In one of the most anticipated welterweight contests on the European boxing scene, Craig Watson and Adnan Amar are set to clash on a massive fight card, held on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at The Helix, located on the campus of Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland.
The pair collide as chief support to Rendall Munroe’s European super bantamweight title defense against granite-jawed Italian champion Fabrizio Trotta.
Watson, 13-2 (4), puts his Commonwealth title at risk against top challenger Adnan Amar, 22-1 (6), but much more is at stake in this crucial crossroads battle for both men.
25 year old Amar has been moving through the ranks since turning pro in 2001 but kicked his career into overdrive over the past year, winning four bouts and capturing the English and Midlands Area welterweight titles.
The Nottingham stylist has been most impressive during that streak, gaining three of the six knockouts on his record including a third round stoppage of Canadian middleweight Ian Mackillop.
But Amar will be stepping up to a higher level of competition when he faces Craig Watson, the steel-tough Manchester battler who punched his way into the headlines as an amateur by flooring celebrated rival Amir Khan.
Watson, also 25 years of age, has been thrown into the deep end on more than once occasion since joining the paid ranks just over three and a half years ago but the experience has helped the southpaw develop a bruising, take no prisoners approach that has proven difficult to overcome.
A win over previously undefeated prospect Michael Lomax in July, 2007 was a breakthrough for Watson but it was his shattering upset of heavily favored Ali Nuumbembe a year ago that brought the Mancunian the coveted Commonwealth crown.
After failing in a bid for the European Union belt against highly skilled Italian Daniele Pettruci in Rome, Watson got back on the horse in May with a superb performance against Matthew Hatton to retain the Commonwealth title for the first time
The Commonwealth prize will be up for grabs when the bell rings in Dublin on December 18, but Watson and Amar will also be vying to move up the Continental ladder as the winner will be within striking distance of a top ten post in the European ratings.
Spirits are running high between the two opposing camps and each fighter will carry into the conflict the hopes and dreams of their dedicated followings, ensuring a matchup to remember and a worthy chief support contest to the main event.
Frank Maloney Promotions presents “Out To Conquer The World” headlined by the debut of Irish Olympic Bronze Medallist Darren Sutherland and European Super Bantamweight Champion Rendall Munroe’s title defense against Italian Champion Fabricio Trotta along with full undercard support, on Thursday, December 18, 2008 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland.
Tickets, priced at €50, €60 and €100, are available by logging onto www.frankmaloney.com or by calling the Box Office on 0871 226 1508.
Sky Sports will televise the action live on SS1 starting at 8PM.
WBC Champ Bradley Predicts Next Opponent: Winner of Holt-Torres III On SHOWTIME
World Boxing Council (WBC) 140-pound champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley will get an up close and personal look at his next opponent when he attends the highly anticipated rubber match between World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Kendall “Rated R’’ Holt (24-2, 13 KOs) and Ricardo “Mochuelo’’ Torres (32-2, 28 KOs) in the final chapter of a thrilling trilogy on Saturday, Dec. 13, live on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
Bradley (23-0, 11 KOs), who made his first successful title defense on Sept. 13 on SHOWTIME with a unanimous decision over Edner Cherry, will face the winner and WBO champion in a unification bout in 2009.
One of the division’s brightest young stars, the 25-year-old Bradley will join SHOWTIME commentator Al Bernstein during the telecast for an exclusive interview where he will discuss his upcoming fight with the winner.
“I’m hoping Holt-Torres III is as exciting and explosive as their second fight so it will bring more anticipation to our mega-fight,” Bradley said. “It doesn’t matter who wins because I can outbox Torres and I can fight Holt.
“I’ll be ready to fight either of them to unify the belts. I just hope there’s no controversy so I can fight the decisive winner.”
The Palm Springs, Calif., native has had a meteoric rise to the top of the 140-pound division in 2008. Bradley defeated Junior Witter in England on May 10, 2008, to capture the title, In what may be the “Upset of the Year.” He went on to defend it just four months later against Cherry. The unification bout against Holt or Torres would be the biggest fight of his career.
“Whoever I fight, you will see the best in the division,” Bradley said. “I think that Torres’ style against me would be pretty electric for the viewers, but Holt would be really exciting too. It’d be nice to see what I could do against a taller opponent (Holt).
“I’m pretty sure Holt wouldn’t stand there and bang with me, but we’ll see.”
Bradley doesn’t care who he faces in the upcoming unification bout, and he isn’t scared to make a prediction as to who will win.
“I’m going with Holt, but he won’t try and slug it out like they did in the second fight,” Bradley said. “He will definitely try to outbox Torres.
“I think Torres will come out aggressive, but he’ll use his jab a little more. He’ll push the pace and won’t be as reckless, but, in the end it will be Holt.”
Tickets are now on sale for the event, which is promoted by Top Rank, Inc., for Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. Tickets at $200, $100 and $50 are available on www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-736-1420, or at any Ticketmaster outlet nationwide. Tickets can also be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office. The box office is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. (event day hours are subject to change).
In the co-feature, undefeated prospect Yuri Foreman (26-0, 8 KOs) will face once-beaten James Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.
Nick Charles will call the action from ringside with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst and Bernstein serving as ringside reporter. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing. ShoBox recently celebrated seven outstanding years on the air.
For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://sports.sho.com.
BOXING CHAMPION “SUGAR” SHANE MOSLEY SIGNS WITH EAG SPORTS MANAGEMENT
Los Angeles, CA, December 3, 2008—EAG Sports Management announced today that World Champion Boxer “Sugar” Shane Mosley has signed with EAG to handle publicity and marketing.
“Sugar” Shane Mosley has an overall record of 45-5-1 including an impressive 38 knockouts, never suffering a knockout over his 15 year career. Mosley is the only boxer to defeat fellow Golden Boy fighter Oscar De La Hoya, twice. His most recent victory came over Richard Mayorga September 27, 2008 in Carson, CA. His next fight is scheduled January 24, 2008 against current WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito in Las Vegas.
“I am excited to work with Denise White and EAG to maximize my exposure outside of the boxing world. They have a tremendous reputation and their experience in entertainment is invaluable. I look forward to continue this partnership for years to come,” said Mosley.
EAG Sports Management is a Los Angeles based sports publicity, marketing and management firm that handles high-profile celebrity athletes and counts Tony Gonzalez, three-time Super Bowl Champion Willie McGinest, Bob Sanders, and Antonio Gates among its clients.
For more information please visit www.eagsportmanagement.com