By Alan Dawson: Saturday evening provides British boxing fans with their biggest domestic night of the year. After one of the headline acts provided more ducking than a Whack-a-mole machine that donned the defensive-nous of shoulder-roll happy Floyd Mayweather, promoter Frank Warren worked steadily to bring in adequate replacements. The omission of British Welterweight champion and current number one-ranked Brit Kell Brook will be lamented, yet the coup of hosting Nathan Cleverly’s European shot against Antonio Brancalion should be applauded.
Nathan Cleverly 18-0(8) v Antonio Brancalion 32-7-2(7)
By Nate Anderson: Undefeated light welterweight prospect Frankie Gavin (3-0, 3 KO’s) stopped Graham Fearn (4-3, 1 KO’s) in the 2nd round on Saturday night at the M.E.N. Arena, in Manchester, England. Gavin, 23, dropped Fearn twice in the fight. After the second knockdown, a left-right combination to the head, referee Steve Gray stepped in and halted the bout at 2:25 of the 2nd round.
By William Mackay: 2008 middleweight Gold Medalist for Britain James DeGale (1-0) is looking to put in an impressive performance in his next bout on Friday night against Jindrich Kubin (5-0, 3 KOs) at the Odyssey Arena, in Belfast, Ireland. DeGale, 23, was disappointed with his performance from three months ago in a four round decision over Vepkhia Tchilaia on February 28th, which resulted in DeGale receiving a steady stream of booing from the ringside boxing fans who booed him from the 2nd round until the end of the fight after the 4th.
By Jim Dower: Making his pro debut, former 2007 AB lightweight champion Frankie Gavin (1-0, 1 KOs) stopped Georgian George Kadaria (5-4) in the 4th round of a scheduled four round bout on Saturday night at the National Indoor Arena, in Birmingham, West Midlands. With Kadaria taking severe punishment against the ropes in the 3rd, referee John Keane decided to step in to stop the action at 1:39 of the round to prevent Kadaria from taking any additional punishment.
Negotiations between British heavyweight David Haye and IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko are moving along swiftly according to Haye’s manager Adam Booth. Haye was set to fight Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title, but Vitali will now face his mandatory opponent Juan Carlos Gomez.
DiBella Entertainment is starting 2009 in style with two great world championship matchups, featuring hard-charging WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto making his second title defense versus number-one rated challenger and former WBA world champion Luis Collazo, and budding 154 pound superstar Sergio Martinez taking on undefeated, world-rated contender Joe Greene, for the interim WBC belt, to be seen on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, on Saturday, January 17, from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, MS.