There was a bit of late drama at today’s weigh-in for Eddie Hearn’s O2 Arena show. Defending WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares missed the division limit by 4ozs and was given just one an hour to get down to 135lbs or forfeit his WBC title. Kevin Mitchell, the challenger, hit the scales at 9st 8lbs 4ozs. Linares came back just over 10-minutes later and weighed in at 134.1lbs.
Lee Selby took part in a public workout in his hometown of Barry, Wales earlier today ahead of next Saturday’s IBF featherweight title showdown against Evgeny Gradovich, 19-0-1 (9), which takes place at London’s O2 venue and will be televised live on Sky Sports Box Office here in the U.K. Selby, 20-1-1 (8), told Sky Sports News that his preparation for couldn’t have gone any better after making two trips to the U.S. for quality sparring. He said: “I’ve been out to America twice.
Evgeny Gradovich received a timely boost ahead of his World title defence against Lee Selby on Saturday night at The O2 in London live on Sky Sports Box Office as the IBF named him their boxer of the year. The Russian Featherweight king defends his belt for the fifth time against Selby and picked up the award thanks to a successful run of defences since taking the title from Billy Dib in March 2013, seeing off Mauricio Munoz, Dib in a rematch and Alexander Miskirtchian before a split draw in November against Jayson Velez.
Just five fights into his professional career (with all due respect to the World Series of Boxing), TBRB #4 Vasyl Lomachenko (4-1, 2 KOs) is looking for the toughest mountain to climb in his weight class. Arguably the greatest amateur boxer in history sets his x-mark on the back of the super WBA featherweight champion Nicholas Walters (25-0, 21 KOs), rated #1 by both the Ring and TBRB, according to Vasyl’s manager Egis Klimas in his exclusive conversation with the BoxingScene.
Lee Selby believes victory over IBF champion Evgeny Gradovich will mark the start of his dominant reign in the featherweight division. The 28-year-old Welshman will challenge Gradovich for his world title at the 02 in London on May 30, live on Sky Sports Box Office. After collecting all the domestic titles, Selby is determined to prove himself at the highest level and holds ambitious plans for the future.
Strength and conditioning coach, Cicilio Flores, will be delighted at the performance of his charge Vasyl Lomachenko on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather - Manny Pacquiao super fight last Saturday. His attentions however, will now turn to his other world champion, Evgeny Gradovich who defends his IBF featherweight belt against Welshman Lee Selby in London on May 30. Flores has previously worked with the likes of Sergio Martínez and Sergey Kovalev and will be straight back to work this week with the 'Mexican Russian'. "Gradovich is doing really well, this is his fifth week. This is kind of an off week for him," explained Flores to BoxingScene.com before the Lomachenko fight.
Manny Pacquiao has no chance of winning Saturday's superfight, according to the man dubbed 'the Welsh Floyd Mayweather'. Barry's finest featherweight Lee Selby is out in Las Vegas training in Mayweather's gym ahead of his own world title fight - a May 30 challenge for Evgeny Gradovich's IBF belt. And, after witnessing the unbeaten American's final preparations first-hand, Selby is convinced Pacquiao will not make the final bell in the live Sky Sports Box Office showdown.
British boxing fans are in for a bumper night of boxing on May 30th after Eddie Hearn of Matchroom added Kell Brook’s IBF welterweight title defence against Frankie Gavin to a bill that’s as stacked as a Russ Meyers leading lady. The fight had become an open secret, and the secret was revealed at a press conference on Friday. It was also revealed that the bill will be shown live on Sky Sports Box Office, rather than Sky Sports.
In what is becoming a familiar and welcoming theme, yet another blockbuster event will come out of England in late May. Promoter Eddie Hearn continues to add to his May 30 show at O2 Arena in London, which is now topped by Kell Brook in a welterweight title defense versus countryman Frankie Gavin. The bout was formally announced Friday afternoon, complete with a press conference held in London.
Lee Selby discusses his upcoming mandatory title fight with IBF featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich, which is part of Matchroom's huge card on May 30th at the O2. Brook vs Gavin, Mitchell vs. Linares and Selby vs. Gradovich leads a stunning line-up in Greenwich, with Olympic Heavyweight hero Anthony Joshua MBE facing Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson in his toughest test to date in the paid ranks. Tickets are now on general sale for the bumper night of boxing at The O2 with tickets priced £40, £60, £80, £100 and £200 available from www.theO2.co.uk and on 0844 856 0202. The £400 VIP packages are exclusively available through www.matchroomboxing.com