(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
Edmonton, Canada (February 21, 2018) – World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond champion Callum “emhlabeni” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos) takes on late replacement Nieky “The Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos) lokhu ngoMgqibelo in the last Umhlaba Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Germany
The Smith vs. Holzken card, ukuqala at 2 p.m. KANYE, will air live in Canada, kuphela Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, of Germany, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Ngeshwa, 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 World Champion “Sir” George Groves (28-3, Kos), of the United Kingdom, June 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Super Channel aluthola amalungelo akhethekile e-Canada ukusakaza Okwezwe Boxing Super Series kusukela MP & Silva, ehamba phambili nabezindaba bakwamanye amazwe inkampani inikeza amalungelo abezindaba, digital, ubuchwepheshe kanye uxhaso amasevisi.
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.
Esikhathini WBSS quarter, 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 uthe. “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 in NgoMgqibelo 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 phezu 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” ikhadi, presented by Sauerland Event, kuyobe baveze kuphela eCanada Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 Kos), of Russia, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 Kos), of Croatia, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 Kos) in an nesishiyagalombili round iziqubu; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 Kos), of Germany, 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) tikwele off with Marco Miano (6-6, 2 Kos), of Italy, 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.
Zonke ukulwa kanye fighters angaphansi ushintsho.
UMHLABA Boxing SUPER UCHUNGECHUNGE Semifinals UHLELO
CRUISERWEIGHTS
January 27, Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia – WBO / WBC Wokwakha Ubunye
Oleksandr “Ikati” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), Ukraine
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Deer (23-1, 18 Kos), Latvia
(Usyk agcinwayo isihloko sakhe WBO futhi wathandwa WBC ubuqhawe)
February 3, Bolshoy Ice Dome, Sochi, Russia – IBF / WBA Wokwakha Ubunye
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), Russia
WTKO12
Yunier “I KO Doctor” Dorticós (21-1, 20 Kos), Cuba
(Gassiev retained his IBF title and won WBA championship)
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
February 17, Manchester, Arena, Manchester, UK – WBA / IBO Wokwakha Ubunye
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), I-United Kingdom
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Next Gen” Eubank Jr. (26-2, 20 Kos), IBO World Champion, I-United Kingdom
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
February 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nuremburg, Germany
Callum “emhlabeni” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos), I-United Kingdom – Ring #3
(WBC Diamond Super middleweight Champion)
vs.
Nieky “The Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos), Netherlands
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
May 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Ikati” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), WBO/WBC Champion, Ukraine – Ring #1
vs.
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), WBA/IBF Champion, Russia – Ring #2
June 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, I-United Kingdom – WBA / IBO Wokwakha Ubunye
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), I-United Kingdom, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
