Ryan Burnett retained his IBF and won the WBA Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Zhanat Zhakiyanov in Belfast, Ireland.

In round eleven, Burnett started to bleed from a cut on his forehead.

Burnett, who outlanded Zhakiyanov 214-132, won by scores of 118-110, 119-109 and 116-112.

5pm: 4 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
GARY CULLY v JOSH THORNE
(Kildare) (Bexleyheath)

Followed by

4 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight contest
CRAIG RICHARDS v NORBERT SZEKERES
(Crystal Palace) (Hungary)

Followed by

6 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
JOE FITZPATRICK v MWENYA CHISANGA
(Belfast) (Chichester)

Followed by (FACEBOOK LIVE)

6 x 3 mins Cruiserweight contest
TOMMY McCARTHY v PETER HEGYES
(Belfast) (Hungary)

Followed by (FACEBOOK LIVE)

10 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
TYRONE McKENNA (10st 3lbs) v RENALD GARRIDO (10st 3lbs 8oz)
(Belfast) (France)

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS – 19:30 – 23:30

6 x 3 mins Super-Welterweight contest
ANTHONY FOWLER (11st 2lbs) v LASZLO FAZEKAS (11st 4lbs)
(Liverpool) (Hungary)

Followed by

8 x 3 mins Welterweight contest
JOSH KELLY (10st 13lbs) v JOSE LUIS ZUNIGA (10st 13lbs)
(Sunderland) (Mexico)

Followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA International Super-Featherweight Championship
JAMES TENNYSON (9st 3lbs 3oz) v DARREN TRAYNOR (9st 3lbs)
(Belfast) (Aberdeen)

Followed by

12 x 3 mins IBF East/West Europe Lightweight Championship
PAUL HYLAND Jr (9st 8lbs 8oz) v STEPHEN ORMOND (9st 8lbs 4oz)
(Belfast) (Dublin)

Followed by

12 x 3 mins IBF & WBA Super World Bantamweight Championship
RYAN BURNETT (8st 5lbs 6oz) v ZHANAT ZHAKIYANOV (8st 5lbs 4oz)
(Belfast) (Kazakhstan)

LIVE TV FLOAT

6 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight Championship
FEARGAL McCRORY v CALLUM BUSITTIL
(Coalisland) (Caerphilly)

FLOAT

4 x 3 mins Lightweight contest
DAVID JOYCE v ANDY HARRIS
(Mullingar) (Gloucester)

The boxing action heats up when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: JEZREEL CORRALES VS. ALBERTO MACHADO, DEMETRIUS ANDRADE VS. ALANTEZ FOX AND RYAN BURNETT VS. ZHANAT ZHAKIYANOV is seen SATURDAY, OCT. 21 at 10:05 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from two locations, Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY and SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

In the main event from Turning Stone, Jezreel Corrales (22-1, 8 KOs) of San Miguelito, Panama takes on Alberto Machado (18-0, 15 KOs) of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a scheduled 12-round super featherweight title contest.

Corrales, 26, who has spent the majority of his career in Panama, is fighting in the U.S. for only the second time and making his third title defense. His only ring loss came in 2009, in his second pro bout. Last July, Corrales defeated the formidable veteran Robinson Castellanos to set up this encounter with the unbeaten Machado.

Known for his power, the 27-year-old Machado has an 83% knockout-to-win ratio and has been rising through the ranks of the 130-pound division. He previously scored a convincing decision victory over Carlos Morales and now faces his first shot at a title.

The co-main event from Turning Stone is a battle of undefeated fighters, as Demetrius Andrade (24-0, 16 KOs) of Providence, RI takes on Alantez Fox (23-0-1, 11 KOs), from Forestville, Md., in a scheduled 12-round middleweight contest. Two-time junior middleweight champion Andrade, 29, is moving up in weight class to battle Fox, 25, in a showdown both fighters hope leads to a title fight. A member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, Andrade has a deep amateur resume, having won a gold medal at the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships. The six-foot-four Fox will look to exploit his height advantage over the six-foot-one Andrade.

