HUGHIE FURY GOES FOR LUCKY 13th WIN AT COPPER BOX ARENA

Teen heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury aims to make it a lucky 13 when he features at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 15th February.

Undefeated Fury has stormed to 12 wins inside a year of turning pro, stopping seven early, and takes on tough American Matt Greer over six rounds.

The 19-year-old from Manchester joins his cousin Tyson who takes on Gonzalo Omar Basile in a ten-round contest, with Dereck Chisora headlining in a defence of his WBO/WBA International titles against Kevin Johnson.

The show will be live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).

Greer is another step up on Fury’s learning curve, the American has recently been in with rising stars on the world heavyweight stage Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Jordan Shimmell, and the young star will look to continue his trail-blazing record.

“Greer is a good step up for me as he’s mixed with world level fighters so I can’t wait to take the challenge and show the boxing fans that I can deal with the experience for someone my age.  I’m looking forward to the fight very much.” said Fury.

“He’s fought the likes of Wilder, Ruiz Jr. and Shimmell and also Dennis Boystov and Kevin Johnson.  If he gives me some rounds then great, it’s all experience in the tank for me at my age, but if I see the opening early I’ll take him out of there,”

“I’m in no rush to a title fight, I’m enjoying fighting regularly and learning my trade with each fight.  Team Fury is building up towards the top, I’m enjoying the ride, but when the time comes for a world title I’ll be good and ready.”

The Copper Box Arena show also features super-middleweight star Frank Buglioni defending his WBO European title against Gaetano Nespro, plus Bradley Skeete in a showdown against former world champion Vivian Harris for the Vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight title.  An all star line up features former amateur star and unbeaten pro Thomas Stalker, plus top talents Lewis Pettitt, Georgie Kean, Billy Morgan and Steve Collins Jnr.

Tickets for Rock The Box III, priced at £40, £50, £70 and £120, are available from Eventim on 0844 249 1000 or online at www.eventim.co.uk

Watch live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546). Join at www.boxnation.com

Rendall Munroe bids to become a two-weight European champion when he faces Lee Selby for the vacant Featherweight crown at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on Saturday live on Sky Sports, and says he still has designs on World title glory.

Munroe hung the gloves up after defeat against Scott Quigg in their clash for the interim WBA Super Bantamweight title in November 2012. The Leicester man stayed away from the fight game for just four months though and was back in action in his hometown in May with a first round win.

The former WBC World title challenger added ten and six round points wins to his belt before the end of the year and now takes on the hotly-tipped star Selby.

“I don’t think I ever stopped being at my best,” said Munroe. “The issue for me was my weight, that was the thing letting me down – trying to make the weight all of the time. Sometimes it takes a bit of relaxation time to realise, and as my manager said to me recently, the best thing that happened was me retiring, getting my head clear and deciding what I wanted to do.

“I have shown the calibre of boxer I am and what type of character I am. I have said for a long time that I should have more than just the one World title shot that I had. There are others out there who get a few chances but I had one chance and everything went pair shaped for me after that.

“This is a step towards another World title fight. After I win this fight I will be a two-weight European champion. The talk at the minute is that Selby is ready to challenge for a World title, so after I beat him does that not say that I will be ready for a shot at the World title?

“If they are saying he is good enough to fight for a World title this year, and I go out there and beat him, then that is saying that I would be good enough. I had six European fights at Super Bantamweight and this is number seven for me. I don’t know what will happen on Saturday, if I will have a few defences of the European or get a World title shot straight away.

Selby has enjoyed a sparkling run of form since his stunning win over Stephen Smith to rip the British and Commonwealth titles from the Liverpool man on his home patch in December 2011. Impressive defences of one or both belts against John Simpson, Patrick Okine, Martin Lindsay and Corey McConnell were followed by a mature performance against unbeaten and well-ranked Romanian Viorel Simion for the WBC International crown.

A win over Ryan Walsh in November saw Selby claim the Lonsdale belt for keeps, but Munroe says he’s the first World class fighter the Welshman has faced.

“Selby is coming to win, and I am coming to win so this is his step to the next chapter that he wants,” said Munroe. “He will come very prepared and really up for it.

“He’s got nothing that worries me, nothing. I’m World class and I think I’ve proved that. As for him being bigger, I’ve been sparring bigger lads since day one. I always have to get sparring partners who are bigger than me anyway because I’m a strong lad at the weight myself.

