Two future superstars of the sport, Francesca Hennessy and Gradus Kraus, will now top the bill at BOXXER’s The World Awaits fight night on Saturday January 31 at the Copper Box Arena in London, broadcast live and free-to-air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Adam Azim was due to headline the event, but his fight against Gustavo Lemos has been postponed after both fighters suffered hand injuries in training. Their IBF eliminator will be rescheduled for later this year.
Francesca Hennessy can take another big step towards world glory when she faces fellow unbeaten British boxer Ellie Boutell in a final eliminator for the WBC World Bantamweight Title, with the WBC Silver Bantamweight Championship also on the line.
Hennessy returns to BBC television after a perfect performance against former WBC World Champion Fabiana Bytyqi. The 21-year-old’s aim is to become the youngest ever undisputed world champion, a record currently held by Gabriela Fundora, who claimed all four major titles at the age of 22.
A win would put Hennessy in line to face Cherneka ‘Sugar Neekz’ Johnson, the current Undisputed Bantamweight Champion. However, Boutell, the Shanghai-based Cambridge graduate, will be coming into the bout with her own world title ambitions.
Gradus Kraus is considered one of the most exciting prospects in world boxing. The 24-year-old from Oss, Netherlands has stopped eight of his nine opponents inside the distance and holds an amateur win over two-time Olympic gold medallist Arlen Lopez.
The reigning IBF European Light Heavyweight Champion will take on Boris Crighton as he makes his promotional debut for BOXXER having signed a long-term deal with the next-gen promoter in December.
Glasgow boxer Crighton has previously gone the distance with former IBO World Champion and current European Light Heavyweight Champion Lyndon Arthur and should provide Kraus with the toughest test of his career so far.
BOXXER Founder & CEO Ben Shalom said: “Obviously, we were disappointed to lose Adam Azim as our headliner, but we are thrilled to have two of the most exciting young fighters in world boxing in action on Saturday night. Francesca Hennessy and Gradus Kraus have the potential to dominate their divisions and become future pound-for-pound stars.
“We’re also pleased that, together with our broadcaster and partners, we have been able to keep the show on despite losing our main event. We have eight fights, showcasing some incredible talent. All the fighters have been training hard and are deserving of their opportunities on Saturday.”
Remaining tickets are available at BOXXER.com
This event is presented in association with official partners Betfred, Riyadh Season, That Prize Guy, Tixr and Champion.
All purchased tickets remain valid. Any ticket holders requiring a refund following the postponement of Azim vs Lemos should contact their point of purchase.
