As usual, the United Kingdom has a slew of boxing on the calendar for this coming weekend, with several of the events already getting attention at the sports books and more likely on the way by fight day.
Frank Warren and his Queensberry Promotions are delivering a big 12-fight boxing card at the First Direct Arena in Leeds that sees the British title at 140 pounds at play in the main event. The evening’s featured bouts are set to air on BT Sport in the U.K.
Champion Tyrone Nurse (25-2-2) is set to make his third title defense as he faces the challenge of undefeated Jack Catterall (18-0). Nurse has held the belt since 2015 and made several successful title defenses but he will enter the fight with Catterall as an underdog. Catterall is still just 24 years old and he has worked his way up through the British system with a lot of care.The southpaw recently held the WBO’s Inter-Continental title through several defenses.
At 27 years old, Nurse would also appear to be entering his prime but he is 6-1-2 over his last nine fights. Certainly the record is respectable but the loss and the draws could also be a sign that Nurse has topped off at the regional level. Catterall faces bigger expectations than that.
Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom Boxing are at the SSE Arena in Belfast for a big boxing card topped by Ryan Burnett and Zhanat Zhakiyanov’s bantamweight world title bout. The fight is champion versus champion as the 25 year old Burnett owns the IBF version of the world title while Zhakiyanov is te current WBA world bantamweight champion. Burnettis coming off a big win over British rival Lee Haskins while Zhakiyanov is coming off his title win against American R’aushee Warren. At 33 years old, Zhakiyanov has a lot of experience and this is not his first fight in the U.K,
With eleven fights at the SSE Arena, you can expect other bouts to pop up at the books. Below are the current lines for the fights described above.
First Direct Arena – Leeds, England
Super Lightweight 12 rounds –
Tyrone Nurse +240 o9½ -300
Jack Catterall -300 u9½ +220
Featherweight 12 rounds –
Dennis Ceylan +575 o9½ -425
Josh Warrington -985 u9½ +320
SSE Arena – Belfast, Northern Ireland
Bantamweight 12 rounds –
Zhanat Zhakiyanov +275 o9½ -300
Ryan Burnett -335 u9½ +240