhab uas muab xov xwm txoj cai, digital, technology thiab cov kev pab cuam sponsorship.
Smith was the least tested WBSS semifinalist in terms of having faced quality opponents, as well as the youngest at 27. The undefeated Brit is one of four fighting Smith brothers.
Nyob rau hauv lub WBSS quarterfinals, Smith took a 12-round unanimous decision from previously unbeaten Erik Skoglund to capture the World Boxing Council (Qhov) Diamond super middleweight title.
“I gave an interview last week and said it was great there have been no drop-outs,” Xamiv tau hais tias. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting Saturday and will fight whoever the World Boxing Super series puts in front of me.”
The 34-year-old Holzken was preparing to fight Dmitri Chudinov nyob rau hauv Saturday lub WBSS Super Middleweight Substitute Fight. He has had only four scheduled 10-round matches during his five-year professional career, the most notable being a win by 10-round unanimous decision in 2016 tshaj Farouk Daku (20-9-1) for the vacant BeNeLux super middleweight title.
Holzken is determined to make the most of this opportunity by upsetting Smith, despite his obvious leap in class. “I’ve been waiting for this chance to come,” Holzken commented. “I signed up as a substitute fighter, so I’m in great shape and prepared for Saturday. I’ve watched Callum fight many times. I study everyone in my weight class. He’s a good, solid fighter. We’re both big body punchers. It will make for an excellent fight. Callum, you better be ready, because I am, and I’m coming to beat you!”
Five exciting fights on the “Smith-Holzken” card, presented by Sauerland Event, yuav pa ya heev dua lwm yam nyob rau hauv Canada nyob rau hauv Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 Kos), ntawm Russia, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 Kos), ntawm Croatia, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 Kos) nyob rau hauv ib yim-round bout; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 Kos), ntawm lub teb chaws Yelemees, meets Cameroon native Bernard Donfack (23-17-3, 11 Kos) in an eight round super middleweight match; 19-year-old German super middleweight Leon Bauer (12-0-1, 8 Kos) squares tawm nrog Marco Miano (6-6, 2 Kos), ntawm ltalis, in a six-round fight to open the Super Channel broadcast. A six-round “swing bout” between German super middleweight Toni Kraft(12-0-1, 4 Kos) and Hungarian Jozsef Racz (7-20-1, 2 Kos) may also be aired.
Tag nrho cov sib ntaus thiab tua hluav taws yuav raug hloov.
NTIAJ TEB BOXING SUPER SERIES semifinals SIJ HAWM
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Lub ib hlis ntuj 27, Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia – WBO / WBC Unification
Oleksandr “Cov miv” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), Ukraine
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Mos lwj (23-1, 18 Kos), Latvia
(Usyk muab khaws cia tseg nws WBO title thiab yeej WBC championship)
Lub ob hlis ntuj 3, Bolshoy Ice Dome, Sochi, Russia – IBF / WBA Unification
Murat “Hlau” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), Russia
WTKO12
Yunier “Lub KO tus kws kho mob” Dorticós (21-1, 20 Kos), Teb chaws Cuba
(Gassiev retained his IBF title and won WBA championship)
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Lub ob hlis ntuj 17, Manchester, Arena, Manchester, UK – WBA / IBO Unification
“Saint” George Nyuaj (28-3, 20 Kos), United Kingdom
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Tom ntej no Gen” Eubank Jr. (26-2, 20 Kos), IBO ntiaj teb tau zus ib, United Kingdom
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
Lub ob hlis ntuj 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nuremburg, Lub teb chaws yelemees
Callum “ntiaj teb no” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos), United Kingdom – Nplhaib #3
(WBC Pob Zeb Diamond Super Middleweight Champion)
vs.
Nieky “lub Ntuj” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos), Netherlands
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Tej zaum 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Cov miv” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), WBO/WBC Champion, Ukraine – Nplhaib #1
vs.
Murat “Hlau” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), WBA/IBF Champion, Russia – Nplhaib #2
Lub rau hli ntuj 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, United Kingdom – WBA / IBO Unification
“Saint” George Nyuaj (28-3, 20 Kos), United Kingdom, WBA/IBO Champion – Nplhaib #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
