AMIR “KING” KHAN VS. JULIO “THE KIDD” DIAZ TO BE TELEVISED ON SHOWTIME IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE LIVE SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: GARCIA VS. JUDAH ON SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Plus, Highlights Of 2012 British Olympic Bronze Medalist

Anthony Ogogo Making His Professional Debut

NEW YORK (April 4, 2013) – British superstar and former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Amir “King” Khan’s first fight in England in nearly two years against former World Champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz will be televised on SHOWTIME^® on Saturday, April 27, immediately following the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event featuring Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia against former Four-Time and Two-Division World Champion Zab “Super” Judah. 

Khan vs. Diaz, a 12-round 143-pound catch-weight bout, will emanate from Motorpoint Arena inSheffield, England, and air on tape delay on SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition.  Highlights of 2012 British Olympic Bronze Medalist Anthony Ogogo’s professional debut will also be shown during the telecast.

Capping an exciting night of boxing will be a replay of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Guerrero, Episode 3 on SHOWTIME that will immediately follow the SHOWTIME BOXING: Special Edition.

Preceding the scrap between Bolton, England’s Khan (27-3, 19 KO’s) and Diaz (40-7-1, 29 KO’s), ofCoachella, Calif., SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will feature a pair of world title fights that will be televised live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.  Undefeated WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin  (28-0, 20 KO’s), of New York, will defend against hard-hitting Fernando Guerrero (25-1, 19 KO’s), of Salisbury, Md., and in the main event, unbeaten Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia  (25-0, 16 KO’s) will risk his world title belts against former Four-Time and Two-Division World Champion Zab “Super” Judah (42-7, 29 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Khan will be making his second consecutive appearance on SHOWTIME.  Last Dec. 15, he captured the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Championship with a dominant 10^th-round TKO over previously undefeated Carlos Molina in Los Angeles.

Anthony Ogogo is a former Junior Olympic Champion, Junior World Champion and Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist.  In London this past summer, Ogogo beat representatives from the Dominican Republic, Ukraine and Germany to win a Bronze Medal, thrilling his fans from throughout the United Kingdom.  On April 27, the charismatic middleweight will begin his journey as a professional.

“The Return of the King: Khan vs. Diaz” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotionsand sponsored by JD Sport and Maxi Muscle.

Tickets priced at £300, £200, £125, £75 and £50 plus applicable taxes and service charges are on sale at the Motorpoint Arena box office, by calling (+44) 0114 256 5656, online at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk or through Sports Corporation by calling 0845 163 0845 or at www.sportscorporation.com.

For more information on Khan vs. Diaz, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.amirkhanworld.comand www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing andwww.twitter.com/AmirKingKhan and www.twitter.com/AnthonyOgogo, follow the conversation using #KhanDiaz and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.facebook.com/AmirKhanTheOfficialPage and www.facebook.com/AnthonyOgogo.

Garcia vs. Judah, a 12-round bout for Garcia’s Unified Super Lightweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsors Corona and AT&T.  In the co-featured attraction, WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin puts his title on the line against hard-hitting Fernando Guerrero in a 12-round fight.  The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP).

Remaining tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office atBarclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.  For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

For more information on Garcia vs. Judah, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, http://Sports.SHO.com, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @BarclaysCenter, @DannySwift, @SuperJudah,@SHOsports, follow the conversation using #BrooklynBoxing and become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

KELL BROOK TO FACE IBF #3 CARSON JONES ON JULY 7

Winner set for IBF shot in the fall – tickets on sale 9am

Kell Brook will face highly ranked Carson Jones at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on July 7 as an IBF World title shot draws a step closer.

Jones is ranked at number three by the IBF – two spots above Brook – and the stakes couldn’t be higher as the victor would move into pole position to fight for the title in the fall, which is being contested by current number one Mike Jones and number two ranked Randall Bailey on June 9 in Las Vegas.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday May 11 priced £30, £40, £60, and £100 from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield box office on 0114 256 5656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.com. VIP packages will be sold exclusively by Matchroom Sport for £150 on 01277 359900 or at www.matchroomboxing.com.

The Sheffield star thrilled a packed home crowd in the Arena in March when he dismantled Matthew Hatton in a master class that drew record viewing figures on Sky Sports for non-pay-per-view boxing.

The 25 year old from Oklahoma has won his last eight fights inside the distance, and currently holds the USBA welterweight title, which he defended for the second time in April with a seventh round stoppage over Allen Conyers in his hometown, the 34^th win and the 24^th by KO.

“It’s a step-up in class again and one that I’m truly ready for,” said Brook. “Jones is experienced for his age and has been avoided, but I want a World title shot and in order to get it, I need to go through him.

“The Hatton night just blew my mind. It was the biggest crowd I’ve ever fought in front of and they were all there for me. That’s a very special feeling and I cannot wait to experience it again.”

“Basically Kell Brook is the last person standing in my way to fight for a World title,” said Jones. “He will have to kill me to beat me because I have worked too hard to let anyone stop me from reaching my dream.

