(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Hulagway sa maayong kabubut-on sa World Boxing Super Series)
Edmonton, Canada (Pebrero 21, 2018) – World Boxing Council (WBC) Diamond champion Callum “kalibutan” Smith (23-0, 17 KOs) takes on late replacement Nieky “ang Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 KOs) karong Sabado in the last World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Germany
The Smith vs. Holzken card, sugod sa 2 sa gabii. UG, will air live in Canada, lamang sa Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, sa Alemanya, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Subo nga, 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, Hunyo 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy.
Super Channel naangkon sa exclusive katungod sa Canada sa pagsibya sa World Boxing Super Series gikan sa MP & Silva, sa usa ka nag-unang kompanya sa internasyonal nga media nga naghatag og katungod sa media, digital, teknolohiya ug sponsorship mga serbisyo.
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.
Sa WBSS quarterfinals, 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 miingon. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting Sabado 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 sa Sabado sa 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 sa ibabaw sa 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 Sabado. 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!”
Lima ka mga kulbahinam nga away sa “Smith-Holzken” card, nga gipresentar sa Sauerland Event, isalida lamang sa Canada sa Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 KOs), sa Rusya, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 KOs), sa Croatia, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 KOs) sa usa ka walo ka-round bout; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 KOs), sa Alemanya, 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) mga kwadro sa uban sa Marco Miano (6-6, 2 KOs), sa 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.
Ang tanan nga mga away ug manggugubat sa mga subject sa kausaban.
World Boxing Super SERYE semifinals eskedyul
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Enero 27, Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia – WBO / WBC Pagpahiusa
Oleksandr “Ang iring” Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs), Ukraine
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Deer (23-1, 18 KOs), Latvia
(Usyk pagdepensa sa iyang WBO title ug midaog sa WBC championship)
Pebrero 3, Bolshoy Ice Dome, Sochi, Russia – IBF / WBA Pagpahiusa
Murat “Iron” Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs), Russia
WTKO12
Yunier “Ang KO Doctor” Dorticós (21-1, 20 KOs), Cuba
(Gassiev retained his IBF title and won WBA championship)
SUPER middleweights
Pebrero 17, Manchester, Arena, Manchester, UK – WBA / IBO Pagpahiusa
“Santos sa Ulahing mga” George Groves (28-3, 20 KOs), United Kingdom
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “sunod Gen” Eubank Jr.. (26-2, 20 KOs), IBO World Champion, United Kingdom
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
Pebrero 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nuremburg, Germany
Callum “kalibutan” Smith (23-0, 17 KOs), United Kingdom – Ring #3
(WBC Diamond super middleweight Champion)
vs.
Nieky “ang Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 KOs), Netherlands
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Mayo 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Ang iring” 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
Hunyo 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, United Kingdom – WBA / IBO Pagpahiusa
“Santos sa Ulahing mga” George Groves (28-3, 20 KOs), United Kingdom, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
