Manchester’s lightweight king Terry Flanagan will make the third defence of his WBO World Title against South Africa’s two-time world champion Mzonke Fana at the Wales Ice Arena, Cardiff on Saturday 16th July, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Flanagan, 30-0-0 12 KO’s, had been set defend his World Title against Fana on Saturday 9th July at the Manchester Arena as chief-support to World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury’s rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.

Team Fury were left with no option but to postpone the first defence of his WBA Super, WBO and IBO World Heavyweight titles after Fury suffered a badly sprained ankle. However, Flanagan will now defend his WBO crown against Fana on the talent-stacked Ice Arena Wales show; just seven days after the original fight date.

Co-headlining a huge night of boxing in Cardiff promoted by Frank Warren in association with RocNation and Caribe Promotions is pound-for-pound superstar Guillermo Rigondeaux who defends his WBA Super-Bantamweight crown against Merseyside hero Jazza Dickens in a real life ‘Rocky’ story. British and Commonwealth Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Williams defends his titles against unbeaten WBO Intercontinental Champion Gary Cororan.

A talent-stacked undercard sees British and Commonwealth Champion Super Bradley Skeete make the fourth defence of his WBO European Welterweight title; Baggies banger Tommy Langford defends his WBO Inter-Continental belt; ‘The Mexican’ Jamie Conlan returns to the ring after his fight of the year contender, Southampton’s red-hot Joe Pigford looks to extend his unbeaten run to eleven fights; Welshmen Craig Evans, Alex Hughes, Gary Buckland, Jay Harris, and Dale Evans all look to impress in front of their home crowd; big-hitting cruiserweight prospect Gary Sweeney looks to go 2-0 and Belfast’s Tyrone McKenna fights over six rounds.

Tickets priced at £35, £40, £70, £100 and £150 are available from:

Eventim
0844 249 1000
www.eventim.co.uk
Ticketmaster
0844 844 0444
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Ticketline UK
02920 230 130
www.ticketlineuk.com

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise the show live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, TalkTalk 415, Freeview 255 and also on smart connected devices via multiple platforms. Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this fight and more live!

LONDON (15 JUNE) WBO world lightweight champion Terry ‘Turbo’ Flanagan defends his belt against South African Mzonke Fana on July 9 at the Manchester Arena, but is aware that bragging rights in his hometown are still well and truly up for grabs.

Flanagan and WBA lightweight titleholder Anthony ‘Million Dolla’ Crolla share ownership of a weight-class and a city but have yet to meet in the ring, much to Flanagan’s frustration.

“They don’t want the fight,” he says. “It’s as simple as that. It’s an easy fight to make. Frank (Warren, promoter) isn’t making it hard for them. He’s not being difficult. If anything, he’s bending over backwards to make it happen. He’s giving into their demands. He has put the ball in their court and said they can have it on Sky Sports. But still they don’t want it.

“I’ve just got to concentrate on my own boxing, keep winning and hopefully people will continue talking about the fight and the Crolla team will do the right thing. If we both keep winning, it might happen down the line, but I’m not confident it will.”

Although he suspects exterior forces are stopping the fight from happening, the WBO champion is urging Crolla to speak up.

“It’s probably the people around him who are worried about the fight, but it’s still Crolla’s decision at the end of the day,” says Terry. “He’s the fighter. If he wants the fight, he should go to his coach or his promoter and say he wants the fight. They can’t argue with him. All he has got to do is say, ‘Make the fight happen.’ But he doesn’t seem to be doing that.

“I think he knows my style will give him problems and I don’t think his team believe he can beat me. It’s a shame because Anthony’s a great fighter and he has looked really good in his last three fights. He has looked big, strong and fit and has boxed well. A fight between us would go down on paper as a 50/50 fight. I just think my better boxing ability would mean I outbox him.”

Flanagan, 30-0 (12 KOs), won’t rely on the Crolla fight. He can’t afford to. Instead, he’s concentrating all his energy on July 9 and Mzonke Fana and, beyond that, eyeing up alternative super-fights for later in the year.

“Crolla in Manchester is obviously the fight I want, because it makes the most sense, but there are some other great fights out there for me,” he says. “I’d love the fight with (Vasyl) Lomachenko if he steps up in weight and goes for a world title in a third weight-class. I wouldn’t be scared. He looks class, a real good fighter, but I want to fight the very best in the world. And, if anybody can beat him, I think it will be me. We’ve both got a similar style and we’d have a good fight, I’m sure.

“I just want big names and unification fights. People say, ‘Why are you fighting this old man (Fana)?’ What they don’t realise is we offered Crolla the fight and they didn’t want it. We want the big fights that the fans want to see. All we can do is keep pushing for them and hopefully one of them will come off.”

Flanagan, 27, continues: “There’s no shame in losing a fight. You can still go on to have a great career. I just don’t like people conning the public and making out that their opponent is some big-punching dangerman and number one in the division when they’re not. It’s bullshit. Let’s just make proper fights and have the best fight the best. Don’t be scared to lose.”

The highly-anticipated world heavyweight title rematch between Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko headlines an action-packed card with Manchester star Terry Flanagan defending his WBO world lightweight title against South African Mzonke Fana in the chief-support. A top quality undercard features Hennessy Sports’ top talents, including Sheffield super-bantamweight hotshot Kid Galahad, fast-rising Manchester heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury, undefeated Bexleyheath super-featherweight talent Yusuf Safa plus Bermondsey’s welterweight warrior Peter McDonagh. Featherweight prospect Issac Lowe from Morecambe and heavyweight Nathan Gorman from Nantwich complete the card.

*** For tickets to REPEAT OR REVENGE: Fury vs. Klitschko 2, please visit eventim.co.uk or call 0844 847 8000 ***

*** The Channel of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, Freeview 255 and Talk Talk 415. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android ***

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Manchester’s Lightweight King Terry Flanagan will make the third defence of his WBO World Title against South Africa’s two-time world champion Mzonke Fana as chief-support of World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury’s rematch with Wladimir Klitschko at the Manchester Arena on July 9, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Undefeated Flanagan, 30-0 12 KO’s, makes a hero’s return to Manchester after defending his world title in enemy territory against Liverpool’s Derry Mathews in March. All-action ‘Turbo’ smashed mandatory challenger Diego Magdaleno inside two rounds in his last outing at the Manchester Arena last October and is predicting another devastating performance on his big return.

“It doesn’t get any bigger than fighting as chief support and right before the lineal heavyweight championship of the world. The world will be watching as a fellow Manchester man Tyson Fury aims to show he’s the best heavyweight on the planet once again,” said Flanagan.

He added: “Fana is a two time world champion at super-featherweight, he’s highly experienced, tough and has a very good jab. He will be coming over here looking to take my title but it’s not going to happen,”

“There’s going to be 20,000 Mancunians cheering on two of their own in world title fights. I’m going to pick up where I left off and continue to show everyone that I am the number one lightweight in the world.”

Flanagan, 26, has come a long way since his impressive BoxNation debut against Yordan Vasilev back in May 2014. Since then the Mancunian has gone on to become a world champion and says he owes a lot of his success to his loyal support.

He said: “It’s great to get back home in front of my own fans; especially on such a big bill. The Manchester Arena is right on my door step so it’s will be good for my fans; it’s only a 5 minute walk from the estate. The atmosphere is going to be something else.”

The Channel of Champions, BoxNation, will televise live and exclusive on Sky 437/HD 490, Virgin 546, Freeview 255 and Talk Talk 415. Subscribe at www.boxnation.com or watch online at livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android.