“It does not matter if the fight is here, there or in Zimbabwe. I have made a living going to other people’s hometowns and knocking them out and this will be no exception. Kell Brook needs to be afraid, very afraid, because his fans are going to see him put to sleep on July 7.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Carson and one he personally asked for,” said Bobby Dobbs, Jones’ promoter. “Carson is often overlooked because of his earlier career mismanagement, but I always knew he was an exceptional talent and he has finally begun to hit his stride. He has won eight in a row all by stoppage with some very tough fighters in that cycle. We respect Brook and his team, but we are coming to win and move on to the next level.”

Brook’s showdown with Jones tops a great bill for British boxing as Gavin Rees and Derry Mathews meet again for Rees’ European title with Mathews putting the British belt on the line too. Kerry Hope and Greg Proksa face a rematch for the European middleweight title Hope wrestled from Proksa on the Brook vs. Hatton undercard.

Lee Purdy will defend his English welterweight title against Lancastrian Chris Johnson and Ryan Aston will fight for the Midlands Area middleweight belt, and there will also be another outing for Team GB star Scotty Cardle.

“Brook vs. Jones is a fantastic contest and one I’m delighted to have signed,” said Hearn. “Kell is in one of the toughest divisions and to manoeuvre a World title shot isn’t easy. Victory against Carson will put us in line for a shot at the Jones-Bailey winner and that’s a fight I want to bring to the UK in October.

“This will be our first show of the new season and in terms of the card, it’s a statement of intent of where we want to take the sport – bigger fights, bigger nights and packed out arenas.”

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday May 11 priced £30, £40, £60, and £100 from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield box office on 0114 256 5656 and at www.motorpointarenasheffield.com.

VIP packages will be sold exclusively by Matchroom Sport priced £150 on 01277 359900 or at www.matchroomboxing.com. The package includes inner ringside seating (front seven rows), pre-fight party from 5.30pm-8pm with complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and canapés. (The bar will stay open as a pay bar after 8pm.)

Brilliant Brook dismantles Hatton

The Special One thrills Sheffield crowd with dominant performance

Kell Brook says he’s ready to fight for World honours after producing a dominant display to beat Matthew Hatton at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

The Sheffield star richly entertained a crowd touching 10,000 in his hometown with a tremendous display, rarely troubled by his Lancastrian opponent who was fighting in his 50th bout. Hatton used every minute of his experience to hear the final bell having hit the canvas in the ninth round and although Brook couldn’t quite force the stoppage, the gulf in class between the number one and two welterweights in the UK was evident on the judge’s scorecards, that ruled 118-109, 119-108 and 119-107 in favour of the Steel City man.

If Brook’s jab was the weapon of choice again as he moved his unbeaten record to 27-0, the variety, accuracy and intensity of his complete arsenal was on display against Hatton, and as The Special One settled the debate on who is the top welterweight dog in the country, his thoughts turned to dominating the World stage – and after tasting hero-worship in his hometown, he hopes his promoter Eddie Hearn can deliver it in Yorkshire, and reiterated his desire to fight Amir Khan.

“No-one can touch me domestically now – I’ve proved I’m ready for a World title push,” said Brook. “Winning a big fight in front of 10,000 in my hometown is just a dream come true. I was nervous before but I’m only human, all those fans were in there were watching me and that’s pressure I’ve never had.

“I said before that I thrive on it and I grew as I walked to the ring and absorbed those nerves and just soaked it all up – it was beautiful, and I know that Eddie is going to deliver me big fights and that will become the norm.”

“I want Khan now. He thought Matthew was the better fighter and I proved him wrong, and I would smash Amir.

“I thought I was in control for the whole fight and I never really got out of first gear. Matthew is incredibly brave though and a gallant performer, I knew he was a tough guy going into this fight and he’s proved he’s got great heart and so much grit.”

While Hatton’s 50th fight ended in disappointment, the 30 year-old once again showed the enormous courage and determination that saw him take future pound-for-pound king Saul Alvarez all the way for the WBC light middleweight last March. Hatton mustered everything he had to gain bright spots in the fight but ultimately conceded that Brook’s accuracy and speed were unanswerable – and were evident to devastating effect inside the opening stanza.

“Kell broke my nose in the first round,” said Hatton. “He was magnificent – he was the better fighter and there’s no disgrace losing to him. He is a world class boxer and I am sure that he’ll go on to fight for World titles.”

Talk will now focus on Brook’s next move and Hearn said after that fight that he would begin work on getting Kell the World title fight he has earned – and also issued a challenge to Amir Khan.

“I was told when I signed Kell that he didn’t sell tickets,” said Hearn. “He has wowed Sky Sports viewers with a tremendous performance in front of 10,000 fans, and he didn’t even move through the gears. He’s special, he’s clinical and he has shown that tonight. It was a great show and he topped it off with a brilliant performance and one that has shot his profile through the roof.

