Frank Warren will showcase his fighters on new tv channel BoxNation

22nd September 2011

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Promoter, Frank...

Frank Warren today held a press conference to announce that he will be withdrawing his boxing shows from SkySports and moving his fights to BoxNation (Channel: 456 on the Sky Platform)

After agreeing a deal with the TV channel, that has already been showing free-to-air repeats of Warren shows, the promoter feels this is the best way forward for his company and for the fans.

The channel will be free to watch until November and then will change to a subscription format which Warren sees as the only way that the big fights, the fans want to see can happen.

The first show to be shown will be on the 30th September, when Liam Walsh defends his commonwealth super featherweight title against Paul Appleby at the spiritual home of boxing, the York Hall Bethnal Green.

Warren stated at todays press conference that he hoped to get an initial 100,000 subscribers and is sure that the channel will be popular with fight fans. Warren will still see out the remainder of his contract with Sky with shows still to come, but will eventually broadcast his future events with BoxNation.

The channel will also be showing international fights and Warren will be working with Sauerland promotions and will screen the Bernard Hopkins v Chad Dawson fight plus the potential of some other American boxing.

Steve Bunce’s Boxing Hour will make a return and will be presented
from the world famous Planet Hollywood restaurant in central London, there are also plans for a boxing chat show on a Sunday.

Warren’s stable of boxers were in attendance at today’s gathering at the Indigo at London’s 02 Arena and the move should give better exposure to up and coming boxers too, who dont always get the viewing time that they and the fans deserve.

With the game wanting and needing more tv coverage, this can only be a good move that will give the fight fan more options on the box

Warren promises LIVE
boxing each week, that will also include major amateur tournaments starting with the
mouth watering World Amateur Championships from Azerbaijan and then the
Royal Albert Hall Cup from London.

There will be daily fight news updates and a special feature on fights of yesteryear, showing classic fights from home and abroad and featuring some of the
world’s greatest ever boxers including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar
Ray Leonard and many more.

In addition there will be extensive
programming from the world of Mixed Martial Arts combat sports, bringing together BoxNation’s plans to bring fight action to there channel.

Germany’s premier promoter Sauerland Promotions, who have world class
talent from Germany and Eastern Europe, has signed an exclusive three
year deal with BoxNation and features the exciting WBO World Super
Middleweight title clash between Robert Stieglitz and Mikkel Kessler.

The channel have also secured some of the most respected boxing broadcasters
including presenters Jim Rosenthal and Paul Dempsey, pundit Steve Bunce
and commentator John Rawling, they are some of the most knowledgeable and reconisable voices and faces in the sport and it will be good to see that mix working together.

After the Walsh and Appleby meeting this month, October opens up with the fiercely competitive Transatlantic amateur tournament between UK Combined Services and US Armed Services – being shown live and exclusive from the world famous Royal Albert Hall on Friday 7th October when the winning team will be presented with the Royal Albert Hall Cup. It will be good to see boxing back there after many years away.

On Saturday 15th October, BoxNation will feature a special double header, first live from Liverpool with the long awaited grudge match and most explosive showdown of the year between two British boxers when undefeated Nathan Cleverly and challenger Tony Bellew collide at the Liverpool Echo Arena for the WBO World Light-Heavyweight Championship. Then later that night cameras will switch from the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, to see the legendary Bernard Hopkins defend his WBC World Light-Heavyweight title against rival Chad Dawson.

The following week, back at the York Hall, British Cruiserweight Champion Rob Norton will headline with a defence of his British Cruiserweight title; then LIVE from Germany a massive unification showdown in the cruiserweight division sees WBC World Champion Marco Huck and WBO World Champion Krystof Wlodarczyk clash.

Former World champion amateur star Frankie completes a trailblazing month on BoxNation when he defends his WBO Intercontinental Welterweight title on Friday 28th October against the number four world rated Deigo Gabriel Scaves.

In November Ricky Burns will move up in weight to challenge for the WBO Interim World Lightweight title against Australian Michael Katsidis on Saturday 5th November at Wembley Arena.

George Groves defends his British and Commonwealth Super Middleweight titles against the former champion Paul Smith, plus unbeaten prospect Ryan Walsh takes on Liam Richards for the Vacant English Super-Bantamweight title. Then live from Copenhagen, Denmark for the super-middleweight clash between WBO World Super-Middleweight Champion Robert Stieglitz and former WBC Champion Mikkel Kessler.

Then on Friday 18th November, British and Commonwealth Featherweight champion Lee Selby makes the first defence of his titles against Scotland’s former champion John Simpson at York Hall all will be shown live on BoxNation.

Live Press conference in Full by iFilm London

Part 2

Quotations

Frank Warren, FrankWarren.tv Boxing Promoter
“This is what all boxing fans have been waiting for – a dedicated channel, 100% percent committed to showing the best fights from around the world. It’s a big challenge in my career, but I’m really excited by BoxNation and it takes me back to my early years when I was at ITV doing a show a week.”

Richard Brooke, Chairman of BoxNation
“I am delighted to be involved in the launch of Britain’s first ever dedicated boxing channel. BoxNation will provide coverage of all levels of boxing to a large and committed audience of fight fans. The key to the success of BoxNation will be its relationships with rights holders and so I am pleased to announce that BoxNation has agreed a long term, multi-fight content deal with Frank Warren, Britain’s best and most successful boxing promoter.”

Simon Green, CEO of BoxNation, sport broadcaster,
“BoxNation is the most exciting thing to happen in many years for sports fans who crave a regular diet of high quality live boxing. I’m delighted that the best of British boxing talent along with top fighters from around the world will now be showcased on a dedicated UK fight network.”

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions,
“We are very pleased to start working with BoxNation and bring some of the compelling boxing content to the British Fight Fans. The first one being the historic showdown of Bernard Hopkins – who will make his first title defense of his Light-Heavyweight World Title against Chad Dawson. At age 47, Hopkins is the oldest man to ever win a world title in boxing! This fight illustrates the commitment BoxNation has to boxing – bringing you the best and biggest fights not just from the UK but from around the world”.

Francis Warren, head of Queensberry Promotions
“We are very proud that the first ever live show on BoxNation will be from Queensberry Promotions. We are looking forward to a long standing relationship with BoxNation and will be looking to showcase the best up-and-coming talent in the UK as well as developing current domestic title holders and tomorrow’s World Champions.”

Jim Rosenthal Sports presenter and analysis
“This a truly exciting new venture and I’m delighted that I’ll be involved with BoxNation. Not only am I passionate about presenting at boxing events, but I’m also a big fan of the sport and I think this is great news for boxing fans everywhere.”

Keith Walters,
“This is tremendous for amateur boxing and I’m looking forward to working with Frank and BoxNation. The profile of amateur boxing will be lifted and that will be fantastic for the sport.”

By Chris Maylett

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