(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
Edmonton, Kanada (Frar 21, 2018) – Kunsill Boxing Dinja (WBC) Diamond champion Callum “dinja” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos) takes on late replacement Nieky “il naturali” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos) din is-Sibt in the last Dinja Boxing Super Serje (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Il-Ġermanja
The Smith vs. Holzken card, jibda 2 p.m. U, will air live in Canada, esklussivament fuq Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, tal-Ġermanja, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Sfortunatament, 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 Champion tad-Dinja “Sir” George Groves (28-3, Kos), of the United Kingdom, Ġunju 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Super Kanal akkwistat id-drittijiet esklussivi fil-Kanada biex jixxandru-World Boxing super Serje minn MP & Silva, midja internazzjonali impriża ewlenija li tipprovdi drittijiet tal-midja, diġitali, teknoloġija u sponsorjar servizzi.
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.
Fil-kwarti WBSS, Smith took a 12-round unanimous decision from previously unbeaten Erik Skoglund to capture the World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond super middleweight title.
“I gave an interview last week and said it was great there have been no drop-outs,” Smith qal. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting IS-SIBT 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 fil Sibt 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 fuq 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 IS-SIBT. 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, se arja esklussivament fil-Kanada fuq Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 Kos), tar-Russja, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 Kos), tal-Kroazja, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 Kos) fi bout tmien round; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 Kos), tal-Ġermanja, 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) kwadri off ma ' Marco Miano (6-6, 2 Kos), ta 'l-Italja, 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.
Kollha ġlied u ġellieda huma soġġetti għal bidla.
WORLD boxing SUPER SERJE semifinali SKEDA
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Jannar 27, riga Arena, riga, Il-Latvja – WBO / WBC Unifikazzjoni
Oleksandr “Il-qattus” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), Ukraina
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
MAIRIS Ċriev (23-1, 18 Kos), Il-Latvja
(Usyk miżmuma titolu WBO tiegħu u rebaħ il-kampjonat WBC)
Frar 3, Bolshoy Silġ Dome, f'Sochi, Russja – IBF / WBA Unifikazzjoni
Murat “Ħadid” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), Russja
WTKO12
Yunier “Il-Tabib KO” Dorticós (21-1, 20 Kos), Kuba
(Gassiev retained his IBF title and won WBA championship)
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Frar 17, Manchester, Arena, Manchester, UK – WBA / Ibo Unifikazzjoni
“Qaddis” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), Ir-Renju Unit
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Li jmiss Ġen” EUBANK Jr. (26-2, 20 Kos), Ibo Dinja Champion, Ir-Renju Unit
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
Frar 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nuremburg, Il-Ġermanja
Callum “dinja” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos), Ir-Renju Unit – Ring #3
(WBC Diamond Super Middleweight Champion)
vs.
Nieky “il naturali” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos), Olanda
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Mejju 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Il-qattus” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), WBO/WBC Champion, Ukraina – Ring #1
vs.
Murat “Ħadid” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), WBA/IBF Champion, Russja – Ring #2
Ġunju 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, Ir-Renju Unit – WBA / Ibo Unifikazzjoni
“Qaddis” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), Ir-Renju Unit, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
