Double-action comes exclusively live on BoxNation from both sides of the Atlantic tomorrow night when cruiserweight warriors Marco Huck and Ola Afolabi clash for a fourth time followed by pound-for pound great Terence Crawford’s collision with Hank Lundy.
Huck and Afolabi get the night underway when they meet for an incredible fourth time at the Gerry Weber Stadium, Halle, Germany, in a crucial crossroads fight for both men with the winner going on to a possible world title shot.
Serbian born, German resident, Huck is 2-0-1 going into the fight against London born Afolabi with the previous encounters being close and exciting affairs and although Huck’s WBO World title was previously on the line this time Afolabi’s IBO World title is up for contention.
“Käpt’n” Huck lost his WBO crown in a shock defeat to Krzysztof Glowacki last August in his American debut, but it was a thrilling fight that saw Glowacki floored in the sixth round and then rally back to stop Huck in the eleventh.
The 31-year-old will be looking to prove that he is not finished and has one more shot at glory with a strong performance against Afolabi. Although his preparations could have taken a hit when he revealed last week that he had split with trainer Conni Mittermeier and joined up with Varol Vekiloglu just 10 days before the fight.
For Afolabi, he’ll be looking to continue his hot form on the back of his stunning fifth round knockout of hard Russian Rakhim Chakhkiev last November when he went into the fight as the underdog. In the fight prior, Afolabi extended Interim IBF World Champion Victor Emilio Ramirez the distance in Argentina and lost on the scorecards.
At 35, the man known as Kryptonite, knows that a victory over his rival – which would be his first – is crucial if he is to get a fourth world title opportunity.
Once the dust settles in Germany, the action switches to the Mecca of Boxing at New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden where American star Crawford defends his WBO World Super-Lightweight Championship against Hammerin’ Hank in a potential thriller.
“Bud” Crawford is on the cusp of becoming boxing’s next big crossover star following Floyd Mayweather Jnr’s retirement and the soon to be retired Manny Pacquiao and many believe the all-action and exciting Omaha man could be the one.
Unbeaten in 27 fights with 19 KO’s and with fast switch-hitting hands and power, Crawford shot to prominence when he totally outclassed Ricky Burns in his Glasgow backyard to take the WBO World Lightweight title in March 2014. He immediately made a hero’s return to his hometown in Nebraska and inflicted the first loss to former Unified World Featherweight Champion and 2004 Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa with a sensational ninth round knockout in June 2014 in the first defence of the title. Defences against Raymundo and Thomas Dulorme followed and last time out he smashed Dierry Jean in nine rounds on BoxNation.
The 28-year-old faces a hard test in his MSG debut against the trash-talking Philadelphian Lundy, who took the challenge after top super-lightweights Ruslan Provodnikov, current WBC World Champion Viktor Postol, and former Interim World Champions Lucas Matthysse and Mauricio Herrera all turned down the fight and Lundy is supremely confident with his chances.
At the press conference this week the pair clashed when Crawford nearly pushed Lundy off the stage following their head-to-head stare down after getting annoyed with Lundy’s trash-talking.
Crawford said, “That’s his main objective — to get in my head. But he doesn’t understand that just makes me fight harder, makes me be better, makes me be sharper. I’m not just going to go in there and try to just knock him out. I’m going to go in there and do what I do. That’s what he doesn’t understand.”
Lundy fired back, “I’ve been watching him ever since he came on the scene at 135, and nothing impressed me. Now, he’s going to have a guy in front of him that can do all the things he can do. It’s going to be a big mistake on his part.”
Also on the card will be fast the rising and undefeated Puerto Rican lightweight sensation Felix Verdejo who defends his WBO Latino Lightweight title against Brazilian William Silva. Britain’s WBO World Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan will be keeping a close eye on Verdejo who if he emerges victorious could be a future potential opponent after his clash with Derry Mathews next month.
Live coverage for Huck v Afolabi starts at 7pm on Saturday night with live of Crawford v Lundy beginning at 2am on Sunday morning. To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, Freeview 255, TalkTalk 415, iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com or to watch online subscribe at watch.boxnation.com
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