(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
EDMONTON, Canada (Februar 21, 2018) – Svetovni boksarski svet (WBC) Diamond champion Callum “svet” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos) takes on late replacement Nieky “Naravni” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos) to soboto in the last Svetovni boksarski Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Nemčija
The Smith vs. Holzken card, začenši pri 2 p.m. IN, will air live in Canada, izključno na Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, Nemčija, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Na žalost, 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 Srednja kategorija svetovni prvak “Sir” George Groves (28-3, Kos), of the United Kingdom, Junij 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Super Channel pridobil ekskluzivne pravice v Kanadi oddajati World Boxing Super Series z MP & Silva, vodilno mednarodno medijsko podjetje, ki zagotavlja medijskih pravic, digital, tehnologije in sponzorske storitve.
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.
V četrtfinalu 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 je dejal,. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting Sobota 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 v Sobota 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 čez 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 Sobota. 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” kartice, presented by Sauerland Event, bo zrak izključno v Kanadi na Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 Kos), Rusije, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 Kos), Hrvaška, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 Kos) v osmih krogu dvoboj z; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 Kos), Nemčija, 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) kvadratov off z Marco Miano (6-6, 2 Kos), Italije, 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.
Vse bitke in borci so predmet sprememb.
World Boxing SUPER SERIJA polfinale NAČRT
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Januar 27, Riga Arena, Riga, Latvija – WBO / WBC Združitev
Oleksandr “Mačka” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), Ukrajina
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Deer (23-1, 18 Kos), Latvija
(Usyk obdrži svoj naslov WBO in osvojil WBC prvenstvo)
Februar 3, Bolshoy Ice Dome, Soči, Rusija – IBF / WBA Združitev
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), Rusija
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 Združitev
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), Združeno kraljestvo
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Next Gen” Eubank Jr. (26-2, 20 Kos), IBO svetovni prvak, Združeno kraljestvo
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
Februar 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nürnberg, Nemčija
Callum “svet” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos), Združeno kraljestvo – Ring #3
(WBC Diamond Super prvak v srednji kategoriji)
vs.
Nieky “Naravni” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos), Nizozemska
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Maj 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Mačka” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), WBO/WBC Champion, Ukrajina – Ring #1
vs.
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), WBA/IBF Champion, Rusija – Ring #2
Junij 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, Združeno kraljestvo – WBA / IBO Združitev
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), Združeno kraljestvo, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
