Sky Sports' first Fight Night Lives of the season
Friday 12 September 2014 13:18, UK
The new season is coming and Sky Sports will come out with a knockout line-up to kick it all off.
Two world title fights from Scott Quigg and Paul Smith, heavyweight hope Anthony Joshua, the return of George Groves and another golden boy Luke Campbell are among the leading lights first up on Fight Night Live.
There is more to come but we start in Manchester, followed by London, then off to Germany before we round off the fabulous first four in Hull. There will be fantastic undercards, ringside guests old and new, and plenty more to get you back in the boxing mood.
Here are the first super six Fight Night Lives of the season...
World bantamweight champion Scott Quigg is top of the bill in Manchester where he and his local friends line up, with Anthony Joshua also making his debut in one of the nation's best boxing venues, the Phones 4u Arena. Quigg defends against Stephane Jamoye, while close friend Anthony Crolla takes on former world lightweight champion Gamaliel Diaz, hoping to get a shot at the WBO version himself. And on top of that, we will bring you Anthony Joshua's first bout in Manchester, against the tough and experienced Konstantin Airich.
8.00pm, September 13, Sky Sports 1
George Groves gets back in the ring for the first time since being KO'd by Carl Froch. And guess where his comeback takes place? That's right, Wembley... Arena. The Londoner will take on European super-middleweight champion Christopher Rebrasse, with the winner looking like getting a shot at the WBO world title. It will also see some future prospects take their chance to impress with Luke Campbell coming back to London again, the talented super-featherweight star Kal Yafai and another up-and-coming talent, lightweight Martin J Ward, completing the line-up of young guns on show.
8.00pm, September 20, Sky Sports 2
Paul Smith is finally getting a shot at a world title, albeit away from home. It may be against one of the most experienced champions out there, but can the Liverpudlian spring a surprise? The super-middleweight is not short of experience himself but Arthur Abraham has been around for some time. Can Smith jump ahead in the best of British at 168lbs and win the WBO belt? He will get the usual sibling support with brother Stephen Smith also on the card while Matthew Macklin is also on the undercard.
8.30pm, September 27, Sky Sports 2
The Leeds football team are struggling but the city's boxing is booming thanks to Josh Warrington, who is taking on Italian David Dieli for the vacant European featherweight belt. Another young gun is also in action in the shape of Callum Smith but we have two comeback kings on the card too. Brian Rose's light-middleweight world title challenge was too much for him, so he gets back in the ring after a two-month break, while former two-weight world champion Ricky Burns is also back. The Scot has not won in three so really needs a fantastic fourth in Leeds.
8.30pm, October 4, Sky Sports 2
He's boxed in London before, he'll have been on the box before this one, but Anthony Joshua will be fighting for his first heavyweight title since turning pro. The WBC International strap is up for grabs with the experienced Denis Bakhtov in the way at the O2 Arena, where the heavweight hopes will start to come to fruition. Joshua is not the only young gun on the title hunt because Welsh wonder Lee Selby takes on Joel Brunker in a final eliminator for the IBF world featherweight title as chief support. On top of that, a young middleweight prospect from London, John Ryder, is also on the bill, facing the man who beat Frank Buglioni earlier this year, Sergey Khomitsky.
8.30, October 11, Sky Sports 1
There is of course, one Hull of show coming too, with local and lightweight rivals both in action. Luke Campbell is on a mission and could well move up to his first 10-rounder on a bust card, while the other man from Hull is the headline act. Tommy Coyle is a neighbour but the pair are sure to meet sooner rather than later, but first he takes on a former world champion and a famous name... Michael Katsidis. He beat Kevin Mitchell but lost to Ricky Burns, although that was a while ago. What will he bring to the Humberside table?
8.00pm, October 25, Sky Sports 2
