Tyson Fury’s upset of Wladimir Klitschko encouraged Artur Szpilka to believe he can become the second significant underdog to win a heavyweight title within a short period of time. Szpilka can join England’s Fury as a heavyweight champion if he can conquer Deontay Wilder in their 12-round fight for Wilder’s WBC title Jan. 16 at Barclays Center (Showtime).
Artur Szpilka wasn’t officially announced as Deontay Wilder’s opponent until Dec. 9, meaning there were only 38 days between when Szpilka was named for the Jan. 16 card and when he will step in the ring to challenge for the heavyweight title. But he’s not worried about that affecting his preparation. He was already back in the gym, he said, and there had been talk beforehand that Wilder would be next.
Deontay Wilder’s fight with Artur Szpilka at Barclays Center on Jan. 16 will be the first heavyweight title in Brooklyn in nearly 116 years, dating back to when James Jeffries faced James Corbett in May 1900. Wilder is hoping this bout will be a memorable one.
Deontay Wilder didn’t take any offense to Artur Szpilka’s promise to “kick his ass” on a conference call Wednesday. The 6-foot-7 Wilder just hopes Szpilka attempts to back up his tough talk when they meet Jan. 16 in a scheduled 12-round fight for Wilder’s WBC heavyweight championship at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (Showtime). Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is a 16-1 favorite over Poland’s Szpilka (20-1, 15 KOs), a southpaw who has lost only to Bryant Jennings.
Artur Szpilka thinks he will do something that 35 others have failed to do — beat Deontay Wilder when he challenges the heavyweight titleholder in the main event of a Jan. 16 Showtime broadcast at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Artur Szpilka was only made official last week, on Dec. 9, a mere 38 days before they were to meet in the main event of a Showtime broadcast at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. As of Dec. 16, with a month to go, drug testing hadn’t yet begun. Both men want it to happen, but the fact that it wasn’t yet official led Szpilka to bring up the topic toward the end of a media conference call.
Polish southpaw Artur Szpilka was interviewed by ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood during Friday’s ShoBox telecast as he prepares to challenge undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder on Saturday, Jan. 16 on SHOWTIME. During the interview, Szpilka warned Wilder that he’s coming to take his belt:
BROOKLYN – Undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will make the third defense of his title against brawling Polish contender Artur Szpilka on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT). The 12-round SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event between the power-punching Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Szpilka (20-1, 15 KOs), of Wieliczka, Poland, will be the first heavyweight title fight in Brooklyn since James Jeffries knocked out James Corbett in the 23rd round on May 11, 1900, on Coney Island.
As the search ends for an opponent to face Deontay Wilder, the 2016 boxing schedule finally has its first notable fight. Terms were reached Tuesday evening for Wilder to make the third defense of his World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title versus Artur Szpilka. Word of the two sides reaching an agreement came mere hours after BoxingScene.com learned that Szpilka had reemerged as front runner to land the fight, which takes place January 16th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Deontay Wilder will celebrate his one-year anniversary as a heavyweight titlist the best way a boxer can – in the ring. A dance partner is still being sought for his January 16th headliner at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. That item is expected to be buttoned up in the next day or so, according to reliable sources close to the situation. The frontrunner to land such a fight is Artur Szpilka, who became the most logical choice once Vyacheslav Glazkov was pulled from negotiations in favor of pursuing a now vacant heavyweight belt.