“I’m not getting any younger but I’m good enough, strong enough and I’ve proved I belong at that elite level. This is my chance to show Rendall Munroe has gone up a weight and to still show I’m World class. By beating Lee Selby I’ll be European champion which will get me fights and put me back in the frame to fulfil my dream of becoming World champion.

“I didn’t think a shot at the European would come so soon after the comeback but when you get those opportunities you have to make use of them. I was English champion when I fought for the European title at Super Bantamweight. I took that opportunity and that made me into who I was. Now, I have a vast of experience behind me and I have the opportunity to do it all again. I’m still seeing the lights; I want the lights and I want the belts.”

Munroe’s clash with Selby tops a brilliant night of action in Cardiff, with a tasty all-Welsh British Lightweight title eliminator between Gavin Rees and Gary Buckland one of many highlights.

Olympic Gold medal hero Anthony Joshua MBE fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks against Aberdare’s Dorian Darch while Jason Cook meets Tony Pace for the Welsh Area Light Welterweight title.

Prizefighter Light Welterweight champion Chris Jenkins is in action as is former European Middleweight champion Kerry Hope, and Islington’s former British Light Middleweight title challenger Erick Ochieng faces a tough test in his first fight down at Welterweight against Dale Evans.

Swansea’s talented Super Middleweight Tobias Webb tackles Nathan King in a six-round contest, with Bristol’s unbeaten Welterweight Tamuka Mucha in his seventh pro fight.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £30, £40 and £60 ringside available from www.livenation.co.uk or by calling 02920 22 44 88, or from Sanigar Events on 0117 949 6699.

VIP Packages priced £120 are available from www.matchroomboxing.com or by calling 01277 359900.

EJKO Promotions’ ‘March Mayhem’ undercard is beginning to take shape.

The show, on Saturday, 1st March, is headlined by a British Masters Title fight and an International Bronze Masters showdown. Stourbridge’s International Masters Welterweight Champion, Steven Pearce, takes on Sheffield’s Ryan Hardy whilst Walsall’s Luke Paddock goes in search of Bronze Masters honours when he steps in with Stoke’s Kevin Hanks at light welterweight.

Coventry’s Midlands Area Super Featherweight Champion, Troy James, is chief support on the undercard whilst Dudley light middleweight, Kyle Spencer, is back in action for the first time since May 2013.

Halesowen super middleweight prospect, Lennox Clarke, takes on Congo-born Didier Blanch looking to record a third successive victory after disposing of James Child and Jody Meikle recently.

West Bromwich light middleweight, Tom Stokes, steps in with Bognor Regis’ Liam Griffiths looking to extend his own unbeaten record to 4-0.

Wolverhampton super featherweight, Des Bowater, will also be looking to maintain his unbeaten start (4-0)to life in the paid ranks when he faces vastly experienced Latvian, Pavels Senkovs.

Unbeaten Stoke welterweight, Josh McLaren (3-0) also features against the experienced Matt Seawright.

Three boxers are also set to make their professional debuts. Birmingham cruiserweight, Andrew Lambert, faces tough Bulgarian Tayar Mehmed and Leicester welterweight, Ryandeep Nandha, steps in with evergreen Birmingham battler, Jason Nesbitt. Coventry light middleweight, James Montgomery, is no longer on the bill.

Tickets, priced at £30 and £60 Ringside, are available from Walsall Town Hall Box Office on 0845 111 2900. The aftershow party takes place at the Pitch Sports Bar and Grill on Bridge Street, Walsall.

AINTREE RACECOURSE SHOW DATE CHANGE

Frank Warren’s show at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday 1st March has been rescheduled to Saturday 8th March.

The show line-up remains the same with Ellesmere Port star Paul Butler defending his WBO/WBA Super-Flyweight title against Diego Liriano headlining, and Liverpool’s Commonwealth Flyweight Champion Kevin Satchell defending his title against Issac Quaye.  A talent-packed undercard features Ronnie Heffron v John Thain, Terry Flanagan, Thomas Stalker, Ryan Farrag, Jazza Dickens, Matty Fagan and Stephen Lewis.

Frank Warren and BoxNation - who will be televising the show live - mutually agreed the change to the 8th March, with that date being the preferred date originally.

Tickets with the Saturday 1st March date printed will still be valid for the new date.

Tickets, from £40, are available from Eventim on 0844 842 5005 or www.eventim.co.uk

Watch live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).  Join at www.boxnation.com