(JAN 16) Rising heavyweight
star Daniel Dubois will have his tenth professional fight and
double Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams will challenge for a
first world title on Friday March 8 when Frank Warren proudly
returns boxing to the historic surroundings of the Royal Albert
Hall. BT Sport will televise live.
Liam Williams will also make the
first defence of his newly won British Middleweight title
against Brentwood bruiser and former English Champion, Joe
Mullender.
The iconic venue has previously staged some of the best fights
in British boxing history. Only one professional boxing show has
been staged at the Albert Hall in the last nearly 20 years, the
occasion being when Billy Joe Saunders fought Tony Hill for the
vacant Commonwealth title in April 2012.
Sharing top billing will be star in the making, Dubois, who
faces his toughest test to date in the shape of Romanian giant
Razvan Cojanu.
The 31-year-old former world title challenger extended Dubois’
domestic rival Nathan Gorman to the full 12 round distance in
December, having originally been scheduled to fight the young
Londoner a week previously before Dubois succumbed to illness.
The 16-5 Cojanu has operated at the highest level and in 2017 he
challenged Joseph Parker for the WBO world heavyweight title and
faced Luis Ortiz in July of last year.
“The chance to fight at the Royal Albert Hall is a huge thrill
for me and I really hope it is the first of many opportunities
to perform there,” said the 21-year-old. “I am fully aware that
many of the British heavyweight greats of the past fought at
this historic venue and it will be an honour to follow in the
footsteps of the likes of Henry Cooper, Frank Bruno and Lennox
Lewis.
“I know the Albert Hall was the favourite place to watch boxing
for many older fans so it is brilliant that a new generation
will now get the chance to sample the experience too.”
It is fitting that British sporting royalty in Nicola Adams will
bid for her crowning moment at the South Kensington concert hall
that was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 and first staged a
boxing competition in 1918.
Adams will challenge the WBO world flyweight champion Arely
Mucino, having won the Interim world title in October with a
clear cut points victory over Isabel Millan in her fifth
professional fight.
“Winning a world title is what I got into professional boxing
for and I believe it is my destiny to do so and ultimately unify
the flyweight division,” stated the two-time Olympic gold
medallist. “To get this opportunity after just five professional
fights is an achievement in itself and I am so thankful to my
promotional team for making it happen.
“To fight for the WBO world title at the Royal Albert Hall is a
dream come true when you consider the great names that have
performed there and I want to make this another memorable
occasion.”
The 29-year-old Mexican Mucino holds a record of 27-3-2 and is a
three-time world champion, winning the IBF title in 2011 and
successfully defending three times before losing a challenge for
the WBC belt in 2012.
Mucino won the WBO title in February of last year with a
majority decision over Monserrat Alarcon before overcoming Maria
Salinas via a split decision in September.
Also on the bill, in what is surely guaranteed to be an
all-action encounter, Liam Williams will make a first defence of
his British middleweight title against former English champion
Joe Mullender.
Williams was hugely impressive in stepping up to middleweight to
stop the previously unbeaten Mark Heffron in December to become
a two-weight British champion and he now defends the belt
against the 11-2 Mullender, who recorded a brutal stoppage
victory over Ben Capps last time out in October.
“I think this has got all the makings of an exciting fight and
you can see from his style that he always brings it and comes to
have a good tear up, so I am looking forward to it,” commented
the 19-2-1 Welshman.
“I do believe I am a class or two above him to be quite honest,
but I also think he will give anyone a decent fight because of
his style. He would give most fighters in the world a good
fight, however long it lasts, because of the way he approaches
fights.”
The Brentwood man, known as ‘Smokin Joe’ won the English title
in an epic sequel against Lee Markham in June 2017.
“For me it is all about the British title and I will fight
anyone,” insisted the hugely popular 32-year-old. I respect Liam
as a fighter, he has done what he’s done and is levels above me
on paper, but I don’t really care who I fight, to be honest.
“It is for the British title and the odds are stacked against
me, but that is what I like.”
Johnny Garton, who won the British welterweight title in a
thriller against Gary Corcoran in October features on the card,
along with Archie Sharp (14-0) making a first defence of his WBO
European super featherweight title against the also unbeaten
Lucas Ballingall (11-0).
Tickets are priced from £40. A pre-sale open to members of the
Royal Albert Hall’s Friends and Patrons scheme is open from noon
on Thursday 17 January, with tickets on general sale from noon
on Friday 18 January via RoyalAlbertHall.com
TICKETS START FROM £40
GRAND TIER: £100
LOGGIA: £100
SECOND TIER: £75
