HOBOKEN, N.J. (October 30, 2012) — With a rematch against former World champion Lucian Bute still on the cards, as well as potential grudge rematches against Andre Ward and Mikkel Kessler in International Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra’s” Froch’s future, the 34-year-old British favorite admitted that his November 17th title defense against Yusaf Mack, headlining the “True Brit” pay-per-view event (in the U.S.), could be his last fight at home in Nottingham, England.
“If the Bute fight happens,” Froch explained, “it will be in Canada, and rematches with Ward and Kessler could well happen in America and Denmark, so this could well be my last fight in Nottingham.”
Froch and Mack headline an exciting night of boxing on Nov. 17 with Tony Bellew aiming to seal his second World light heavyweight title shot in a World Boxing Council (WBC) title eliminator against Argentine invader Roberto Bolonti.
“True Brit,” presented by Matchroom Boxing, will be distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3:00 PM/ET – 12:00 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVN for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.
“True Brit” will also be available to view via Fight Now TV, America’s only 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel, on Cablevision channel 464 as part of the iO Gold package.
Froch (29-2, 21 KOs), rated by The Ring Magazine as the No. 1 contender in the world, captured the IBF title in his last fight on May 26 with an impressive fifth-round technical knockout of previously undefeated champion Bute (30-1). In the past four years, his last eight fights have been against a Who’s Who of the 168-pound division with victories over Bute, Glen Johnson (DEC12), Arthur Abraham (DEC12), Andre Dirrell (DEC12), Jermain Taylor (TKO12) and Jean Pascal (DEC12). Froch’s only losses were by 12-round decisions to unbeaten World Boxing Council (WBC)/World Boxing Association (WBA) king Ward in the final of the Super Six Tournament, and four-time World champion Kessler during the aforementioned tournament. Seven of his last eight opponents, excluding Dirrell, have been world champion.
IBF No.5-ranked Mack (31-4, 17 KOs) has been fighting as a light heavyweight since 2008. He lost his only world title shot to IBF 175-pound champion Tavoris Cloud by eighth-round technical knockout in 2006.
“I’m in fantastic shape and itching to get in there again,” Froch said. “The Bute fight was special and the best night of my career, but there’s no chance I’ll take my foot off the pedal on November 17. Yusaf is a dangerous customer and he has nothing to lose coming here and everything to gain. Yusaf has fought for a World title at light heavyweight and he is going to be doing everything he can to prove himself at super middleweight.”
Bellew (18-1, 12 KOs) and South American champion Bolonti (30-1, 19 KOs) will fight in the 12-round co-feature, an official WBC eliminator to become champion “Bad” Chad Dawson’s mandatory challenger, with the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver light heavyweight championship on the line.
Bellew, rated No. 10 by The Ring Magazine and No. 14 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), has lost only once as a professional, last year in his only World title challenge fight to undefeated WBO champion Nathan Cleverly by 12-round majority decision.
Bolonti will be going for his 27th consecutive victory on Nov. 17. Fighting outside of his native Buenos Aires, Argentina for the first time, Bolonti is rated No. 5 by the WBC, No. 10 by the WBA and IBF.
The PPV card, pending time restrictions, will also showcase some of Britain’s top, young fighters, including bantamweight prospect Khalid “Kal” Yafai (3-0, 2 KOs), a 2008 Great Britain Olympian, vs. TBA, lightweight Scott “Scotty” Cardle (5-0, 1 KO) vs. Joe Elfidh (7-2), former European middleweight champion Kerry Hope (17-4, 1 KO) in a six-round tune-up vs. TBA prior to his December 8th showdown with Darren Barker, lightweight Martin J. Ward (2-0) vs. TBA, middleweight Ryan “Tank” Aston (7-1, 3 KOs) vs. Tyan Booth (11-6-1, 2 KOs), and featherweight Leigh “Leigh-thal” Wood (4-0, 1 KO) vs. Gavin Reid (6-16-1, 3 KOs). All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Go online to www.integratedsportsmedia.com, www.fightnow.com for more information about the “True Grit” PPV. Follow Integrated Sports on Twitter @integratedppv and Fight Now TV @fightnowtv.
About Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Ivan Calderon, Pauli Malignaggi, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr., Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Ruslan Chagaev. Also World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Mirko Filipovic, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches featuring teams like Real Madrid,Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.
About FIGHT NOW TV: With offices in New Jersey, Las Vegas and Toronto, FIGHT NOW TV is a cross-platform media company that creates and distributes content through its television, video on demand, and online outlets.
Founded by Channel Zero, Inc. and media entrepreneur Mike Garrow, FIGHT NOW TV launched last year as the first and only 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week combat sports channel in the nation. The network’s mandate is to bring the best battles, fiercest fights and stunning knockouts to America. FIGHT NOW TV caters to fight fans of every genre, giving them a front row seat to compelling coverage of MMA, boxing, wrestling/grappling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other combat sports. FIGHT NOW TV is the place for the best analysis, live and current events, documentaries and news coverage of the biggest PPV events and match-ups from around the