Former World Champion Tony Oakey Joins The Board Of WBU Europe

The World Boxing Union President, Mr. Don Lewis, announced earlier today, that former WBU Light Heavyweight Champion Tony ‘Oakey Kokey’ Oakey has been appointed to the board of the World Boxing Union’s European division - WBU Europe.

During his stellar career Tony fought no less than seventeen Championship bouts, securing, in addition to the WBU Light Heavyweight World crown, the BBBofC Southern Area, British, Commonwealth and International Masters titles, as well as winning the prestigious Matchroom Sport promoted Prizefighter – Light Heavyweight Tournament in 2009.

Tony’s reign as World Champion began in March 2002, when he beat Ukraine’s Kostyantyn Shvets, for the vacant WBU Light Heavyweight crown, at the York Hall in London.

Just two months later the Pompey man was to successfully defend his newly won crown, against Neil Simpson, in front of a home crowd at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.

In October the same year Tony returned to the York Hall in London to once again successfully defend his title, this time against Estonia’s Andrej Karsten.

Just a few months later, in March 2003, Tony was once again back on home turf, at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth, to successfully defend his title against Leicester’s Neil Linford.

For the final defense of the WBU World crown, Tony was once again back at the Mountbatten Centre, however this time the Pompey man failed to retain his crown, against Matthew Barney, by a controversial split points decision - Judge Tony Walker scoring the bout 114-113 in favour of Tony, Judge Karl Rogers scoring it 113-114 in favour of Barney, as did judge Reg Thompson, albeit by a much wider margin of 111-116.

Following the loss of his World crown, Tony remained on the Championship trail, although preferring to concentrate on domestic titles.

Tony retired from competitive boxing in May 2010, following the loss against Michael Banbula, for the British Masters title.

Speaking from his former ‘home gym’ the TRAD TKO Gym in Canning Town, Tony spoke briefly on his new appointment.

“It’s a real honour to be back working with the World Boxing Union.

I defended my title three or four times, it was the highlight of my career winning the WBU title.

It’s a great title and at the time Ricky Hatton was WBU Champion as well, it meant a lot for me, it was always on TV and to be alongside Ricky was a great achievement.

I think it is great the WBU has come back to the UK, it’s great for the upcoming young European boxers, to be able to fight for the WBU International, Inter-Continental and now the WBU Europe titles, it gives everyone the chance to fight for a title that means something, hopefully after success in these Championships then move on to the World Championship scene.

You can’t beat experience you know, being a retired veteran I suppose, it’s good to be able to pass on my knowledge and to give advise when it’s needed and of course you can see things that other people might not see.

It’s a great honour to be asked to be involved, let alone actually doing it, I’m chuffed and really looking forward to being involved, being at WBU events and helping make the WBU an even bigger success now it’s back here in the UK again.”

Speaking from America, World Boxing Union President Mr. Lewis added.

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Tony to the World Boxing Union team, he was a great Champion and a true ambassador for the sport of boxing.

Following his retirement from active duty, Tony remained actively involved in the sport, mentoring young fighters such as Joel McIntyre.

Under his guidance Joel recently won his first domestic title and is set for further Championship action this year, hopefully in time he too will fight for a WBU title.

Tony’s willingness to pass on his knowledge to young boxers, as well as his genuine desire for the growth of WBU Championship boxing in Europe, is key to his appointment to the board of the WBU Europe.

Tony, along with other members of the WBU Europe board, will be actively involved in not just the development of the World Boxing Union within Europe, but will also be part of the rankings committee for the WBU Europe as well as oversee World Boxing Union Championship bouts within Europe.

WBU Europe Managing Director, Gianluca Di Caro, has been busy recruiting top European officials to the team over the past few months.

With the appointments of former WBU Champion Wayne Alexander last year and of course now Tony Oakey, to the main board of WBU Europe, he is clearly intent on raising the bar to a whole new level, which can only be good for the World Boxing Union, the sport of boxing and more importantly the fans.”

For information on upcoming WBU and WBU Europe sanctioned title fights go towww.wbuboxing.org or www.wbueurope.eu

Follow WBU and WBU Europe on Twitter @WBUEurope & @TheRealWBU - friend us at www.facebook.com/WBUEurope - www.facebook.com/WorldBoxingUnion and on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/wbu-europe

“Celtic Warrior vs. Road Warrior” for WBU Cruiserweight World Championship Dec 18th

(Atlanta, Georgia, USA) (4 December 2013)- Don “Moose” Lewis, President of the World Boxing Union, Inc., known as "the WBU", proudly announces that on the evening of Wednesday, 18th December 2013 at the fabulous Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, two (2) former world champions - Glen ‘Road Warrior’ Johnson and Bobby ‘Celtic Warrior’ Gunn - face off for the vacant WBU Cruiserweight World title.

 

The late change of opponent for Bobby Gunn, who was originally due to face Roy Jones Jr., came about after Jones Jr. announced yesterday that instead he was going to fight Zine Eddine Benmakhlouf in Russia on the 21^st December.

 

 

In light of the incredibly unprofessional actions by Jones Jr’s team, and of course Glen Johnson’s willingness to step in at such late notice to save the show, Mr. Lewis made the following statement.

 

 

“What a bizarre escapade, we have all not only witnessed but participated in over the last thirty (30) days regarding this title fight.

