2008 Olympians James DeGale, Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders are mint – and it’s official! The terrific trio will all be presented with a special limited edition medal at the prestigious Birmingham Mint next Wednesday ahead of their professional debuts in the city on Saturday night.

And they will be following in the footsteps of Barack Obama, whose presidential campaign medal was also forged at the 159-year-old establishment.

DeGale, 23, already has one medal – the gold he picked up at the 2008 Olympic Games in China, while Gavin is the 2007 world lightweight champion and Saunders was just 18 when he went to the Beijing Games.

All three will debut at the NIA, Birmingham, on February 28 against tough Eastern European opposition.

“It’s great that the Brimingham Mint is getting behind us like this,” said DeGale.

“May be one day there will be a set of coins brought out to commemorate what the three of us will go on to acheive as professionals!

“I know that we’re all going to become world champions.”

Promoter Frank Warren has confirmed that the Olympians show will be televised live and exclusive on Sky Sports.

Tickets, priced at £30, £50, £100 and £150, are available from:

Ticket Factory
0844 338 8000
www.theticketfactory.com

See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com

Ticket Master
0844 847 2500
www.ticketmaster.com

Ticketline
0871 888 9991
www.ticketline.co.uk

——————————————————————————————————

***FIGHT CARD***

FRANK WARREN PROUDLY PRESENTS
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009
THE NATIONAL INDOOR ARENA, BIRMINGHAM

THE COMMONWEALTH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minutes Rounds
MATT SKELTON (Bedford, England) vs. MARTIN ROGAN (Belfast, Northern Ireland)

THE COMMONWEALTH SUPER-FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 8st 3lb (115lb)
DON BROADHURST (Birmingham, England) vs. ISSAC OWUSU (Accra, Ghana)

THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF ENGLAND
10 X 3 Minute Rounds at 11st 6lb (160lb)
STEVE BENDALL (Coventry, England) vs. DARREN McDERMOTT (Dudley, England)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Middleweight Contest
JAMES DeGALE (Harlesden, London, England) vs. VEPKHIA TCHILAIA (Tblisi, Georgia)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
FRANKIE GAVIN (Birmingham, England) vs. GEORGE KADARIA (Tblisi, Georgia)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Welterweight Contest
BILLY JOE SAUNDERS (Hatfield, England) vs. ATTILA MOLNAR (Hungary)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Featherweight Contest
STEVEN SMITH (Liverpool, England) vs. STEVE GETHIN (walsall, England)

4 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Middleweight Contest
THOMAS COSTELLO (Birmingham, England) vs. MATT SCRIVEN (Nottingham, England)

King Arthur´s sole birthday wish: A unification fight against Pavlik

Undefeated IBF middleweight champion King Arthur Abraham and manager Wilfried Sauerland today admitted their surprise at Jack Loew´s most recent remarks in the press. Kelly Pavlik´s trainer had told reporters that his camp has yet to receive a response from Team Sauerland regarding a potential unification clash – a clash that could take place either in the United States or in Germany. Staging the showdown between the two champions is exactly what Wilfried Sauerland intends to do. In fact, he has been trying to set something up for months. “We were very surprised to read Jack Loew´s comments,” Sauerland said. “He must be living on a different planet. Last spring we have picked up negotiations with Pavlik´s promoters Top Rank. We have also been in constant touch with HBO and Showtime. However, in the last couple of months, Top Rank seemed to have lost their interest in a unification.

“Bob Arum once said that from a sporting perspective Arthur would be Pavlik´s most important opponent but that his fighter also has to think about earning money. Obviously Arum shares the view of many experts who all believe that Pavlik would lose against Arthur.”

Sauerland would be more than happy to finally set up the one fight the boxing world has been waiting for. “We are ready to fight Pavlik at any time and absolutely everywhere. Arthur would even come to his home town. If Pavlik and his people are really interested in coming to Germany, they should let us know officially. We would be more than happy to make an attractive offer.”

It is today that King Arthur turns 29. To celebrate in style, coach Ulli Wegner has granted him – as well as his training partners – a whole day off from practice. The IBF champion will stage a party at Berlin´s famous Ritz-Carlton Hotel at the Potsdamer Platz. “The only reason why I am still fighting at middleweight is Kelly Pavlik,” King Arthur said. “I want his belts and I want to be super champion. My only birthday wish is a unification fight against him.”

Sauerland claimed there was no reason for Pavlik to be afraid of losing his titles. “Arthur will move up to super-middleweight after he has defeated Pavlik,” the manager added. “Pavlik could fight for the vacant titles straight away and win them back.”