“The lad had not boxed in his hometown since he was a teenager and now we’ve put him in the biggest Arena available and he’s packed the place out – show me another British fighter who can do that.

“We are ready for Khan now. Money talks and I am ready to arrange that. If this fight doesn’t happen then it’s them who have bottled it. We’d sell bundles and bundles of tickets for the fight – it would bring back pay-per-view for Sky Sports and both fighters would make a fortune. So the question is – will Amir take it?”

The fans packed into the Arena were treated to a terrific night of boxing prior to the 25 year-olds win, as Carl Frampton successfully defended his Commonwealth super bantamweight title with a second round knockout of Prosper Ankrah from a sweet left hook. Frampton was a class above the Ghanaian bantamweight champion and his power told as he connected with the left that ended proceedings.

Potential ring rival Scott Quigg looked on in the studio and Frampton quickly reiterated his desire to face the British champion.

“I don't know if he wants it,” said Frampton. “He should tell his promoter if he does. I want it the next fight, whenever, any time.

“It was easy once I hit him; it just shows I've got the power. The first round he was a bit tricky and I could tell he was more worried about getting hit than landing his own shots. You can see the power is there, once I hit him that was it.”

Frampton entered the ring after a shock result as Merthyr Tydfil’s Kerry Hope put in the performance of a lifetime to rip the European middleweight title from Surrey-based Pole Greg Proksa.

It was the first defence of Proksa’s title but it began badly as he received a nasty cut from a head clash in the early rounds and it was a gash that he struggled to contend with as Hope began to believe he could cause the upset, and his desire and work rate saw him over the line with a mixed decision.

Lee Purdy claimed the vacant English welterweight title with a tremendous fifth round stoppage of Adnan Amar. Purdy was back in the ring after losing his British title to Colin Lynes, but the Essex man showed he was not feeling sorry for himself as he decked Amar in the third and finished him off two rounds later.

Team GB star Scotty Cardle enjoyed a victorious debut winning every round against Sid Razak, Islington middleweight prospect John Ryder moved his unbeaten record into double figures with a 79-74 win over Alistair Warren, fellow middleweight Ryan Aston also maintained his unbeaten record with a six round shut-out against Lee Noble and Eamonn O’Kane won every round of the opening contest against Wayne Reed.

888poker.com to sponsor War of the Roses

Online poker giant join Scotts and North Fire as Brook vs. Hatton backers

Matchroom Sport are delighted to announce that 888poker.com are sponsoring Saturday night’s War of the Roses fight night, led by Kell Brook’s welterweight clash with Matthew Hatton at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield, live on Sky Sports 1, HD1 and in 3D.

The online poker giants back the cross-counties battle with a sparkling undercard that includes Carl Frampton’s second Commonwealth super bantamweight title defence against Ghanaian bantamweight champion Prosper Ankrah, Greg Proksa’s European middleweight title defence against Kerry Hope, Lee Purdy and Adnan Amar battling for the vacant English welterweight title, outings for exciting middleweight prospects John Ryder and Ryan Aston and a professional debut for Team GB star Scotty Cardle.

888poker.com join menswear retailers Scotts and fire and rescue supply company North Fire in supporting the huge night for British boxing, which has a limited number of tickets available with the event having passed the 9,000 tickets sold mark.

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 http://www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk/ . £40, £60 and £150 VIP tickets have now sold-out.

Brook: I am not looking beyond Hatton

Sheffield star says fights with Khan, Ortiz and Berto can wait

Kell Brook insists he is full focussed 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.

KELL BROOK AND MATTHEW HATTON TO BE AIRED ON SKY 3D

Huge welterweight clash gets extra dimension on March 17

Kell Brook’s ‘War of the Roses’ clash with Matthew Hatton at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on March 17 has been given added endorsement as Sky will screen the show in stunning 3D.

The news that the Yorkshire vs. Lancashire clash will be in the new format confirms the magnitude of public interest that ‘War of the Roses’ has got as the explosive St Patrick’s Day night in Sheffield enters a new dimension. The show will also be available on Sky Sports 1 and HD1.

The announcement comes at the end of a week when the thrilling undercard bouts were revealed for the March 17 show. It features a second Commonwealth super bantamweight title defence for Barry McGuigan’s highly-rated protégé Carl Frampton, Greg Proksa’s first defence of his European middleweight title against Kerry Hope and former British welterweight champion Lee Purdy aiming to get back to winning ways against Nottingham’s Adnan Amar.

Exciting middleweight prospect John Ryder hopes to take his unbeaten record into double figures against Huddersfield danger man Alastair Warren who fought for the WBC Youth World title in 2010. Eamonn O’Kane makes his fourth pro appearance when he takes on Wayne Reed, while unbeaten Dudley middleweight Ryan Aston faces Barnsley’s Lee Noble, amateur star Scott Cardle makes his professional debut at lightweight and Sheffield heavyweight David Howe also features.

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.