Preview: Hatton vs Pacquiao

Well, it’s finally here. The biggest fight of the year. Perhaps the biggest fight for years.

Britain’s Ricky Hatton takes on the pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Saturday night in what could be one of the sport’s greatest spectacles ever.

Hatton, who will be sporting a new tattoo for the fight (right), goes into the fight as the underdog but this really is too close to call.

With both fighters having remarkably similar styles will Hatton’s extra power or Pacquiao’s extra speed be the deciding factor?

Both fighter possess exceptional records, Hatton, with 45 – 1 – 0 and 32 knockouts, whilst Pacquiao comes in with 48 – 3 – 2 and 36 wins by knockout.

Everything suggests this will be an explosive night with two of the best fighters in the world going toe to toe.

As for who will win, on paper Pacquiao is the better boxer, but the fight is taking place at the ten stone limit, one which Hatton has never lost at.

My heart says the Hitman but my head says Pacman, what do you think? Leave your thoughts below.

Prediction: Pacquiao win by KO

Preview: Khan vs Barrera

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After 20 fights and almost four years as a professional, Amir Khan will finally face a world class opponent on Saturday and what an opponent it is…

The 22 year old will face Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera, the man that ended Naseem Hamed’s career almost eight years ago.

For Khan it will be a chance to finally prove his critics wrong and put the knockout defeat to Breidis Prescott last year to rest.

The stage for this potentially career changing bout will be the MEN Arena in Manchester and a bumper audience is expected.

Promoter Frank Warren is trying to make it a WBO lightweight eliminator, but you have to wonder why Barrera has taken this fight, at the age of 35, what has he got to gain?

But this could be one of the fights of the year and may well see Khan finally thrust onto the same stage with the likes of Diaz, Marquez and Casamayor.

Prediction: Khan win by KO

Also on the bill will be Enzo Maccarinelli carrying on his bid to reclaim the WBO Cruiserweight title, and in Birmingham, young Heavyweight Tyson Fury will have his fourth professional fight with Lee Swaby.

Preview: Moore vs Piccirillo

 

British Light Middleweight Jamie Moore will have the biggest fight of his career tonight when he meets veteran Michele Piccirillo for the vacant European belt.

Moore has been waiting more than three years for tonight after a series of injuries and promotion disagreements.

The 30 year old Salford fighter faces a tough challenge in former Welterweight king Michele Piccirillo at the Robin Park centre in Wigan.

The 39 year old Italian has a superb 50 – 4 – 0 record with 29 knockouts, but Moore’s 30 – 3 – 0 speaks for itself and he is desperate to get himself on the road for a world title shot, so everything points to a close match-up tonight.

You can see the match live on Sky Sports 2 tonight with coverage starting at 10pm.

Prediction: Moore win on pts

Preview: Saturday night boxing fest!

This Saturday will be one of the most anticipated British fight nights of the year.

With two Commonwealth titles and one European belt on the line, as well as three of our British Olympians making their professional debuts.

Jon Thaxton vs. Anthony Mezaache

The action kicks off on ITV4 at 7.45 pm with Jon Thaxton defending his European Lightweight title for the first time in front of his home fans at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich.

His opponent is Frenchman Anthony Mezaache and with a record of 10 – 5 – 1 i can only see one outcome here, an easy first defence for Thaxton.

Also on this bill look out for 6ft 7 Heavyweight Tyson Fury, who’s frst two professional bouts ended within three rounds.

Prediction: Thaxton win by KO

Matt Skelton vs. Martin Rogan

Over on Sky Sports 1 from 10pm, the action will be coming from the NIA, Birmingham, where a top bill will feature Commonwealth Heavyweight champ Matt Skelton defending his belt against Prizefighter winner Martin Rogan.

Despite Rogan showing his class against Audley Harrison last year, Skelton has a lot more in his locker, and will probably edge a points decision.

