(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
EDMONTON, Canada (Februar 21, 2018) – World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond champion Callum “verden” Smith (23-0, 17 KOs) takes on late replacement Nieky “The Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 KOs) denne lørdagen in the last Verden Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Tyskland
The Smith vs. Holzken card, starter på 2 pm. OG, will air live in Canada, utelukkende på Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, Tyskland, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Dessverre, 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 mellomvekt verdensmester “Sir” George Groves (28-3, KOs), of the United Kingdom, Juni 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Super Channel kjøpt eksklusive rettigheter i Canada for å kringkaste World Boxing Super Series fra MP & Silva, et ledende internasjonalt medieselskap som tilbyr medierettigheter, digitalt, teknologi og sponsor tjenester.
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.
I WBSS kvart, 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 sa. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting Lørdag 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 i Lørdagens 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 løpet 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 Lørdag. 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” kort, presented by Sauerland Event, vil luften utelukkende i Canada på Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 KOs), av Russland, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympisk bronsemedalje Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 KOs), Kroatia, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 KOs) i en åtte-round bout; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 KOs), Tyskland, 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) firkanter av med Marco Miano (6-6, 2 KOs), av Italia, 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.
Alle kamper og jagerfly er gjenstand for endring.
World Boxing Super Series semifinalen PLAN
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Januar 27, Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia – WBO / WBC Unification
Oleksandr “Katten” Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs), Ukraina
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Deer (23-1, 18 KOs), Latvia
(Usyk beholdt sin WBO tittel og vant WBC mesterskapet)
Februar 3, Bolshoy Ice Dome, Sotsji, Russland – IBF / WBA Unification
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs), Russland
WTKO12
Yunier “KO Doctor” Dorticós (21-1, 20 KOs), Cuba
(Gassiev retained his IBF title and won WBA championship)
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Februar 17, Manchester, Arena, Manchester, UK – WBA / IBO Unification
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 KOs), Storbritannia
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Neste generasjon” Eubank Jr. (26-2, 20 KOs), IBO verdensmester, Storbritannia
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
Februar 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nürnberg, Tyskland
Callum “verden” Smith (23-0, 17 KOs), Storbritannia – Ring #3
(WBC Diamond Super mellomvekt mester)
vs.
Nieky “The Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 KOs), Nederland
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Mai 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Katten” Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs), WBO/WBC Champion, Ukraina – Ring #1
vs.
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs), WBA/IBF Champion, Russland – Ring #2
Juni 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, Storbritannia – WBA / IBO Unification
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 KOs), Storbritannia, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
