Tyson Fury and Sam Sexton finally came face to face in Norwich yesterday but a heavyweight showdown between the two still doesn’t seem to be any closer to reality. Fury was in Sexton’s hometown for a press conference ahead of his fight with Daniel Peret at the Norfolk Showground on Saturday night.
Fury’s third pro fight is part of the undercard to Jon Thaxton’s first defence of his European Lightweight title on a Hennessy Sports show, which is being broadcast live on ITV4. While it will be Peret in the opposite corner on Saturday night Fury was hoping that Sexton would have accepted his challenge to step in the ring with him.
“At least he turned up to the press conference,” said Fury. “I thought I was going to have to go knocking on doors in Norwich to find him. Although now that he’s met me in the flesh I suppose it’s even more unlikely he’ll want to get in the ring with me. I looked him straight in the eye yesterday and I could see that he didn’t want to know but I’m ready, willing and able whenever he wants to get it on.
“Probably the whole of Norwich is asking him when is he going to shut this Tyson Fury lad up but Sexton’s just like the rest of the British heavyweights out there, they don’t want anything to do with me.
“If I’ve got such a big mouth you’d imagine that there would be a queue of people outside my door looking to shut me up but no ones stepped forward. In the meantime I’ll just look to keep knocking over whoever Mick Hennessy puts in front of me and look to build towards a British title fight.”
Fury’s clash with Peret on Saturday night is a special attraction on the undercard of Jon Thaxton’s European Lightweight title defence against French Champion Anthony Mezzache.
The exciting undercard also features Norwich’s Danny McIntosh defending his English Light Heavyweight title against Matthew Barney with Matthew Thirlwall, Steve O’Meara, Lee Purdy and Earl Ling all on the card. The show also sees the pro debut of 2008 ABA Champion Bradley Evans. The Royston featherweight came away from last years ABA’s with the best boxer of the night trophy and is tipped to be a big star in the pro game.
Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
Murray on Thaxton scouting mission in Norwich
British Lightweight champion John Murray will be at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich tomorrow night to keep a close eye on European champ, Jon Thaxton as he makes the first defence of his title against Anthony Mezzache.
Murray will be providing expert analysis for ITV4 who are broadcasting the Hennessy Sports show live from 7:45pm and he will have a keen interest in the main event as local hero Thaxton looks to see off the challenge of French champ, Mezzache.
Thaxton was behind the microphone himself last month as Murray made an impressive first defence of his British title against Lee McAllister. Now Murray will return the favour tomorrow night with the European number two clearly fancying a shot at Thaxton.
“That would be a great fight if it happens,” said Thaxton. “I’ve lot of respect for John, he’s a great young fighter and he was very impressive last month. I’ve no problem with that fight, I’ll carry on defending my European title against whoever is put in front of me be it John Murray or anyone else. At the end of my career nobody will be able to say Jon Thaxton ducked anyone so if Mick Hennessy can line that fight up then we’ll get it on.”
First though Thaxton has to get past Mezzache and while he’s confident he admits that it will be no easy task. “I’ve done my homework on him and he’s a very tough, durable guy. He’s a former world kick boxing champ as well and he has quite an awkward, elusive style so it might take me a little while to get to him so I’ll have to be patient.”
The undercard to Thaxton – Mezzache features heavyweight sensation, Tyson Fury and Norwich’s Danny McIntosh defending his English Light Heavyweight title against Matthew Barney. Also in action are Matthew Thirlwall, Steve O’Meara, Lee Purdy and Earl Ling with 2008 ABA champion Bradley Evans making his pro debut.
Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk.
HBO SPORTS’ DIGITAL SERIES RING LIFE TO FEATURE JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDER JAMES KIRKLAND
– Series featured on HBO.com, HBO Mobile
HBO’s YouTube Channel and Apple’s iTunes
On the upcoming installment of the HBO Sports digital series Ring Life, fast-rising junior middleweight prospect James Kirkland will be showcased beginning Monday, Mar. 2 on all the new media platforms that distribute the series.
At 24, Texas native James Kirkland is quickly showing the boxing world that he’s a force to be reckoned with. With the help of his trainer, former two-division female world champion, Ann Wolfe, Kirkland has amassed an unblemished professional record of 24-0 (21 KOs) and now has his eyes squarely set on the title belts of the junior middleweight division.
Intimate, honest and compelling, Ring Life, narrated by Jim Lampley, the accomplished host for HBO’s World Championship Boxing, chronicles the lives of up-and-coming and inspirational fighters as they define the spirit of boxing; balancing jobs, family life, training, expectations and the pursuit of their dreams. Front and center in these fighters’ lives, Ring Life presents a three-part story arc on each fighter that delves inside their hearts and minds to discover what drives them in the ring and beyond, in the ultra competitive sport of professional boxing.
Ring Life is available across HBO digital media platforms including HBO.com (http://www.hbo.com/ringlife/), HBO Mobile, HBO’s YouTube Channel, and as free podcasts via Apple’s iTunes Music Store. Ring Life is also offered on HBO On Demand to subscribers 24 hours a day.
James Kirkland is scheduled to fight on the March 7th edition of HBO’s Boxing After Dark tripleheader from San Jose, CA as he meets hard-punching junior middleweight Joel Julio of Columbia in a highly anticipated showdown.