(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
Edmonton, Canada (February 21, 2018) – Lefatše Boxing Lekgotla la (WBC) Diamond champion Callum “lefatše” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos) takes on late replacement Nieky “The Natural” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos) ena Moqebelo in the last World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Duitsland
The Smith vs. Holzken card, ho qala ka 2 p.m. LE, will air live in Canada, khetheha Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, ea Jeremane, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Ka bomalimabe, 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 meru ea (28-3, Kos), of the United Kingdom, June 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Muhammad Ali sekgele se sentle tota.
Super Channel fumana litokelo bo khethehileng ka Canada ho hasa ka World Boxing Super Series tloha MP & Silva, le mecha ea litaba ea machaba khampani isang hore e fana ka litokelo tsa mecha ea phatlalatso, dijethale, thekenoloji le lihlapiso ditshebeletso.
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.
Ka 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 o ile a re. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting Moqebelo 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 a Moqebelo oa 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 ka 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 Moqebelo. I’ve watched Callum fight many times. I study everyone in my weight class. He’s a good, tiileng oke. 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” karete ya, presented by Sauerland Event, tla moeeng feela ka Canada ka Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 Kos), ea Russia, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 Kos), ea Croatia, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 Kos) a tse robeli ho pota bout; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 Kos), ea Jeremane, 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) dikwere tloha le Marco Miano (6-6, 2 Kos), ea 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.
Tsohle lintoa le bahlabani ba sehlooho ho fetola.
LEFATŠE Boxing Super LIHLOOHO SEMIFINALS Kemiso
CRUISERWEIGHTS
January 27, Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia – WBO / WBC kopanngoa
Oleksandr “The Cat” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), Ukraine
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Deer (23-1, 18 Kos), Latvia
(Usyk bolokoa sehlooho hae WBO le hlōla WBC tlhōlisano)
February 3, Bolshoy Ice Dome, Sochi, Russia – IBF / WBA kopanngoa
Murat “Tšepe” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), Russia
WTKO12
Yunier “The 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 kopanngoa
“Saint” George meru ea (28-3, 20 Kos), United Kingdom
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Next Gen” Eubank Refresh. (26-2, 20 Kos), IBO World Champion, United Kingdom
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
February 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nuremburg, Duitsland
Callum “lefatše” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos), 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
Ka 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “The Cat” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), WBO/WBC Champion, Ukraine – Ring #1
vs..
Murat “Tšepe” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), WBA/IBF Champion, Russia – Ring #2
June 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, London, United Kingdom – WBA / IBO kopanngoa
“Saint” George meru ea (28-3, 20 Kos), United Kingdom, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs..
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
