Posts Tagged ‘Boxing news’

Six Wins Out Of Six For TRAD TKO

TRAD TKO BOXING GYM

By Rio

London - Monday, 10th September 2012

Six Wins Out Of Six For TRAD TKO, Plus Two New Champions

The new season has started with a bang for the fighters from the famous TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town. Besides their fighters winning all six bouts two of the young guns also secured Championship titles.

The weekend got off to a first class start, at the BoxNation broadcast Francis and George Warren’s Queensberry promotions ‘BoxAcademy’ at York Hall on Friday. First on the card was Mark Tibbs trained Super Flyweight Charlie Hoy out pointed Anwar Alfadli by a 40-37 points margin. This was followed up with a great points win for another Mark Tibbs trained young gun, when Middleweight Tom Bake secured his third win, by a 40-36 points margin over Joe Walsh.

The final TRAD TKO fighter, Johnny Eames trained Ian Bailey, came in as the clear bookies underdog in the battle for the Southern Area Featherweight title, against previously unbeaten Lewis Pettitt.

One thing that you can be sure of is that don’t ever right off a TRAD TKO fighter, especially not a battler such as young Ian.

The first four or five rounds almost certainly went the way of Pettitt but from then on it was Bailey all the way. The diminutive battler stepped up a gear, dominating the action right through to the two minute, twenty five second point of the ninth round, when referee Bob Williams stepped in to save Pettitt further punishment.

TRAD TKO supremo and if there’s any justice in this World a future Hall of Famer, Johnny Eames gave his view of the night’s performance. “Yeah, what a great weekend for the TRAD TKO gym and all it’s fighters, whether they are trained by myself, or Jimmy Tibbs, Mark Tibbs, Bryan Lawrence, Barry Smith, Alec Wilkey, Derek Grainger or Mo Hussain, they’re all out of the same camp.

What a great start to the season for us all, it all started on Friday evening at York Hall at the Queensberry show, promoted by Francis and George Warren.

A great start to the night for the TRAD TKO Gym trained fighters, with Charlie Hoy, a great win for him, looked really good in doing it, I thought he was going to stop the kid at one time, but he didn’t, instead winning it clearly on points.

Young Tom Baker was next, another great win, fantastic win, he boxed really well.

Then of course for me, the performance of the whole weekend, out of all the boys, was young Ian Bailey, who clearly wasn’t given a chance, by anybody, to beat young Lewis Pettitt.

But what we do good up here is upset the form book, and we did it again. Ian Bailey pulled his nuts out and broke Lewis Pettitt’s heart. In the end Lewis just run out of ideas, he just didn’t know what to do, other than get backed up onto the ropes.

Young Ian was like a prowling dog, for want of a better word, young Ian, he was waiting for his moment and that moment finally arrived in the ninth round and boy did he go to work. Young Lewis just didn’t have an answer, but I don’t want to take anything away from Lewis Pettitt as he put in a fantastic performance and rightly so the two boys got the extra thousand pound each for the best fight of the night.

I can’t say, I can’t put into words, how pleased I am for young Ian Bailey. He’s been all around the country, fighting all the top prospects at four of five days notice. Some of them he should have got the decision, he never did.

We don’t cry over spilt milk here, Ian just gets on with it and comes back to the gym and just carries on. He so deserves to be a champion, hopefully his career turns the corner now.

I’ve already had to very good offers for him to fight, but in my opinion it’s a little bit too soon, after a fight like that, but promoters please keep asking as Ian will fight your boys, he’ll fight anybody at Super Bantam or Featherweight, he don’t care.”

With a nice little cache of three fights, three wins, plus a Southern Area strap, the TRAD TKO crew then headed across town to Alexandra Palace where three more of their young guns were ready for action at Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport promoted ‘London Calling’ event on Saturday night.

First of the youngsters in action on Saturday was the Bryan Lawrence managed and trained rising Cruiserweight star Wadi ‘Machoman’ Camacho, against fellow unbeaten prospect Andy Ingram.

Camacho, who bears an uncanny resemblance to David Haye, showcased his fully stocked arsenal as he tore the Long Eaton based visitor to pieces, until the referee stepped in at the two minute and forty one second mark, of the second round, to save Ingram from further punishment.