The night opens with a same-day, tape-delay presentation of the scheduled 12-round bantamweight unification bout at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland between undefeated hometown favorite Ryan Burnett (17-0, 9 KOs) and Zhanat Zhakiyanov (27-1, 18 KOs) of Petropavl, Kazakhstan. Burnett, 25, is putting his title and perfect record on the line against fellow belt-holder Zhakiyanov, 33, who has compiled a 22-bout win streak since his only ring loss. The fight marks HBO Boxing’s first visit to Northern Ireland.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of HBO Sports is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jonathan Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Ricky Hatton plans to ruin old charge Ryan Burnett’s big night with the perfect game plan for Zhanat Zhakiyanov to unify the Bantamweight division when they clash for the IBF and WBA Super titles at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Hatton brings Zhakiyanov to Belfast in an historic unification battle that sees the Manchester legend in the opposite corner to the man he introduced to the paid ranks.

The IBF king turned pro with Hatton in 2012 but a stuttering start to his career saw him leave the ‘Hitman’ in 2014 after just four pro fights and team up with Adam Booth.

Hatton has admitted that Belfast was right to move onto pastures new and was proud to see the 25 year old claim the IBF crown – but warns that he will have his hands full against the WBA Super king Zhakiyanov.

“I knew 100 per cent that Ryan had the ability to go all the way when I was training him,” said Hatton. “I was having a lot of problems at the time, I wasn’t in a good place at all, and Ryan felt the training was better elsewhere.

“I wasn’t the trainer I am today. I understand why he left. There are no hard feelings. The Ricky Hatton of today is in a miles better place than the Ricky Hatton back then.

“I text him before his World Title fight with Haskins to say good luck and text him straight after to say congratulations. I think the world of Ryan and his family. He’s a great lad and a wonderful talent but I don’t think he’s going to beat us on the night.

“Ryan’s done everything asked of him so far but he’s going to have to show more than his talent in this one. If he doesn’t nail Zhanat to the canvas in the first few rounds he’s in for a very tough night. But if he doesn’t put Zhanat over in the first few then goes on to win, I’ll be the first one to shake his hand.

“They’ve sparred together and he probably just edged the sessions with those big gloves and head guard but times and circumstances change. Ryan’s in for a heap load of trouble once that bell goes.”

Zhakiyanov was the man in trouble early in his World title clash with Rau’shee Warren in February, hitting the canvas twice in the opening round in Ohio. The hometown star was unable to put the visitor away though and Zhakiyanov recovered and pulled away from Warren to rip the WBA Super strap from him via split decision – a proud night for Hatton and one he feels will serve them well against Burnett.

“He was never going to beat Warren on just boxing ability alone,” said Hatton. “He was going to beat him with a lot of heart and will to win the World Title. We had a good game plan overall but he made fundamental mistakes in the first round. I told him not to stand off Warren because he’ll ping you and what happened – he stood off and ended up on his arse. He can’t start the same against Ryan with all his skill.

“He’s learnt lessons from it and come away with a World title. He went to Ohio in Warren’s backyard to take his belt and this time he goes into Ryan’s backyard so it’s nothing new to him and the experience will help.

“He’s never looked better to be honest with you. I know you hear trainers say that a lot, but he has never looked this good. He couldn’t be any sharper.

“He’s got an extra bit of ambition and determination for this one. There’s always been that bit of rivalry between the two. The fact he used to share a gym with Ryan and spar with him at the same weight.

“Ryan hasn’t fought anyone as good as who Zhanat has been in with. He’s beat Karim Guerfi for the European who is a very, very good fighter – potential World class. Rau’shee Warren is an absolutely outstanding fighter. As good as Lee Haskins and Ryan Farrag are, they aren’t big power houses who can pack a huge punch.”

Zhakiyanov’s clash with Burnett tops a huge night of boxing in Belfast as Paul Hyland Jnr defends his IBF European Lightweight title against Stephen Ormond and James Tennyson puts his WBA International Super-Featherweight title against Darren Traynor.

Burnett’s Adam Booth gym mate Josh Kelly fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks, as is his Team GB Rio Olympic teammate Anthony Fowler.

A host of local and Irish talents appear on the bill with Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy, Super-Lightweight Tyrone McKenna, Lightweights Joe Fitzpatrick and Gary Cully and Super-Featherweight Feargal McCrory.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £33, £44, £65 and £105 from the SSE Arena Belfast at www.ssearenabelfast.com (ticket price includes inside charge)

VIP tickets priced at £150 are exclusively available from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Face value tickets for October 21 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

Ryan Burnett has vowed to make Belfast proud as he puts his IBF World Bantamweight crown on the line against WBA Super champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov at the SSE Arena in Belfast on October 28, live on Sky Sports and HBO.

