Steve “USS” Cunningham (22-2, 11 KOs) will make his first fight under the promotional banner of Team Sauerland when he takes on Troy Ross (23-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant IBF Cruiserweight Title in Neubrandenburg on June 5. In the co-featured main event, IBF Middleweight Champion Sebastian Sylvester faces mandatory challenger Roman Karmazin. “We are thrilled to add this fight to our June 5 card,” said Team Sauerland General Manager Chris Meyer. “I have no doubts that Steve Cunningham will make a successful debut and reclaim his IBF title. But Ross is a strong opponent. I want to thank his management – namely Yvon Michel and Jeff Wald – to make this fight happen in a very short period of time. It will be an exciting evening.”
Earlier this week, Team Sauerland announced the signing of Cunningham. “He is a fantastic fighter,” Meyer added. “I expect him to beat Ross. It would give him a lot of interesting options because the cruiserweight division is loaded with talent in Europe. I am sure Marco Huck would also like to take revenge for his dramatic loss two-and-a-half years ago. But there are also a couple of other options for Steve. First he needs to put aside Ross, which will be a tough task.”
WILLIAMS: CHISORA IS EASIER THAN SEXTON
Danny Williams sparked a war of words today by claiming that Derek Chisora is an easier opponent than Sam Sexton.
Williams will meet Del Boy on May 15 in the final defence of his British heavyweight title before retirement.
The unbeaten Finchley prospect is a last-minute replacement for Sexton, who has had to pull out of the fight because his mother is ill.
The pair go head to head at West Ham's Upton Park as part of the undercard to Kevin Mitchell's world title challenge against Michael Katsidis.
"It's a better fight for the public because Chisora is an aggressive fighter and I'm going to put it on him," said Williams.
"But it is an easier fight for me. Chisora may have a win over Sexton, but since that fight Sam is the one who has made progress.
"Derek is good, he is strong and aggressive, but Sam was the harder fight.
"I want to go out in style, and I still plan to fight like Rocky Marciano in there. I'm proud that I have been in entertaining fights over the years, and I don't plan on changing things now."
Chisora hit back by saying: "Like Danny says, I am strong, I am aggressive - but I am also better than Sam Sexton.
"I didn't have to think about taking this fight at all. As far as I am concerned, the pressure is all on Danny.
"He's got to go in there and try and take me out. I know he has trained for this fight and he will be in great shape, but I'm going in there to take his title.
"And when I do I won't duck and dive anybody. I want to fight the best in Britain, and once I'm British champion the other guys can come and get me if they think they are good enough.
"Sexton, John McDermott, Tyson Fury - I'm ready for any of them and my message to them is 'Bring it on'."
'Hammer Time' is headlined by Kevin Mitchell's challenge for the WBO Interim World Lightweight Championship against Michael Katsidis. A quality packed undercard includes the British Heavyweight Championship between Danny Williams and Derek Chisora; Olympic Gold medallist James DeGale challenges for the first title in his career - the WBA International Super-Middleweight Championship; and Britain's hottest young prospects Frankie Gavin, Billy Joe Saunders, Ricky Burns, Matthew Hall, Liam, Michael and Ryan Walsh, Vinny Mitchell, George Michael Carmen, Freddie Turner and Craig Evans.
Tickets for 'Hammer Time', priced at £30, £40, £50, £80, £150, £200 & £250, are available from:
West Ham Ticket Hotline: 0871 222 2700*
Website: www.whufc.com
See Tickets Ticket Hotline: 0871 2200 260*
Website: www.seetickets.com
Ticketmaster: 0844 847 2500*
Website: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Yanjing Fight Night: Lee and Thiam kick off Fight week at the Crescent
The fight week build up to Andy Lee's clash with former European Champ Mamadou Thiam on the Yanjing Fight Night on Saturday, May 15th in Limerick kicks off in earnest next Tuesday (12 noon - 2 pm) when the two men come face to face for the first time at the Crescent Shopping Centre in the city.
