Frank Warren Inks Paul Butler; Magnificent Seven Heats Up
Frank Warren has singed amateur ace and 2010 ABA champion Paul Butler.
The Ellesmere Port star will make his debut on October 23 at the Liverpool Echo Arena on the undercard of Paul Smith's British Super-Middleweight title defence against Paul David, live on Sky Sports HD1 from 9pm.
Butler, just 21, has boxed nearly 30 times for England and is regarded as one of the best young talents in the country.
Warren and super-flyweight Butler put pen to paper this week, as the country's leading promoter continues to invest heavily in youth.
The strength of such a strategy will be seen this weekend when many of Warren's young champions box on the Magnificent Seven show in Birmingham.
"I've only heard good things about Paul, and I am delighted that we've agreed terms," said Warren.
"There are not so many little guys about in British boxing these days, but when they do come along, they are definitely exciting.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Paul make his professional debut in Liverpool, and I'm sure he will be part of a resurgent fight game in the north west."
Butler narrowly missed out on going to the 2008 Olympic Games when he was still only a teenager, but says he will make up for it by lifting a world title as a professional.
He won his ABA title in May at 51kgs.
Tickets for "On the Waterfront" are priced at £40, £50, £80, £100 & £150 and are available from:
Echo Arena Box Office
0844 800 0400
www.echoarena.com
Ticketmaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: IT'S NEARLY HERE!
Derek Chisora and Sam Sexton had to be kept apart and James DeGale and Carl Dilks swapped insults during a lively final press conference yesterday ahead of Saturday's Magnificent Seven show in Birmingham.
As the tension rose before the big Sky Box Office event at the LG Arena, promoter Frank Warren hailed the the show as one of his best ever.
Bookmakers have two of the European title fights on the card as even money, while the remaining few tickets are being snapped by eager punters.
A double-tiered stage was required on Thursday to accommodate all the fighters in involved in a bill which boasts nine title fights.
Among those in action are Nathan Cleverly, James DeGale, Frankie Gavin, Matt Macklin, Enzo Maccarinelli, Matthew Hall, Kell Brook, Michael Jennings, Sam Sexton and Derek Chisora.
At one point Warren had to separate Sexton and Chisora as the pair first swapped insults, then come ominously together on the top table.
The pair fought two years ago, Chisora winning with a stoppage in a scheduled six rounder.
But both have since moved on to championship level, and Sexton promised a completely different fighter come Saturday night.
"I promise that I am going to knock Chisora out," said Sexton, as a war of words between the two continued to grow.
Dilks and DeGale were another pair who had plenty to say.
When they fight on Saturday, the chance to box for the British super-middleweight title currently held by Paul Smith will be at stake.
Dilks has insisted for some time that DeGale is over-protected, but such words today were met with scorn by the 2008 Olympic champion.
"Talk is cheap, but this fight will end inside the distance, and it is only me who will win it," said DeGale.
Remaining tickets for the Magnificent Seven are priced at £40, £50, £80, £150 and £200 and are available from:
LG Arena
0844 338 8000
Ticketmaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com