Burnett makes history by fighting in the first unification clash to be held in Northern Ireland, and the unbeaten starlet is looking to build on a magic night in June where he ripped the IBF strap from Lee Haskins with a dominant performance over the Bristolian.

That was the 25 year old’s first fight in his hometown for three years and he received a rapturous welcome to the ring – and when his hand was raised his win was greeted with a roar of approval from the fans who welcomed a new hero for the famous fighting city.

Burnett has since been honoured with a mural in the city and now the unbeaten champion wants to pay back the great support he’s received with another big performance next weekend and make his city proud.

“My Mum called me up and told me that they were putting a mural up and I couldn’t believe it,” said Burnett. “It’s such an honour. The first time I drove past it I thought, I grew up here as a kid and now my face is on a wall, it’s made me so proud and it’s given me an extra push in training.

“It was touch and go in my first fight if it was going to take off because I had been away from Belfast for so long, but it did. This time the profile has risen so much and this is a massive fight, so this is my moment to really become a name here. I’m living in the moment and enjoying it, I’m not taking it too seriously and putting too much pressure on my shoulders, I’m just lapping it all up.

“When I was growing up there was a lot of trouble and violence. It was installed into me as a kid to be a fighter, to stand up for myself and fight back, my dad would tell me to keep going even when I was just four or five.

“It all depends on how people are brought up, how they are tuned to life. What they’ve had to face. I’ve faced tasks that other people haven’t had to face and that’s given me a hunger that a lot of people don’t have. I know I have got that dark side that I can turn to, it’s been in me my whole life.”

Burnett’s clash with Zhakiyanov tops a huge night of boxing in Belfast as Paul Hyland Jnr defends his IBF European Lightweight title against Stephen Ormond and James Tennyson puts his WBA International Super-Featherweight title against Darren Traynor.

Burnett’s Adam Booth gym mate Josh Kelly fights for the fourth time in the paid ranks, as is his Team GB Rio Olympic teammate Anthony Fowler.

A host of local and Irish talents appear on the bill with Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy, Super-Lightweight Tyrone McKenna, Lightweights Joe Fitzpatrick and Gary Cully and Super-Featherweight Feargal McCrory.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £33, £44, £65 and £105 from the SSE Arena Belfast at www.ssearenabelfast.com (ticket price includes inside charge)

VIP tickets priced at £150 are exclusively available from http://www.matchroomboxing.com/

Face value tickets for October 21 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing are delighted to announce a deal with talkSPORT radio for four huge fight nights – including Anthony Joshua MBE’s World Heavyweight title blockbuster with Kubrat Pulev in Cardiff.

talkSPORT’s deal kicks off in style tomorrow night as they provide live commentary from the Manchester Arena of Anthony Crolla and Ricky Burns’ Lightweight blockbuster, with recent World title challenger Luke Campbell MBE providing expert analysis on a fight that he’ll be looking at the winner as a future foe.

Belfast is next on the schedule as Northern Ireland hosts it’s first ever World title unification bout as hometown star Ryan Burnett puts his IBF Bantamweight title on the line against WBA Super king Zhanat Zhakiyanov on Saturday October 21.

A week later, Cardiff takes centre-stage in the boxing world as the sport’s biggest star Joshua takes on Bulgarian Pulev in front of a record-breaking crowd at Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, with the bumper bill also featuring World title fights for Kal Yafai and Katie Taylor.

Finally, talkSPORT take their position at ringside at The O2 in London for the hotly-anticipated rematch between Tony Bellew and David Haye, as the bitter Heavyweight rivals tangle again on Sunday December 17.

Liam Fisher, National Radio controller, talkSPORT said: “We are hugely excited to be extending our commitment to live sport with these four fights. With World champion Anthony Joshua, David Haye, Tony Bellew and more we have some of the biggest and best fighters on talkSPORT. This complements our 500 live football games on talkSPORT and talkSPORT2 and we promise some heavyweight coverage across the station.”

“I’m delighted to team up with talkSPORT for four huge fight nights,” said Hearn. “We start in Manchester this weekend with the big England v Scotland clash with Crolla vs. Burns then we are off to Belfast for the World title unification clash between Burnett and Zhakiyanov.

“The end of October sees boxing’s biggest star Joshua return to the ring and we close out the year with the big rematch between Bellew and Haye. Fight fans know where to tune to follow the live action and all the support programming around the fights.”