Four up and two to go, the big one, with sensational Erick ‘The Eagle’ Ochieng defending his English Light Middleweight Crown, against super tough Ryan Toms.

To describe Ochieng’s performance as awesome is an understatement, Toms has a fearsome knockout reputation, yet it was the 25 year old from Stoke Newington that was busy inflicting serious damage to his opponent, so much so that the highly durable Toms challenge was bought to an end at the two minute and thirty seven second mark of the fifth round.

After this performance it is clear that ‘The Eagle’ is ready to fly to a higher level, so expect a British or Commonwealth title challenge in the very near future.

The final fight of the night see the Alec Wilkey trained Danny Connor, who like Ian Bailey the night before came in as clear underdog in his challenge to unbeaten Chris Evangelou. Just as with Bailey, Connor wasn’t fazed by his underdog status one iota.

Each time Evangelou came at him with a single of double handed attack, Connor responded with an equally vicious six, seven or eight strong flurry of punches to push his unbeaten opponent back.

After ten scintillatingly close rounds, the smart money seemed to favour a win for the Matchroom Sport house fighter Evangelou, but that was not to be as when referee Ken Curtis’ scorecard was read out, it showed a tidy 98-94 points victory in favour of Connor.

The straight talking Johnny Eames gave his view on the Saturday show, as well as the comments made by the Sky Sports’ commentary team during the broadcast of the Connor-Evangelou bout.

“Ok, we get on to Saturday night, the big, big Matchroom show with top of the bill Tony Bellew.

First up was Bryan Lawrence trained Wadi Camacho, going in against an unbeaten fighter, someone had to lose their ‘O’, it wasn’t Wadi as he done a great job, Yeah Buddy stopped him.

We then had our second title up from the gym, which was Erick ‘The Eagle’ Ochieng who was fighting Ryan Toms.

Ryan’s a proven warrior, he can punch a little bit, but Erick overcome the early pressure and pulled a win off in the fifth with a great body shot. I’m sure Ryan’s got really sore ribs this morning, I thought that was a fantastic body shot.

Finally there was our Danny Connor, who again was against an unbeaten fighter in Chris Evangelou.

There’s been a big thing being made about Evangelou and him training in Mayweather’s gym, spending loads of money training in Vegas and that.

It goes to show you that the TRAD TKO gym is better than training in Vegas. There was only one winner and that was Danny Connor. I’m not taking anything away from Chris, but in future save your dad’s money and come and train with us.

On a similar vane, what on earth were the Sky pundits watching I just haven’t got a clue, it wasn’t the fight we were watching that’s for sure.

You can’t win a round with just four or five big hooks when the other kids hitting you twelve or fourteen or fifteen times. I think the computer scoring was wrong too, on punches landed as that was showing it as pretty close as well.

For me these pundits have got to stop getting on the back of the ticket selling house fighter. To me I see the fight how it is Danny clearly won the fight. There’s talk of a rematch, well if I have anything to do with it there wont be a rematch right away as I feel Danny deserves to enjoy his title and why should he be thrown straight back into something where he is going to get robbed. Danny is the Champion and it’s his call.”

Now, I know said six out of six, plus two new titles for the TRAD TKO crew, but three and half thousand miles away, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey another TRAD TKO associated fighter, former two time IBF Cruiserweight Champion of the World Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham made his maiden outing in the Heavyweight division, against Jason Gavern at the Kathy Duva Main Events promoted event on Saturday night.

Cunningham came through with flying colours, winning every round, to earn an almost shutout 100-90 (twice) & 99-90 points decision.

Also on the card was Cunningham’s old foe Tomasz Adamek, hopefully a rematch of their ‘2008 ‘Fight of the Year’ nominated battle may finally happen, albeit at Heavyweight.

Perhaps in the near future we could even see ‘USS’ Cunningham cruise into London, as when David Haye moved to the heavyweight division the only major belt he didn’t have in his collection was the IBF version, which was held by Cunningham. Maybe, just maybe in the near future we can finally see the greatest fight that never was - Cunningham versus Haye right here in the Capital.

As with the other fights Johnny gave his views on the Heavyweight debut of Steve Cunningham. “Rio (TRAD TKO publicist Gianluca Di Caro) terms Steve as a TRAD TKO Fighter because he’s sponsored by our sponsor through him, so we class him as one of our own.