 

 

Bobby Gunn versus Roy Jones has been the talk of the holiday season both here in the USA, as well in Europe where our UK office has been bombarded with requests for press credentials.

 

 

We all looked forward to this matchup, yet the paperwork could not get completed from the Jones camp.

 

 

I could not understand it, that is until I received correspondence from the law firm Delahunt Solicitors in Dublin, Ireland informing me that Irish boxer Steve Collins had an arrangement to fight Roy Jones for the WBU World title!

 

 

I immediately investigated and to my surprise both Mr. Collins and Mr. Jones had indeed agreed to fight for a group calling themselves ‘WBU V’ for the title with the understanding that it was the legitimately recognized WBU here in the states!

 

 

Thus Mr. Collins’s legal counsel is moving to protect Mr. Collins position and interests regarding the harm caused by action of Mr. Jones.

 

 

On the positive side, not only do we not have to be concerned about legal action stopping the fight but Mr. Collins and his legal counsel have requested through Mr. Gianluca Di Caro, Managing Director of our WBU-Europe to fight the winner of the Gunn-Jones Jr. world recognized WBU Cruiserweight World Championship and such request has been granted.

 

 

Now to our surprise, Mr. Jones announces less than twenty-four (24) hours after withdrawing from the fight with Mr. Gunn that he is now again going to fight in Russia for the rogue WBU V against Frenchman Zine Eddine Benmakhlouf.

 

 

Of course, that may change since there are two (2) weeks before the event. Anyway, in this business it is sometimes better to be lucky than talented.

 

 

This sums up our feeling of the former world Glen “the Road Warrior” Johnson stepping up once again with limited notice to fight Mr. Gunn.

 

 

Imagine, we now have the three (3) time world champion and the man who KOed Roy Jones, Jr. replacing Jones himself!

 

 

What a great night for both “Warriors” this will be and a sure candidate for worldwide “Fight of the Year”.

 

 

I thank the Sands Casino for their patience in working this matter out and I can think of no better Christmas present than to be watching this historic event with so much at stake.”

 

 

Bobby ‘Celtic Warrior’ Gunn versus Glen ‘Road Warrior’ Johnson, for the vacant World Boxing Union (WBU) World Cruiserweight title, will take place at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday 18^th December 2013.

World Boxing Union Launch WBU Europe – Inaugural Titles Headline Nov 30th London Event

The President of the World Boxing Union, Don ‘Moose’ Lewis, today announced the creation of WBU Europe, with the express purpose of enhancing the presence of WBU World, Inter-Continental and International Championship Boxing throughout Europe, as well as the development of the WBU Europe Championship.

WBU Europe, which is headquartered in London, England, is a joint venture between WBU President Mr. Lewis and co-founding Vice President of the Malta Boxing Commission, as well as the former Marketing Director of the World Boxing Federation, Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro.

 

The new venture was originally due to launch in January 2014, however with so much interest being shown, during initial discussions with promoters, that the launch date has been brought forward.

 

The first brace of WBU Europe Championship bouts will take place on the Dave Murphy Acourtier Events promoted ‘WAR ZONE’ show at York Hall on Saturday 30^th November, when former WBO-IBF Inter-Continental Champion Mark Prince campaigns for the vacant Cruiserweight crown and Marianne Marston challenges for the vacant Female Super Bantamweight title.

 

This announcement comes at a time when the World Boxing Union is once more in the ascendancy, with no less than six Championship bouts being campaigned for at four locations in November.

 

Besides the two European titles previously mentioned, on November 15^th Chris "Kayo Kid" Fernandez takes on Hector Alatorre for the WBU Welterweight World Championship, at The Complex in Rockwell, Salt Lake City, Utah on November 15^th.

 

Just two weeks later Irish Champion Lee Murtagh challenges Harry Jorgey for the WBU World Middleweight crown and Reading PA’s Travis Kauffman takes on Manuel Quezada for the WBU Inter-Continental Heavyweight title, on the Marshall Kauffman King’s Boxing promoted GET READING TO RUMBLE Event at the Santander Arena in Reading PA, on Saturday, 30^th November.

 

On the same night Vinnie Carita is set to face Alonzo Toney, for both the WBU Americas Cruiserweight and IBU Americas Cruiserweight titles in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

 

Further WBU Europe Championship bouts, as well as World and Inter-Continental Championship bouts, that will be campaigned for in both Europe and America this year, are expected to be announced in the coming week or so.

 

Taking a few minutes off from his increasingly busy schedule, WBU President Don Lewis spoke briefly on the exciting new venture.

 

“The WBU is both pleased and proud of our new joint venture of WBU Europe with my friend and partner Gianluca Di Caro.

 

While we have sought a working partner in Europe the last 2 years, no one met our criteria until Mr. Di Caro became available.

 

From our first discussion regarding the formation of WBU Europe, it has been a smooth journey to our launch on 30 November 2013.

 

We congratulate all the persons behind the scenes who made this new venture possible.“

 

Please go online to www.wbueurope.eu or www.wbuboxing.org for additional information on upcoming WBU and WBU Europe sanctioned title fights.

 

Follow WBU and WBU Europe on Twitter @WBUEurope - friend us atwww.facebook.com/WBUEurope and on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/wbu-europe