UPDATE: Due to medical reasons, Braian Suarez is unable to compete against Lyndon Arthur in Bolton, leading to an opponent change at the last minute. Boris Crighton, a former sparring partner of Arthur’s, has stepped in and warned him that the fight won’t be easy. Arthur was originally scheduled to challenge Suarez for the IBO light heavyweight title, but with his withdrawal, Crighton plans to capitalize on his knowledge of Arthur’s weaknesses from their past sparring sessions. Despite this, Arthur maintains his confidence in his skills to defeat Crighton in their upcoming 12-round match.
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Lyndon Arthur vs Braian Suarez, for the IBO World Light Heavyweight Title is live and free-to-air on Channel 5 at 10pm on Friday, March 24.
Manchester hero Lyndon Arthur said: “Suarez is a good fighter who has good power and I’m excited to see what he brings.
“My focus is only on Suarez and winning the IBO title. After Friday night, I will speak about those other fights that have been mentioned.”
Wasserman Head of Global Boxing, Kalle Sauerland said: “The light heavyweight division is a talking point in this country and there are some massive fights out there, internationally.
“And on Friday night, the King of the North, Lyndon Arthur, can put himself above Buatsi, above Yarde, above Azeez by winning the IBO world title. Those fights can come, and they will come.
“But it is a tough mission in front of Lyndon on Friday night. Suarez has close to a 90% knockout ratio and I don’t think the judges will be needed. I am confident in our man. He has been overlooked but on Friday night, Lyndon will have more viewers than Yarde, Buatsi and Azeez did in their last two fights, put together.
“And no-one else in the UK light heavyweight division will have one of these world titles, if we are successful. A win puts us ahead in the race. Yarde put in a strong performance against Beterbiev but, at the end of the day, he was still well short.”
Manchester hero Anthony Crolla is backing Lyndon Arthur to win the IBO world title and set the stage for a series of mouth-watering light heavyweight showdowns.
Arthur takes on Argentina’s explosive Braian Nahuel Suarez at the University of Bolton Stadium, on Friday, live and free-to-air on Channel 5 from 10pm, in association with Ladbrokes, Numan and Infinitium Entertainment.
ARTHUR VS. CRIGHTON START TIME
- Date: Friday, March 24
- Start time: 2:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. GMT
- Viewers in the UK can watch the fight live on Channel 5
- The fight will take place at the Bolton White Hotel, Bolton, United Kingdom.
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 6:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 p.m. GMT
- The main card is set to get underway at 2:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. GMT with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 p.m. GMT.
Crolla picked up the mantle left by the legendary Ricky Hatton to become a much-loved world champion from the proud fighting city and flag bearer for boxing in Manchester – and he now believes it’s ‘King’ Arthur’s time to step into the spotlight.
Arthur, a product of the famous Collyhurst and Moston ABC, has been told by Crolla to seize his IBO world title chance this week and then use the belt to bring some of the UK’s leading 175 lbs fighters to the negotiating table.
“Some unbelievably big names in boxing have held an IBO belt – Klitshcko and Golovkin to name just two – and Lyndon having the light heavyweight title acts as a bargaining tool to land those really big fights. That’s why Friday night is such a huge opportunity,” said Crolla, the former WBA lightweight king.
“Light heavyweight is one of the best divisions we have domestically, if not the best. There are five or six fighters in this country who are world class and Lyndon can claim to be among them. He has that ability and holds that win over Anthony Yarde. Lyndon has world class ability but it is now about proving it on Friday night, and a win will put him right in the picture for some huge fights.”
Crolla, like the brilliant ‘Hitman’ Hatton before him, etched his name into British boxing folklore by headlining a number of emotionally charged nights at the Manchester Arena.
And ‘Million Dollar’ has thrown his weight behind Arthur being the man to deliver the next series of must-see fights in his home city.
“Lyndon can absolutely deliver massive nights of boxing to Manchester,” he said.
“I like how Wasserman are building him again, keeping it local in a great venue at Bolton – I love it there – but with the plan that, one day soon, he can go to the Manchester Arena. He’s got the talent and the IBO belt will be a bargaining tool to land those big Arena fights.”
ARTHUR VS. CRIGHTON CARD
- Kane Gardner vs. Conah Walker; Light middleweight
- Chloe Watson vs. Carolina Ornella Ferrari; Women’s flyweight
- James Moorcroft vs. Nathan Bennett; Welterweight
- Sultan Zaurbek vs. Facundo Acre; Super featherweight
- Denis Radovan vs. Fouad El Massoudi; Middleweight
- Katharina Thanderz vs. Ioana Fecioru; Women’s super featherweight
- Nial Brown vs. Bahadur Karami; Middleweight
- Bobby Faulker vs. TBA; Welterweight
- Alex Murphy vs. TBA; Lightweight
- Ashley Marron vs. Daryl Pearce; Welterweight
- Oliver Zaren vs. Frane Radnic; Middleweight