Photo by Gianluca Di Caro
By Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro
I’m sure promoter Frank Warren must have been chanting ‘Remember, Remember the Fifth of November’ as he was planning his upcoming triple
Championship headed ‘Gladiators’ show, which will take place at Wembley
Arena on Guy Fawkes Night and shown live on BoxNation (Sky platform 456).
The pugilistic pyrotechnics on display will culminate in an explosive
finale as former WBO Super Featherweight World Champion Ricky Burns and
the Brit Bashing Aussie Michael Katsidis lock horns for the interim WBO
Lightweight World title.
Katsidis is no stranger to battling it out on British shores, having
stopped both Graham Earl and Kevin Mitchell in spectacular fashion, so
will feel quite at home when he faces Coatbridge’s former Super
Featherweight supremo Ricky Burns.
It bodes well that Burns has been stating that he feels stronger, since
vacating the WBO title and moving up to the Lightweight division, as his
good pal Kevin Mitchell can attest Katsidis is one seriously tough cookie.
Since beating our Kev, Katsidis has been in three seriously tough fights,
the first against World #1 Juan Manuel Marquez, who he sent to the canvas
prior to being stopped himself, then he took World #2 ranked Robert
Guerrero the full distance. In his last fight Katsidis came back, from
those two back to back losses, to KO Mexico’s Michael Lozada.
Burns on the other hand is unbeaten since 2007 and defended his World
Crown three times, since beating Roman Martinez to lift the coveted title
in September 2010.
It’s going to be a great fight but unfortunately I have to say that I
think Katsidis, who’s a big Lightweight, is the stronger of the two and
has to be the bookies favourite to win the triple crown by adding Burns to
his list of British victims.
Heading up the explosive undercard sees George Groves defend his British
and Commonwealth Super Middleweight titles against former British Champ
Paul Smith.
Groves is riding high after his magnificent victory over James DeGale, but
can’t afford to be too complacent against former champ Smith.
Yes I know, Smith lost his crown to DeGale and Groves then went and took
it from DeGale, but believe me this is no easy fight for Groves.
Smith is not going to make the same mistakes, tactically, as he did
against DeGale and as such is likely to revert to his normal style and
bring the fight to Groves.
Both Groves and Smith fought different fights to how expected when they
faced DeGale so any comparisons to those fights is right out of the
window. I feel that this fight we’re likely to see them playing their
normal game and as such are likely to see Smith coming forward with Groves
boxing of the back foot for the first three or four rounds, then the more
it goes on the real fireworks are likely to start as they go head to head.
The third championship bout on the card sees undefeated Middleweight
sensation Billy Joe Saunders challenge Gary Boulden for his BBBofC
Southern Area belt.
Saunders, a former Olympian, is without doubt one of the most exciting
young fighters around today and to be honest I can see this fight, against
the defending Champion, ending very much the same way as his past four
bouts.
Boulden is a great Southern Area level Champion, but BJ is way above
regional level or come to that domestic level. In his last four fights he
barely broke into a sweat before dispatching his opponents, all in under
6 minutes.
Also on the card is ‘Del Boy’ Dereck Chisora, making his welcome return to
the ring, since losing his British and Commonwealth Heavyweight straps to
Tyson Fury back in July. On November 5th ‘Del Boy’ will be facing fellow
Londoner Larry Olubamiwo.
As with Boulden-Saunders I can’t see this lasting very long at all as big
Larry O isn’t in the same class as Del Boy, by a country mile, and I
reckon Olubamiwo will be seeing stars before the end of the first round.
Also on the excellent card are ‘Super’ Bradley Skeete, Darren Cordona,
George Michael Carmen as well as Billy Joe Saunders are fellow Jimmy and
Mark Tibbs trained/TRAD TKO gym mates Frankie Buglioni and Gary Corcoran.
Frank Warren Promotions ‘Gladiators’ headlined by the interim WBO
Lightweight title clash between Ricky Burns and Michael Katsidis will take
place at Wembley Arena, and broadcast live on BoxNation (Sky Platform Ch.
456), on Saturday the 5th November 2011.
Tickets, priced £150 (Ringside), £100 (Floor), £75 (Floor), £50 (Tier)
and £40 (Tier), are available now on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or from
the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town,
London E16 4SA
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