Hopefully he’ll be coming to England soon and we’ll be really pleased to see him at the gym.

Steve Cunningham has just moved up to Heavyweight, had his first fight at the new weight, fought a geezer Jason Gavern, don’t know too much about Jason, but Steve pulled out a great win, great performance winning all ten rounds on points and looking as sharp as he did as a Cruiserweight, so congratulations Steve Cunningham and we look forward to meeting you.”

Even after such a magnificent, and rewarding, weekend the TRAD TKO crew can’t rest on their laurels as there are no less than nine of their fighters in action next weekend also.

The busy weekend starts on Friday at York Hall, where probably the best British boxer around at this time, Billy Joe Saunders defends his Commonwealth Middleweight crown for the second time, against tough unbeaten Aussie knockout artist Jarrod Fletcher.

Main support for Billy Joe comes from fellow TRAD TKO gym mate Peter McDonagh, who takes on Bradley Skeete for the vacant Southern Area Welterweight title.

It doesn’t end there as also on the Frank Warren promoted ‘Three Kings’ event are a brace of TRAD TKO unbeaten young guns - Frankie Buglioni, Billy Morgan, Gary Corcoran and Ediz Hussein.

The very next day some of the TRAD TKO crew return to York Hall, when Eddie Corcoran challenges Kris Agyei Dua for the vacant Southern Area Light Middleweight title at the Olivia Goodwin Main Events promoted ‘London’s Calling’ event.

The reason I said some is because others will be heading down to Portsmouth, where exciting Light Heavyweight prospect Joel McIntyre and new boy Tommy Watson are in action at the Jay Morris promoted ‘Punishment On The Pier’ event.

Tickets for all this weekend’s events above, plus Mitchell-Burns and other boxing events, are available on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person from the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.

Malta Boxing News

Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro

JustListen2This Publicity & Promotion

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Arizona Boxing News 9/9

By Don Smith
BOXING FANS,
altWhen Arizona boxing impresario Al Fenn opened The Phoenix Boys Center, aka Phoenix Boys & Girls Center, in 1965, it was to give kids a venue where they could go, free of charge, to vent their youthful frustrations and acquire life skills. Over the years , thousands of neighborhood children have taken advantage of the Center’s services. Most of the boys and girls who choose to workout at the Center go on to be productive members of the community; few became professional boxers.
One exception is Rafael Valenzuela (started boxing at age 8) who began using the Center regularly when he was roughly 13 years old. Rafael, under the supervision of his father Rafael Sr., worked out long and hard everyday. Soon, it became evident that the sport of boxing was more than a “stay in shape” hobby for the budding amateur who became a fan favorite because of his ring conquests and personal civility.

After graduating from Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix Arizona, Rafael turned professional in 2004 and his successful debut was followed by 7 more consecutive and impressive victories. He was on a roll and his instant success prompted some rabid boxing fans to mention his name in the same pugilistic stratosphere with Michael Carbajal and Louie Espinoza, two former World Boxing Champions from Arizona.
In 2006, the young featherweight fell from the ranks of the undefeated when Alejandro Lopez beat the Phoenician soundly 40-36, 40-36 and 39-37 in a four round contest . His fans thought the loss wan an aberration and they were ecstatic when Valenzuela won his next 5 fights to up his record to 13-1 after a 2009 victory over Jose Garcia Bernal in Houston, Texas. Rafael has fought twice since his Houston victory and both bouts were painful to watch. He was disqualified for delivering low blows in his 6 round encounter with Luis Angel Paneto , a verdict he vehemently takes issue with. In 2011, he was “outworked” by journeyman Robert Guillen who left the ring victorious by way of a Majority Decision. Boxing fans began to exit US Airways after the third round of the scheduled for six rounds bout…it wasn’t pretty by no stretch of the imagination.

Behind every personal crash is an explanation! According to friends, Rafael was simply exhausted from being a father, husband, boxer and he he wasn’t allowed to properly grieve after the passing of two beloved friends and mentors; Al Fenn and Art Aragon in 2009. He admits to being out of alignment for awhile ;but, says the downward spiral is over thanks to self respect and love from his family. It’s quite possible, the spirits of Al Fenn and Art Aragon intervened.

