World Championship Boxing Tickets

Commonwealth Super-Middleweight Champion George Groves will defend his title against one of the toughest men in boxing at London’s ExCeL on Saturday 15 December when he faces former IBF World Light-Heavyweight Champion Glen Johnson.
 
Groves’ promoter Frank Warren confirmed today that Groves and the Jamaican born, Miami based hardman Johnson will feature as chief support on the multi-title card headlined by WBO World Lightweight Champion Ricky Burns, live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).
 
The Hammersmith southpaw is unbeaten in 15 fights, but sees Johnson as the toughest and most exciting fight of his career so far that has already seen him beat the best of British in James DeGale and Paul Smith.
 
Due to injuries Groves, 24, has only fought once this year, but he managed to put in an action-packed performance in California in July that saw him stop tough Mexican Francisco Sierra in six rounds that sent his stock soaring Stateside.
 
“Johnson is a great name and it will be a fantastic fight to end the year with before looking at a world title shot next year,” said Groves
 
“He’s a true warrior and will come to fight and in no way am I expecting an easy night’s work against him.  I’ll be training my guts out for this fight and it could turn into a brutal and bloody war, one that the fans will relish,”
 
“He’s had 70 fights with 35 knockouts and is a massive step up for me in just my sixteenth fight, a win against him would be great on my record.  One thing is for sure, the fans and BoxNation viewers are in for a thrilling fight on 15 December,”
 
The legendary Bernard Hopkins is the first and only man to stop Johnson over 15 years ago and since then, amongst others, he’s taken world champions Chad Dawson and Carl Froch the full distance.
 
Groves knows he faces a huge task, but would love to be the first man since Hopkins to stop the Road Warrior.
 
He continued, “The man is like a tank coming forward all the time and I’ll need to pull out some big bombs if I’m going to stop him.  Top men like Froch and Dawson, plus Antonio Tarver and Clinton Woods couldn’t halt him so it’s a tall order, but I’m confident in my abilities and if I can be the first since Hopkins to stop him then it will send a strong message out to the 168 pound world champions that I’m coming for them,”
 
Warren added, “It’s a very tough fight for George.  Johnson has been around, seen it and done it in a near twenty year career so he’ll have bags of experience compared to George.  But George is young, fresh, talented and hungry and really wants to prove that he’s the next world champion in waiting.  I think that the fans will be for a cracking fight between these two, plus we’ll be announcing Ricky Burns’ challenger shortly.”
 

Commonwealth Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders says he’ll be looking to finish off Nick Blackwell in three rounds when they clash at the London’s Excel on Saturday 15 December.
 
The Hatfield star is hyped up for his title defence and challenge for the vacant British title on Frank Warren’s big end of year show, live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 437/Virgin Ch. 546).
 
Saunders, 23, is coming off the best performance of his career last month when he stopped unbeaten Australian Jarrod Fletcher in the second round with a savage display of power-punching, and in January he blitzed Tony Hill inside a round to claim the Commonwealth title.
 
Despite recording ten of his 15 wins inside three rounds, the Beijing Olympian has shown that he’s not just a puncher and can do the full twelve rounds when he out-boxed former Commonwealth champion Bradley Pryce in June.
 
Trowbridge’s Blackwell only has one loss in twelve fights when he challenged Martin Murray for the British, Commonwealth and WBA Intercontinental titles last year.  Since then he’s stormed backed with four stoppage wins, winning the English and WBC Youth Silver title.
 
“This year has been the best of my career so far and I’m ending it with another devastating performance at the Excel,” said Saunders.
 
“Hill went in a round, Fletcher in two, so I’m going for Blackwell in three to win the British title and keep hold of my Commonwealth belt before looking at the European title for the treble next year.
 
“Blackwell is a good fighter and he stepped up to Martin Murray in only his ninth fight so he’s not afraid of facing a challenge.  I’m punching harder and I’m getting stronger and improving with every fight so I can’t see Blackwell lasting too long.”
 
Ricky Burns headlines the action packed show with the third defence of his WBO World Lightweight Championship against Liam Walsh, plus Bradley Skeete challenging Southern Area Welterweight Champion Chas Symonds.