HENNESSY SPORTS CONTINUES PARTNERSHIP WITH SECONDS OUT AHEAD OF ZIANI-DILMAGHANI EUROPEAN TITLE SHOWDOWN
Whole undercard to be shown exclusively live on Seconds Out YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfsRBaTUJus
Hennessy Sports are excited to announce the extension of it’s successful partnership with leading boxing digital publisher Seconds Out for this Saturday’s show headlined with the European Super-Featherweight Championship showdown between Samir Ziani and Alex Dilmaghani.
Seconds Out will broadcast the undercard exclusively live on the YouTube channel youtube.com/boxing from 6.30pm starting with Birmingham’s undefeated super-welterweight and Love Island star Idris Virgo, then Sevenoaks unbeaten middleweight prospect Michael Hennessy Jr., followed by the red-hot Irish lightweight talent Stevie McKenna.
The show will take place at the LS Live TV studio in Wakefield with the Ziani-Dilmaghani main event televised exclusively live on free-to-air Channel 5 at 10pm followed by the all-action cruiserweight title contender Isaac Chamberlain. The undercard fights will again all feature in some capacity in the programme.
During fight week, Seconds Out will produce original content for its exclusive Boxing Unlocked series to capture behind the scenes footage of the fighters’ and their camps as they quarantine in the fight hotel.
The content will be available free-to-watch to watch at Seconds Out YouTube channel: youtube.com/boxing
Promoter Mick Hennessy, who brokered the agreement with Seconds Out for his event two weeks ago – headlined by Shakan Pitters against Chad Sugden for the British Light-Heavyweight Championship – is thrilled to continue the partnership.
He said, “I was delighted with the original content produced by the Seconds Out team for the build up to Pitters v Sugden and look forward to them joining us for a great show this Saturday night headlined with Alex’s challenge for the European Super-Featherweight title. The whole undercard featuring Idris, Michael and Stevie can be viewed exclusively live on the Seconds Out YouTube channel and then switch over to the main event live on Channel 5 between Samir and Alex plus Isaac and again an opportunity to see the undercard. For the boxing fan, this is great news as it will guarantee that they will get to see every fight live on the night.”
“As a forward-thinking digital brand, Seconds Out is continually looking to create added value for our viewers,” said SO Director of Content Danny Flexen. “Providing boxing fans with the opportunity to watch an exciting set of fights, live and at no cost, is the latest example of this. We are grateful to Channel 5 and Hennessy Sports for their assistance in giving back to the boxing community in these extraordinary times.”
https://youtu.be/tBf6uwpfaVQ
Stephen’ Hitman’ McKenna will make his UK debut onthe 5th September show, live on free-to-air Channel 5.
Red-hot Irish talent McKenna will feature on the undercard of Alex Dilmaghani’s European Super-Featherweight title challenge against champion Samir Ziani, courtesy of his management team Sheer Sports. His opponent will be Gateshead’s Kris Pilkington in a six-round contest.
The hard-hitting 24-year-old super-lightweight prospect is certainly living up to his Hitman moniker. Undefeated in four fights since turning professional last year, McKenna has won them all by KO inside two rounds, three coming in the first.
From Monaghan in Ireland, McKenna comes from a powerful boxing family of brothers alongside Gary and Aaron, who all represented Ireland at International level winning medals. Now based in Woodhills, California, he is trained by the legendary Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym.
McKenna was a standout amateur produced by the Irish Boxing Association with a career record of 155 fights and only 24 losses. Astonishingly, he won the Irish U/18 youth title, Multi Nation Bronze in Russia, Commonwealth Youth Gold in Samoa, European youth silver in Poland, and was crowned Irish Elite Senior Champion all in the same year.
Before moving to Los Angeles in 2018, McKenna had been training with the Irish Elite team full time at the High-Performance center in Dublin for three years.
Despite only having four fights and less than five rounds of action, McKenna has gained valuable experience sparring with pound-for-pound best Vasily Lomachenko, plus top fighters Sergey Lipinets, Jose Zepeda, Hikari Okada, Antonio Orozco, Javier Molina, Lee Selby, and Ryan Garcia.
McKenna is excited to fight in the UK for the first time as a professional. He said, “The Hitman is ready! I’m looking forward to making my first appearance in the UK with Hennessy Sports. I’m in perfect shape and ready to put on an exciting show. I’m delighted to be fighting on free TV in the UK on Channel 5. It’s a fantastic opportunity for my friends, family, and fans to finally see me in action. This is just the platform I need to build my stock. I can’t wait.”
Sheer Sports V.P Lyle Green, said: “Stevie McKenna is the best, most exciting up and coming fighter in boxing. Thank you to Mick Hennessy for giving Stevie a chance to showcase his world-class talent in front of the entire UK and Ireland on September 5th live on Channel 5. He will not disappoint.”
Hennessy added, “This is a real honor to have this talented young man feature on my September 5th event. I want to thank Sheer Sports for allowing Stevie to fight on the card, and I’m sure he will go down a storm with fans and viewers here.
“I’ve been well aware of Stephen’s quality and credentials for many years due to my close links with the Irish boxing scene and also knowing his family. He is one of the most exciting boxers to emerge from Ireland in recent years.
“I’m thrilled he’s going to fight on my show and what a night it will be with Alex challenging for the European title, Isaac continuing his momentum in the cruiserweight division, the Southern Area Super-Flyweight Championship between Ricky Little and Sammy Cantwell, plus my son Michael will fight Jamie Stewart, and Idris Virgo returns after his stunning one-punch body knockout last Saturday night.”
Presented by Mick Hennessy for Hennessy Sports in association with Ladbrokes, Infinitum, Numan and Everlast, Crayford’s Alex Dilmaghani’s challenge for the European Super-Featherweight Championship against the reigning Champion Samir Ziani from France headlines the card. Brixton cruiserweight title contender Isaac Chamberlain – hot off a third round KO win just under two weeks ago after two years out of the ring – returns to action in an eight-round contest against Wolverhampton’s Matt Sen. Unbeaten Sevenoaks middleweight hot-shot Michael Hennessy Jr. continues on his march towards his first pro title and takes on Stoke-on-Trent’s Jamie Stewart in a six-round contest. One of the world’s hottest emerging young talents, Stevie McKenna from Monaghan, Ireland, based out of California, makes his first pro appearance on UK soil when he takes on Glasgow’s Gary McGuire over six-rounds at lightweight. Birmingham’s undefeated Idris Virgo lit up social media with his sensational one-punch body KO in his last fight and now returns to face Manchester’s Scott Williams at super-welterweight. Finally, Bexleyheath’s Sam Cantwell, son of the former British Flyweight Champion, Mickey, faces Westbrook’s Ricky Leach over six-rounds at super-flyweight.