Today, he is back at the Phoenix Boys Center working out and hoping to resume his boxing career. The 126 lb featherweight looks fit for the first time in three years and he is happy to report that the feud with his production company (Fan Base) is over. According to Fan Base, Valenzuela refused several fight offers including one to headline an ESPN Card. Valenzuela says he was called and asked to fight at 140 lbs and he was given less than a week to prepare. Fan Base denies Rafael’s allegations. No definite word on when the soon to be 27 year old Rafael (B Day in Octore) will return to action but rumors indicate it could be in October or November.

Short Jabs: The pro/am boxing card scheduled for September 14 at Desert Diamond in Sahuarita Arizona (just outside of Tucson) has been cancelled. Promoter ( Sonoran Group) hopes to reschedule before Christmas 2012 . Date and location to be determined. Super Middleweight Adonis “Superman” Stevenson hopes to beat Don George this fall and fight for a world title but his checkered past is stopping some fans from buying tickets and supporting the Haitian born “Bad Boy.” Stevenson was convicted of pimping underage girls in Montreal Quebec, Canada 15 years ago and when the story of his past resurfaces last year, some fans decided to skip his fights. Adonis and his promoter tried to dismiss his bad behaviour on youth indiscretion ;but, the fact that he has never apologized publicly rubs women’s group the wrong way…..plus the fact that he routinely hangs out with some unsavory looking characters….image is important. At 35, it’s time to grow up. Special thanks to the reporters who broke the story last year.

Arizona Fight Schedule: MMA Show, Saturday , September 15, 2012. Promoter: Coalition of Combat , 7 PM, Phoenix Convention Center….MMA Show, September 29, 2012: “Rage in the Cage”, 8 PM, Gila River, Wild Horse Pass Casino.
Pro Boxing, Saturday, October 6, 2024 (Iron Boy Promotions) at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. 1st bell at 8 PM….MMA Show, Saturday October 20, 2012: “Rage in the Cage”, 8 PM , Gila River, Wildhorse Pass….MMA Show, October 27, 2012, Promoter Adrian Romo, 7 PM, Blue Water Resort/Casino, Parker Arizona….UNTIL NEXT TIME!

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Rubio vs. Baldomir For WBF World Title

Mexican power-puncher Marco Antonio Rubio will take on Argentina’s former World Champion Carlos Manuel Baldomir for the vacant World Boxing Federation World Super Middleweight title on Saturday September 8 at the Estadio Miguel Aleman in Celaya, Mexico.
The show, labeled “Viva Celaya Campeones”, will be promoted by HG Boxing and Promociones Del Pueblo, and will go out live on television throughout Mexico on Televisa.
Rubio, 54-6-1 (47), turned professional in 2000 and has since build an amazingly impressive resume. Almost half of his sixty-one fights were for titles, twenty-nine to be exact, and twenty-four times Rubio emerged victorious from championship bouts.
Having won Mexican national titles and various regional straps, this will be the 32-year-olds third attempt to capture a world championship. In 2009 he lost a challenge of world middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, and this past February he got the wrong end of a close decision, also at middleweight, against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Moving up to Super Middleweight, Rubio will this time be on home turf, and he won’t be coming in as the outsider. But he is facing a fighter in Baldomir, 49-14-6 (15), who is no stranger to being an outsider, and very often winning as such.
Although 41-years-old, Carlos Manuel Baldomir is still operating at a very high level, and all his impressive victories since turning pro in 1993 are way too many to mention. In 2006 he dethroned world champion Zab Judah in New York, and six months later defended the title by stopping Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City before ultimately relinquishing it on points to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Since then a lot of water has flown under the bridge, and Baldomir has yet to recapture his old glory. In 2007 he came up short in a Super Welterweight world title-challenge against the late Vernon Forrest, and in 2011 he started to campaign at Middleweight without securing a shot at world honors.
In his last outing, this past July, Baldomir made his Super Middleweight debut with an impressive knockout victory over fellow countryman, and former Mundo Hispano Champion, Gaston Alejandro Vega. Not known as a hard puncher, but very much respected for his brilliant boxing intelligence, it seems that Baldomir is still able to hurt bigger opponents. And that’s exactly what he plans on doing to Rubio, saying: “Rubio can not deal with quality fighters. In Mexico, he’s a monster against bad fighters, but he always crumbles when he faces a fairly good fighter. Pavlik and Chavez Jr. are good examples. I have no fear of facing him at his weight. I know that even at 41-years-old and with the little time I have left boxing, I still have enough of an opportunity to beat him”.
The Rubio vs. Baldomir WBF World Super Middleweight title fight is a classic puncher vs. boxer encounter, between a young, albeit experienced, slugger and an older former world champion looking to get back on top. It remains to be seen if the power of Rubio will be too much for Baldomir, or if the Argentinean has too many tricks in the bag for Rubio to handle.