Prediction: Skelton win on pts

Don Broadhurst vs. Isaac Owusu

As mentioned in our ‘One to watch’ feature, youngster Don Broadhurst make the defence of his Commonwealth title against novice Ghanaian Isaac Owusu, who shouldn’t provide much of a test.

Broadhurst will be hoping to put on quite a show in front of a big audience as he continues his journey through the ranks.

Prediction: Broadhurst win by KO

The Olympians

Sky Sports will also see the professional debuts of part of the successful British Olympic boxing team.

With all the hype surrounding gold medal winner James DeGale, he’ll be hoping for an explosive entrance to the professional scene and probably go all out for the knockout against Georgian Vepkhia Tchilaia.

As for Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders it will probably be a similar story with both of them picking up easy wins.

Preview: Jennings vs Cotto

British Welterweight Michael Jennings will have need to have the fight of his life come Saturday as he meets Miguel Cotto in Madison Square Garden for the vacant WBO title.

The Puerto Rican has a formiddable record, with the scalps of Shane Mosley, Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi in his 32 wins, 25 of them coming by knockout.

Bookies have Jennings as a 10/1 shot coming into the fight, but with a record of 34 – 1 – 0 Cotto should not take him lightly.

However, even the Chorey fighter’s own trainer, Brian Hughes, has said Saturday night will be as tough as “climbing Mount Everest blindfolded”.

But as the biggest fight of his career, Jennings doesn’t need any more motivation to pull off an upset in what could be a chance to propel him up the world rankings.

Prediction: Cotto win by KO

The fight was due to be shown live on Setanta, but after a dispute over the rights this has been thrown into doubt, keep checking back to see if the issue gets resolved!

Update: Pleased to announce the fight will now be shown on Setanta Sports 2 along with the Pavlick vs Rubio fight, coverage starts at 2am so set your alarms!

Prizefighter is back!

It seems like every couple of months a new Prizefighter tournament is held, and the ever popular series returns on Friday with the light heavyweights having their turn.

Back again at York Hall in Bethnal Green, eight more fighters will try their luck at the fast and furious pace of Barry Hearn’s showcase event, which will be shown live on SkySports 1 from 9pm.

The draw for the fifth tournament in the series will see hotly tipped pair Tony Oakey and Billy Boyle meet in the first round, whilst bookie’s favourite Courtney Fry will fight rank outsider Shon Davies.

As usual the winner of the night could be a bit of a lottery, with just three rounds per fight the favourite for each of the previous four tournaments has failed to win overall.

Will Friday be a similar story?

The draw:

Quarter Finals:

1. Courtney Fry v Shon Davies
2. Tony Oakey v Billy Boyle
3. Bob Ajisafe v Carl Dilks
4. Darren Stubbs v Steve Spartacus

Semi-finals
5. Fry or Davies v Oakey or Boyle
6. Ajisafe or Dilks v Stubbs or Spartacus

Final
Winner of fight 5 v winner of fight 6

To find out more about the Prizefighter Series vist theprizefighterseries.com

Preview: Woods vs Muriqi

Tonight could see the end of Clinton Woods’ fourteen year professional career after declaring he would hang up his gloves if he loses this world title eliminator.

He faces 29-year-old Albanian Elvir Muriqi tonight at Hotel de France in St. Hellier, who has a record of 35 wins from 39 fights, but also lost to the man who took Woods’ IBF title off him last year, Antonio Tarver.

You can’t help but feel this fight will be slightly underwhelming, if not slightly pointless, as Tarver has beaten them both and beat them with ease.

Now that Joe Calzaghe has announced his retirement though, everyone has a good shot at a world title, but with names like Jones Jr, Hopkins and Tarver ahead of Woods, you have to wonder whether he has the class to get past any of these boxing greats.

Unfortunately the fight isn’t being screened in the UK but you can listen to it via radio Sheffield on the BBC website with coverage starting at around 10.30 pm

Prediction: Woods win on points