This free event is open to the public and RTÉ's Jimmy Magee will be the master of ceremonies with the boxers also participating in a public workout with a boxing ring specially erected for the occasion in one of Ireland's biggest shopping complexes.
Local hero Lee and French based KO artist Thiam boxers will be greeted at The Crescent by Limerick's Mayor Cllr. Kevin Kiely with a selection of the undercard boxers also involved as the public get a chance to have a unique up close and personal look at a professional boxer's training regime.
Limerick's Live 95fm will broadcast from the event live with a special roadshow edition of the Afternoon show from the Crescent while the public will also have an opportunity to win tickets to the big fight.
Promoter Brian Peters believes it will give people an insight in to a professional boxer's daily routine. "Essentially it's about giving the public a chance to see what a professional boxer goes through on a day to day basis in training,” said Peters.
“Obviously everyone can see the results on fight night but people generally don't get to see the amount of effort that these guys put in whipping themselves in to shape for a bout.
"People will even get a chance to see some good competitive sparring as well so it really should be a very interesting event and who better to MC it than the voice of Irish boxing, Mr. Jimmy Magee."
Mamadou Thiam, Lee's opponent on Saturday week, has a fearsome reputation as one of boxing's biggest hitters with an incredible 43 of his 46 wins coming via KO and he has vowed to make Lee victim number 44.
Castleconnell native Lee will touch down in Shannon over the weekend having completed his training camp for the fight in Florida with hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward and Peters is predicting an explosive night of boxing.
“Thiam is a very dangerous guy, he has that unique ability to end a fight in an instant because of his power so Andy will have to be at his best but I think that little bit of fear factor will bring out the best in him.”
A hard hitting undercard for the Yanjing Fight Night includes World and European Champion Katie Taylor featuring in an international amateur contest while the card will also see two Irish Professional titles up for grabs for the first time ever in Limerick.
Local fan favourite Jamie Power clashes with John Waldron for the Irish Light Heavyweight title while Mayo's Michael Sweeney will be out to end Dubliner Ian Tims unbeaten record in a grudge match for the Irish Cruiserweight title.
Undefeated Cavan star Andy Murray will be looking to continue his perfect record and follow on from his impressive win over Oisin Fagan in the main event on RTÉ's last Pro Box Live show. The 27-year-old lightweight has 18 straight wins to his name in the pro ranks and is currently rated number 3 in Europe. He faces Englishman Amir Unsworth in Limerick.
Recently crowned Irish Heavyweight Champ Coleman Barrett will also be in action. The Galway native has won all but one of his 12 pro fights to date with his only defeat coming to Olympic Gold medallist and new European Champ Audley Harrison in last year's Prizefighter final.
Limerick fight fans will also be excited by the return of Cuban heavyweight phenomenon Mike “The Rebel” Perez to Shannonside. The Cork based southpaw is unbeaten in 8 pro contests and in his last Limerick appearance the former World Junior amateur Champion needed just 41 seconds to chalk up another KO victory.
Perez's compatriot Luis Garcia will also be out to impress against Germany's Alexander Sipos, a former European title challenger who gave Andy Lee a very decent argument at The O2 in Dublin last March. Despite having had just 5 professional fights the 22-year-old Super Middleweight is already ranked in the world's top 50 and has been described by many boxing insiders as a special talent and a future World Champion.
Another intriguing contest on the bill will see Mullingar's Paddy McDonagh taking a major step up in class as he tackles former Irish Champion and Andy Lee opponent Ciaran Healy in just his third pro fight while the Limerick based Galwegian Alan Donnellon makes his professional debut in a Light Middleweight contest.
Tickets for the Yanjing Fight Night priced €30, €40, €50, €60, €75 and €100 are available from Ticketmaster (phone 0818 719 300 or visit ticketmaster.ie) or locally in Limerick from The University Sports Arena, the George Hotel and the South Court Hotel.