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Boxing News & Notes: 23 August, 2012

Boxing News & Updates 23rd August, for: Hatton Comeback, According To Ricky Hatton’s Agent, Big-time boxing returns to Brooklyn, Tapia died from heart disease, Prize Fight returns on August 25th, Paul McCloskey will fight Manuel Perez, WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, Andre Berto licensed by the CSAC, Vasquez vs. Reyes

  • Hatton Comeback - It is official (According to the UK’s Daily Star) Hatton, age 33, will announce a two-fight deal sometime in the coming fortnight, and his first fight will be in November. Thus far no venue or opponent has been confirmed. According to the UK’s Daily Star, it will “almost certainly be old rival Paulie Malignaggi. Hatton is said to be planning to get a TV station interested in taking the two planned fights, with his own company Hatton Promotions promoting.

 

  • According To Ricky Hatton’s Agent - there is “no story” behind the rumours that the 33-year-old is about to make a return to the ring. Speculation has been building for some time that Hatton’s new training regime has led him to rethink his retirement from the sport. The Daily Star reported on Wednesday that Hatton would make his comeback, likely in late November, and his target opponent was Paulie Malignaggi as part of a two-fight deal. But Hatton’s agent Paul Speak effectively ruled out a comeback, saying the former world champion was merely enjoying a cleaner lifestyle. “People are speculating but he is just keeping fit and has not made any decision on a comeback. There’s no story,” he told Sky Sports. The ‘Hitman’ has not fought since he was knocked out in the second round by Manny Pacquiao more than three years ago.

 

  • Big-time boxing returns to Brooklyn - After more than a 50-year hiatus on Saturday, October 20, when Golden Boy Promotions presents the first boxing event at the new Barclays Center. Televised live on SHOWTIME, the night will feature a star-studded boxing card including two world championship fights and a host of New York’s top talents. The main event will feature unbeaten Danny “Swift” Garcia defending his World Boxing Association (WBA) Super, World Boxing Council (WBC) & Ring Magazine Super Lightweight World Championships against the man he defeated to win the WBC belt, legendary Mexican warrior and future Hall of Famer Erik “El Terrible” Morales. In the co-featured bout, Brooklyn’s own Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi risks his WBA Welterweight World Championship against hard-hitting Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano.

 

  • Tapia died from heart disease - A press conference in Albuqerque held by Teresa Tapia revealed that the former five-time world champion died due to heart disease. An autopsy report released on Wednesday revealed the cause of death that had the New Mexico legend passing away on May 27. Though prescription drugs played a part, the cause of death has officially been ruled an accident due to heart disease complications. There were no illegal drugs in Tapia’s system.

 

  • Prize Fight returns on August 25th - as it presents the latest instalment of “Fights at the Fitz” from the Grand Ballroom at Fitzgerald’s Hotel & Casino in Tunica, MS. The card features the long awaited third showdown between female lightweights Kim Connor and “Notorious” Nicole Woods. The bout will be an eight-rounder for the Ladies Mid-South belt. Both fights were toe-to-toe battles with the first ending in a draw and the second going to Connor 77-76 on all cards. The event will also feature a guest appearance by Olympic gold medal boxer Claressa Shields. Tickets are available at the Fitz Casino Gift Shop at (800-766-5825) or at Ticketmaster (online or call 800-745-3000). Doors open at 6:30p and the first bell is at 7:30p.

