Former European Welterweight champion Michel ‘Phantom’ Trabant, challenging for the vacant GBC Super Middleweight World Title, heads up the latest offering from Dave Murphy and the Acourtier Events team, the
aptly named ‘NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS’, at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, on Friday, October 4th.
Co-headlining is the rescheduled Jennifer Retzke versus Angel McKenzie vacant GBC Female Welterweight World title clash, which was originally scheduled to headline the Acourtier Events ‘Independence Day’ event on
July 5th.
In keeping with the ‘Night of Champions’ theme, main support for the two World Championship co-headliners, sees Malta’s WBU International Light Welterweight Champion ‘Super’ Steve Martin make a welcome return to the UK, to defend the title he secured last year, by a fifth round stoppage of Germany based Turk Sabri Ulas Goecmen.
Irish Light Middleweight Champion Lee Murtagh will also be in Championship action, when he defends the title he won back in July last year, after Joe Hillerby retired with a dislocated shoulder, and subsequently successfully defended against Willie Thompson in October.
The mega fourteen bout card will also mark the return to the fray of not just one former champion, but two.
Luton’s former British, Commonwealth and WBU Lightweight World Champion Graham ‘The Duke’ Earl, returns to action in the Light Welterweight division.
Earl, who virtually dominated the domestic Lightweight scene in the mid noughties, contested eleven Championship bouts, winning nine including the WBU World crown, between 2001 and 2007.
The second returning star is South London’s former WBO Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Champion, and former World title challenger, Mark Prince, who will be making his first outing in the Cruiserweight division.
Prince, whose only loss came when he challenged Dariusz Michalczewski for his WBO Light Heavyweight World Crown in 1998, holds an excellent professional record of nineteen wins, fifteen by way of stoppage, and just
the single loss.
The final former Champion in action on October 4th is former English Super Featherweight Champion Ryan Barrett , who faces Jan Balog in a Welterweight contest.
Making his welcome return to York Hall, the scene of his pro debut back in April, is former Team GB star Ian Weaver.
Weaver, who since his great debut win over Damian Lawniczak has fought in California, USA, where he scored a tremendous first round knockout win over Karihi Tehei in July.
Also making her return to York Hall on the 4th October, the scene of her superb first round stoppage victory over Hungarian #1 ranked Gabriella Roman back in April, is the Woolwich, London based protégé of Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Marianne ‘Golden Girl’ Marston.
Making his first outing since signing with Acourtier Events is exciting Light Middleweight Phil Fury, the cousin and teammate of Heavyweight prospect Tyson Fury.
Sensational Danish Light Welterweight prospect Osama Hadifi makes his UK debut. Highly rated Hadifi has a perfect six fight, six wins, all by first round knockout, record.
Unbeaten Featherweight prospect Maxine McCarthy will be making her first visit to York Hall, where she will take on Latvia’s Julija Cvetkova.
Last but not least, two exceptional amateur stars, Shiya Ozgul and Antonio Counihan will be making their professional debuts on October 4th.
Dalston, London based Ozgul is just nineteen years of age, yet has already fought over eighty times as an amateur, during which he not only represented Turkey in various international competitions, but was also
crowned Junior Turkish Champion. On October 4th Ozgul will face Hungary’s Aron Csipak.
Solihull’s Counihan had an outstanding amateur career, during which he fought eighty competitive bouts, fifteen of which were Team GB Internationals, as well as had the honour of Captaincy of the England National Amateur Boxing Squad bestowed upon him as well as accrued numerous national accolades along the way, including winning the Junior ABAs, The Great Britain Championships and the Haringey Box Cup.
For his debut fight young Antonio has been set the challenge of facing six fight veteran Arturas Zbarauskas from Lithuania.
Dave Murphy’s Acourtier Events, promoted ‘NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS event, which takes place at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, on Friday, October 4th, 2013.
