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Scott Quigg, 30-0-2 (22), defends his WBA World Super bantamweight title against former IBF title-holder Kiko “La Sensación” Martinez, 32-5 (24), at the Manchester Arena on July 18. The Bury-based boxer fights for the first time in 2015, he has been out of action since decisioning Hidenori Otake in November after undergoing an operation to repair damaged tendons in his right hand.
Birmingham's Frankie Gavin believes he has the innate boxing ability required to upset Sheffield's Kell Brook when he challenges for the IBF welterweight title at London's O2 Arena on May 30. The 29-year-old southpaw has told Sky Sports that he will beat "Special K" convincingly to bring the world title back to Britain's "Second City". "I’ve trained hard," stated Gavin, 22-1 (13). "I’m leaving nothing to the judges or anyone. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I’m not thinking about Kell Brook, I’m thinking about me and what I’ll do—Kell’s in for a hard night.
Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla, 29-4-2 (11), has told the Manchester Evening News that he is undergoing a medical on Tuesday and will announce his next opponent at a press conference on Wednesday provided he is cleared to box by the BBBoC. "I'm feeling great and honestly believe that I will come back better and stronger than ever before,” he said when speaking to Alex Hibbert.
Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham - Super middleweight prospect Lennox Clarke (8-0, 3KOs) won a four round decision over Alistair Warren (8-10). The referee had a solie score of 39-38. Michael Rooney (7-0) continued his run with a four round decision over Ismail Anwar (5-2), who went down in the second and once again in the third. Featherweight Gamal Yafai (6-0, 3KOs) won an eight round decision over Arnoldo Solano (14-8). The sole score was 80-71.
BoxingScene.com can confirm that Manchester’s Terry Flanagan will fight for the WBO lightweight title against Mexico’s Jose Zepeda, date and venue TBA. The two fighters are in the organisation’s Top Ten, sitting at two and five respectively, and will contest the vacant title, which remained on the shelf after Mexico's Raymundo Beltran failed to make the 135 lb. limit for his title tilt against Japan's Takahiro Ao (a second-round TKO win on Friday night).
Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson wasn’t impressed by the relatively polite and civilised build-up, and the in-ring action, during this weekend’s “Fight Of The Century” between Floyd Mayweather, 48-0 (26), and Manny Pacquiao, 57-6-2 (38), which took place on Saturday night at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Mayweather won solid a twelve round unanimous decision. The 48-year-old was infamously mean and moody before, during and, occasionally, after his fights; the former fighter turned promoter and pundit bemoaned the lack of devilment on display when speaking to The Daily Telegraph’s Gareth A. Davies.
Bury’s Scott Quigg will be an interested observer later tonight when Floyd Mayweather, 47-0 (26), and Manny Pacquiao, 57-5-2 (38), take to the ring at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas live on Sky Sports Box Office. Quigg, the WBA’s World Super bantamweight titlist, has trained at the Wild Card Gym, heading over there a number of times as a novice pro to pick up some tips, so he is fond of Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, and Manny himself. However, he also admires and follows the “Hard work, dedication” mantra that has defined Mayweather’s career. The 26-year-old told me that he won’t pick a winner due to his respect for both men, but admires the way they have worked their way to the pinnacle before meeting to definitively decide who is the best fighter in the world. “I know Freddie quite well, but whoever wins this fight deserves it,” he said. “If I was a betting man, I’d have to side with Mayweather out of the two. I don’t like to say I want either man to win, as much as I like Manny and want Freddie to do well, because Mayweather deserves to be where he is because of the work he’s put in.” “I appreciate what they’ve both done,” added the former British champion. “Whoever wins the fight deserves it.”
The road to Floyd Mayweather Vs. Manny Pacquiao has been a frustrating one for boxing fans. The “Who wins and why?” debate has raged ever since 2009, but, without a fight, there’s been no conclusion to the arguments—it’s been as frustrating as a climax free bout of lovemaking, and just as unfulfilling. Now the fight is finally on, it should go a long way to settling some debates—although the fact both are past their best will leave some wiggle-room for the fans on the losing side of the equation—yet the one thing that won’t be settled is the issue of who is the black hat villain and who is the gunslinger sent in to clean up the town.
Eddie Hearn recently offered Belfast’s Carl Frampton, 20-0 (14), a £1.5 million purse for a showdown with Bury’s Scott Quigg, 30-0-2 (22), at the Manchester Arena. However, Barry McGuigan, Frampton’s mentor and friend, insists that they want a 60-40 split in their favour if the fight is made. The former world featherweight champion maintains that his fighter is the draw, so the purse should reflect this.
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has confirmed that Hatfield’s Billy Joe Saunders, 21-0 (11) will be in the hunt for an interim title, should Andy Lee’s shoulder injury keeps him out of action beyond this summer's mandatory deadline date. Saunders is mandatory challenger to Andy Lee's WBO title, which he won by stopping Matt Korobov in Las Vegas last December then retained via a split draw after New York's Peter Quillin failed to make weight earlier this month. As per WBO rules, the parties have a 30-day negotiating period before the fight gets sent out to purse bids.