Kell Brook insists he is full focused on beating Matthew Hatton in their War of the Roses clash this Saturday, despite constantly being linked with mega fights against the World’s best.
The Sheffield star headlines the biggest fight of his career at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield live on Sky Sports 1, HD1 and in 3D, and it is a contest that could see the victor emerge with a World title shot.
Brook has been linked with huge showdowns with the likes of Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz, Devon Alexander and of course, Bolton’s Amir Khan, but the 25 year-old says such contests can wait as he prepares to settle the debate on who is the number one welterweight in Britain.
“Matthew is a very dangerous opponent and one that I am full of respect for,” said Brook. “I know that if I take him lightly he will beat me so I have been 100 per cent focussed on him – I’ll let others do the talking about these fights in the future, right now it’s all about Hatton.
“Fights with World champions are what every boxer dreams of and I am no different. But at no point have I taken my eye off the ball during the build up to this fight, even when people have asked me about Khan and the rest.”
Over 9,000 tickets have already been sold for Saturday’s show and promoter Eddie Hearn believes that figure shows the kind of pulling power that The Special One has.
“It’s my job to look beyond this fight for Kell, but I know he certainly won’t be doing that,” said Hearn. “Khan, Ortiz, Berto, Maidana and Alexander are all fights that we want to make this year. We will have 10,000 fight fans in the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield for Brook vs. Hatton, so what sort of numbers do you think a fight with Amir Khan would do?”
Limited tickets for the ‘War of the Roses’ plus a full championship undercard now remain priced £30 and £100 from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk. £40, £60 and £150 VIP tickets have now sold-out.
PAVLIK RETURNS TO ACTION: TICKET ALERT! TOP RANK LIVE HITS ALAMODOME, Saturday, March 31st
FORMER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP
KELLY PAVLIK RETURNS TO ACTION
SA PROSPECTS IVAN NAJERA AND ADAM LOPEZ ON UNDERCARD
SAN ANTONIO, TX (March 12, 2012) Advance tickets are now on sale for TOP RANK LIVE, an evening of world class professional boxing, set for Saturday, March 31st in the Illusions Theater at the Alamodome.
Presented by the newly formed Jesse James Leija/Mike Battah Promotions in association with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated, advance tickets priced at $100 VIP, $50 and $25 are available through Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone, 1-800-745-5000.
“We’re are absolutely thrilled to present our first event to the terrific fans here in San Antonio. My boxing career was always blessed with the outstanding support of the fans and media and I’m excited to get my promotional career kicked off with this action packed card” said former world champion and Texas boxing legend Leija who defeated Azumah Nelson for the world title in July 1998 at the Alamodome.
Featured at TOP RANK LIVE is the return to action of former middleweight champion, Kelly Pavlik. The Youngstown, Ohio native, now being guided by acclaimed trainer Robert Garcia, will take his record of 37-2-0 (32KO’s) into battle against Sarasota, Florida’s Aaron Jaco, 15-2-0 (5KO’s) in a scheduled ten round tilt.
The TOP RANK LIVE telecast on the Azteca America network will feature Tijuana, Mexico’s Alejandro Lopez, 23-3-0 (7KO’s) in a ten round featherweight clash with undefeated Russian prospect Evegeny Gradovich, 12-0-0 (6KO’s).
The 24-year-old Lopez has won eight of his last nine, including a career best victory over then unbeaten Philadelphia prospect Teon Kennedy on August 13, 2011 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The win earned Lopez the NABF Super Featherweight Title.
Only a professional for two years, the 25-year-old Gradovich has looked impressive over his short stint in the paid ranks, most recently winning a decision over Robert Osiobe on February 3rd in Las Vegas.
The opening televised bout will feature junior lightweight Casey Ramos of Austin, Texas facing off against Kansas City’s Gerardo Robles.
In a battle of undefeated prospects, Ramos dominated Joselito Collado, earning a unanimous decision on October 29th in Thackerville, Oklahoma, improving to 15-0-0 (4KO’s) with the win.
Robles, 15-10-0 (7KO’s), has won six of his last seven, the only loss being a hard fought, close decision to unbeaten Cuban prospect Rances Barthelemy on July 29, 2011.
Headlining the undercard at TOP RANK LIVE in separate bouts will be popular San Antonio prospects junior welterweight Ivan Najera, 6-0-0 (5KO’s) and bantamweight Adam Lopez, 1-0-0 (1KO).
Also featured in separate bouts will be Oklahoma’s hard hitting welterweight newcomer Alex Saucedo, 2-0-0 (2KO’s), hotly tipped middleweight prospect Eduardo Alicea, 2-0-0 (2KO’s) from Cleveland along with Los Angeles based junior lightweight Saul Rodriguez, 3-0-0 (3KO’s).
Lightweight Prospect Osnel Charles Returns To Action April 14 at Bally’s in AC
On Saturday, April 14 at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, lightweight prospect Osnel Charles will be stepping between the ropes to go to battle with Christopher Finely.
Charles (9-2, 1 KO) turned pro in 2009, and after winning his debut, he suffered defeats in his following two fights. Rather than becoming dejected and falling off track, Charles regrouped, reanalyzed what he had to do to get on the winning track, and worked hard.
Since his last loss Charles has won eight straight fights, his last earning him the first KO of his career.
The up-and-coming lightweight described the knockout. “After the KO, people said I have power…but I have 11 fights, and only 1 knockout. I don’t think that’s power. I threw the perfect punch. My whole body was into it. I didn’t feel anything when I landed it. I hit the jab, and came over the top with the right hand, and that was it. Earlier in the round I connected with a hard left hook, and I felt that shot, but when I threw the right I didn’t feel anything at all.”
In recent wins Charles has shown that he has developed into a full fighter—he is a very technical boxer with fast hands and precision punching.
In his young career Charles has shown a maturity and ring presence often seen in veterans of the sport, but boxing is still quite new to the lightweight.
Charles first laced up the gloves at the late age of 19, and following an impressive amateur career that led him to the nationals, he turned pro at 24.
“When I was a kid I never even thought about boxing,” said Charles. “I was a nerdy kid, and always had my lunch money stolen. But every day I would sprint a mile and a half from the school to home. Guess that’s how I get my conditioning.”
Throughout his career Charles has ran into issues with fights falling through and fighters ducking him, but rather than becoming complacent and failing off the grid, he stayed focused and ready for when he got the call.
“I’m a gym rat…I stay in the gym 24/7. I keep up my running, and when I’m not training, I study my craft and watch videos of different fighters coming up in my weight class. It’s important to keep my mind occupied and stay busy. It’s on me to not lose focus. I’ve worked hard for this. It all comes down to the more I box the better I get.”
Going forward in 2012 Charles is adamant about staying active and continuing to train hard.
“I signed with Peltz Boxing Promotions; this year is going to be a good year. I want to keep busy. Right now we have another fight lined up in May. After the KO victory last June, a lot of fights fell through, so I am hoping everything going forward works out. I know that a belt is not going to happen overnight, but I will keep doing my job, which is to stay in shape, train and win fights. I let my management handle their part. If someone gave me a chance for a shot at a belt I would take it, but my goal for this year is to keep on winning fights.”
Osnel Charles is a top lightweight prospect with raw and sheer talent and a drive that has continued to propel him through the rankings.
“Lastly I’d like to give a shot out to Peltz Boxing Promotions and all my trainers for working me hard. And to everyone who doesn’t give up on me.”
Tickets priced @ $50 and $75 are on sale at Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922) and all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000). They also can be purchased online at www.peltzboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com.