 

  • Paul McCloskey will fight Manuel Perez - at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast on September 22. McCloskey is aiming to get back on track after his defeat to DeMarcus Corley in May and a victory over the WBA ranked Perez would boost the title hopes of the former World title challenger. Perez, 28, successfully defended his NABA light welterweight title against Jose Miguel Cotto last month and has twice tangled with WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios. McCloskey is part of the undercard of a huge night for boxing in Belfast with Carl Frampton topping the bill against two-time World champion Steve Molitor for the Commonwealth and IBF Inter Continental titles in his hometown. Martin Lindsay welcomes Lee Selby to his hometown in a challenge for the Welshman’s British and Commonwealth featherweight titles, while fellow Belfast fighters Eamonn O’Kane, Jamie Conlan and Dee Walsh will also be in action, with O’Kane’s opponent announced tomorrow. Team GB stars Scotty Cardle, Kal Yafai and Martin Ward all continue their pro education in Belfast.

 

 

WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko - prepares for his next title defense in Austria. He will face off with German, Manuel Charr at SC Olimpiyski sports arena in Moscow, Russia on September 8. In the US, Klitschko vs. Charr will be shown live on HBO, RTL broadcasts in Germany. The fight will be promoted by K2 Promotions. K2 has promoted the most heavyweight championship events in the last decade. Tickets are available on www.olimpik.ru (booking). Photos: KMG/Klitschko Press-Service.

 

  • Andre Berto licensed by the CSAC - Former IBF welterweight champion Andre Berto has been licensed by the California State Athletic Commission after completing all necessary pre-licensing requirements. “As someone who truly believes in clean sport, I have never used any type of performing enhancing drugs. Everything I’ve achieved was the result of hard work and determination,” Berto said. “I am excited that this whole situation is behind me, and I look forward to returning to the ring soon with another exciting performance so stay tuned.” Berto’s positive test in May revealed extremely small amounts of a banned substance, which the CSAC deemed inconsistent with any performance-enhancing effect and were much more consistent with contamination of an otherwise acceptable food or supplement.

 

  • Vasquez vs. Reyes, Fallon, NV — Presented by the City of Fallon, NV and Let’s Get It On Promotions, the “Rural Rumble: Fallon Fights 2012” show promises to be another thrilling night featuring excellent fights. The fights are this Saturday, August 25th at the Churchill County Fairgrounds, and will feature world class professional boxing. This will be the fifth installment of this annual event held in “The Oasis of Nevada.”

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Abraham-Stieglitz Fight On BoxNation

Buglioni will be a studio guest for Abraham-Stieglitz fight on BoxNation on Saturday

Red-hot super-middleweight prospect Frank Buglioni will be a studio guest for this Saturday night’s big world title fight on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546) live from Germany between Robert Stieglitz and Arthur Abraham.

The unbeaten Londoner is making big waves on the domestic scene with his exciting all-action style, massive fan following and mediterranean good looks as he builds towards a potential first title fight later this year.

The 23-year-old has his sixth pro fight – a six-round contest – on Friday 14th September at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, on the undercard of stable-mate Billy Joe Saunders’ Commonwealth Middleweight title defence against Australian Jarrod Fletcher, which is also live on BoxNation.

Buglioni joins BoxNation presenter Steve Bunce in the London studio for live coverage of Stieglitz’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Super-Middleweight title defence against Abraham at the O2 World in Berlin.

And Buglioni is looking forward to seeing all the action.

“It’s a cracking fight for BoxNation, both are come forward fighters and I expect a great fight between them. Of the two, Abraham is the heavier handed and has been in harder fights and Stieglitz has more movement and is in the prime of his career. It’s a tough one to call, but I’m looking forward to a very interesting fight between them,” Said Buglioni.

He added, “At the moment I’m only five fights into my professional career and I’m enjoying the learning experience of it all as I work towards challenging for domestic titles. Stieglitz and Abraham are at the top of their game and I want to be in their position in a good few years which will be a long hard road, but I’m loving every minute of it.”

Stieglitz v Abraham is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546) this Saturday with live coverage starting from 7.30pm. Join at www.boxnation.com

Buglioni features on an action packed card at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, headlined by Billy Joe Saunders’ Commonwealth Middleweight title defence against Jarrod Fletcher, plus Bradley Skeete v Peter McDonagh in a ten-round welterweight contest and unbeaten prospects Billy Morgan, Gary Corcoran, Mitchell Smith and Ediz Hussein.

Tickets priced at £40 and £60 are available from Ticketmaster on 0844 844 0444 or www.ticketmaster.co.uk or Frank Warren Promotions on 01992 550 888 or www.frankwarren.com