Tickets for the IBF World Heavyweight title blockbuster between champion Charles Martin and Olympic gold medal sensation Anthony Joshua MBE sold-out in just 90 seconds on Friday ahead of their clash at The O2 in London on April 9, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Martin travels to England for the first defence of the title that he landed in Brooklyn in January against Vyacheslav Glazkov, and the California-based St Louis powerhouse has told Joshua that he’ll knock him out to retain his title – and take his fans in the process.
“I’m strong and I’ll be ready to KO him and win over his fans,” said Martin. “The boxing scene here is booming and I want to be a part of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6guL5-bJcw
“It’s just business – and I’ll show on the night that I mean business. I will return to the UK in April in phenomenal shape, ready for battle. He’s a pretty specimen and those muscles are fine and dandy, but when he gets tired, I get stronger, when he starts to go downhill. There’s no fear in me. I’ve been walking this earth for 29 years now, I am afraid of no man. I want what he’s got – the praise, the attention and the fans – plain and simple.”
Martin brings 21 KOs from his 23 wins to the Greenwich venue that Joshua has turned into his hometown fortress. The London 2012 Super-Heavyweight king as recorded six of his 15 KO wins at the arena, with the latest in December against Dillian Whyte – but Martin says that fight, and his own win over Glazkov, has no bearing on April’s showdown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGKvlTO9PI4
“People say you are only as good as your last fight, but that’s in the past,” said Martin. “When he’s in there with me I’m going to keep my eyes on him, stay sharp – it’s not him and Dillian Whyte, it’s him and Charles Martin, I’m going to study him in my camp and I’ll keep my eyes on him until the job is done.”
Tickets for April 9 are also available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing.
William Hill To Sponsor Martin vs Joshua
Matchroom Boxing is delighted to announce that IBF World Heavyweight showdown between Charles ‘Prince’ Martin and Anthony Joshua MBE will be sponsored by the UK’s leading bookmaker William Hill.
The eagerly anticipated bout between the two unbeaten fighters will take place on the 9th April at the O2 Arena in London. The fight, which is expected to be one of the biggest boxing bouts on British soil in recent times, will also be screened on Live Sky Sport Box Office.
Martin will be making the first defence of the IBF title that he won by TKO against Vyacheslav Glazkov in January. The 29 year old has an unbeaten record of 23-1-0 with 21 wins by KO. The self-styled ‘Prince’ speaking on Sky Sports News this week said “I don’t talk, man. I let these talk,’ he said, holding up his clenched fists. ‘I let these talk for me. No doubts, see you April 9. I will win. I will knock him out. It won’t go 12 rounds, heavyweights aren’t supposed to go 12 rounds.”
Joshua, the 2012 Olympic Champion, will be looking to extend his unblemished 15-0 record (15 KO’s) en-route to winning his first world title. Joshua, who is the 1/7 favourite to win the fight with the card sponsor William Hill, is excited about the world title opportunity said “It’s so soon but when the opportunity presented itself it was something we had to look at, as Charles Martin called me out, When I go out to fight I go out to fight, I go out to knock people out and that’s the same with all my opponents, that’s why they’ve always been entertaining.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYqJ4LWmYQI
Alex O’Shaughnessy, Chief Marketing Officer at William Hill said, “Martin v. Joshua is going to be one of the biggest sporting events this spring and we’re thrilled to be associated with it.
Anthony Joshua is big box office in this neck of the woods and we’re expecting to see the TV viewing figures and ticket sales records smashed for this fight. AJ is a big favourite with us to claim the world title but the odds will probably be more pro-Martin different on the other side of the pond.”
Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport, said “Martin v Joshua is going to be a mega heavyweight title showdown and we’re delighted to have a real heavyweight global brand like William Hill on board. I think it’s 50/50 fight. I normally agree with the bookies odds – but I think this fight will be a lot closer than William Hill have it.”
**William Hill will be sponsoring an Anthony Joshua bout for the second time following their association with the ‘Bad Intentions’ card at the O2 in December. The firm also announced last week they will be sponsoring next Saturday’s World Super-Bantamweight unification clash between Carl Frampton MBE and Scott Quigg which is co-promoted by Cyclone Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.
LATEST IBF WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT ODDS FROM WILLIAM HILL
Bout odds: (William Hill bet) 1/7 Anthony Joshua, 9/2 Charles Martin, 33/1 Draw
Round betting: Joshua: 8/1 Round 1, 7/1 Round 2, 7/1 Round 3, 7/1 Round 4, 8/1 Round 5, 10/1 Round 6, 12/1 Round 7, 14/1 Round 8, 20/1 Round 9, 22/1 Round 10, 28/1 Round 11, 40/1 Round 12,
Round betting: Martin: 33/1 Round 1, 28/1 Round 2, 28/1 Round 3, 28/1 Round 4, 33/1 Round 5, 40/1 Round 6, 40/1 Round 7, 40/1 Round 8, 50/1 Round 9, 66/1 Round 10, 80/1 Round 11, 100/1 Round 12,
On points: 4/1 Joshua, 14/1 Martin
2/7 Joshua by KO, TKO, DQ
13/2 Martin by KO, TKO, DQ
Anthony Joshua a red-hot 1/7 favourite to beat Prince Charles
William Hill, the UK’s leading bookmakers, have released their odds for the highly anticipated IBF world title fight between Anthony Joshua and Charles Martin.
The bookies make Anthony Joshua, the challenger, their 1/7 favourite to win the fight. Charles Martin, who beat Vyacheslav Glazkov to win the world title in his last fight, is rated a 9/2 shot to defend his belt – with the draw is available at 33/1.
“Fighting for the Heavyweight World title has been a dream of mine since I turned professional,” said Joshua. “I feel privileged to have the opportunity to turn that dream in to reality. Not only that, having the chance to fight for it in my home town at The O2 and live on Sky Sports is unbelievably exciting. Charles Martin is a great fighter and a hungry competitor so I am going to have to produce the performance of my career to claim that belt.”
Charles Martin speaking “I’m World Champion, so that doesn’t mean just sit back and make easy defences in the US, it means facing the biggest challenges out there. I respect Anthony Joshua and everything he has accomplished, but on April 9 he’s getting knocked out.”
“Anthony Joshua has long been built up as a future world champion – now he’s got his chance to live up to the hype,” said William Hill spokesman Tony Kenny, “AJ is our red-hot favourite to claim the title but ‘Prince’ Charles Martin has knocked out 21 of his 24 previous opponents and shouldn’t be underestimated.”
Latest bout odds: (William Hill bet) 1/7 Anthony Joshua, 9/2 Charles Martin, 33/1 Draw
Round betting: Joshua: 8/1 Round 1, 7/1 Round 2, 7/1 Round 3, 7/1 Round 4, 8/1 Round 5, 10/1 Round 6, 12/1 Round 7, 14/1 Round 8, 20/1 Round 9, 22/1 Round 10, 28/1 Round 11, 40/1 Round 12,
Round betting: Martin: 33/1 Round 1, 28/1 Round 2, 28/1 Round 3, 28/1 Round 4, 33/1 Round 5, 40/1 Round 6, 40/1 Round 7, 40/1 Round 8, 50/1 Round 9, 66/1 Round 10, 80/1 Round 11, 100/1 Round 12,
On points: 4/1 Joshua, 14/1 Martin
