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BENAVIDEZ VS. MORRELL RESULTS, VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS & POST PRESSER Benavidez Comes Off Canvas to Outpoint Morrell, With Point Deduction Controversy By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent Las Vegas, NV (February 4th, 2025)– In the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night, February 1, 2025, David Benavidez retained […]
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The Gloves Are Off! King Khan Faces Kell Brook in Battle of Manchester: USA ESPN + Card Preview and Predictions
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Tonight in the UK, though the main event is billed as “The Gloves Are Off!”, in reality the gloves will be on, tonight, Saturday, February 19, 2022. In the USA ESPN + and United Kingdom Sky Sports Boxing main event of a 10 bout card at Manchester Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom, Amir “King” Khan, 43-5 with 21 knockouts, Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom, the former World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation Super Lightweight champion, will face former International Boxing Federation World Welterweight champion Kell Brook, 39-3 with 27 knockouts, Sheffield, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
Owing to both fighters returning from periods of inactivity, Khan inactive over two and a half years, and Brook inactive over a year, ring rust for both combatants making the bout somewhat drawish. Both men have some hard losses, to Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr., Gennadiy Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. That being said, the prediction is a 12 round majority draw or Brook by split decision in 12. Khan versus Brook has the makings to be a close exciting bout at 147 pounds welterweight where both fighters are relatively good. The win will probably go to the hungrier fighter. That being said, anything can happen.
In the 12 round preliminary to the main event, two minute rounds, Natasha Jones, 10-2 with seven knockouts, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom, is predicted to defend her World Boxing Organisation World Female Super Lightweight title by 10 round unanimous decision over challenger Chris Namus, 25-6 with eight knockouts, Montevideo, Uruguay.
In the other 10 round preliminary bout to the main event, Germaine Brown, 11-0 with three knockouts, London, United Kingdom, is predicted as the challenger to win the BBBofC English Super Middleweight title from Charlie Schofield, 17-1 with one knockout, Ashton under Tyne, United Kingdom, whose untested record is padded.
Ibrahim Nadim Win 4 Omar Dusary, Super Bantamweights
Hassan Azim Win 4 Jake Hall, Welterweights
Abdul Khan Win 4 Ricky Starkey, Featherweights (Opening Bout on the Card)
Jorge Linares-Zaur Abdullaev & Amir Khan-Kell Brook Headline Marathon Day of Fights on ESPN+
Linares-Abdullaev streaming action from Russia begins at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT
Coverage of the Amir Khan-Kell Brook super fight from Manchester, England, begins at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
Amir Khan vs. Kell Brook UK Super Fight Preview, Presser, Betting Odds, Gloves Are Off Show & Weigh-in Video
(Feb. 15, 2022) — Three former world champions highlight an international fight marathon this Saturday, Feb. 19, live and exclusively on ESPN+. It begins with Breakfast and Boxing from RCC Boxing Academy in Yekaterinburg, Russia, as Zaur Abdullaev defends his WBC Silver lightweight belt in a 12-rounder against three-weight world champion Jorge Linares.
Linares-Abdullaev fight action begins at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT, which precedes the highly anticipated grudge match between former world champions Amir Khan and Kell Brook. Coverage of Khan-Brook from AO Arena in Manchester, England, starts at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and includes the vacant WBO female junior middleweight world title bout between Natasha Jonas (10-2-1, 7 KOs) and Chris Namus (25-6, 8 KOs), English super middleweight champion Charlie Schofield (17-1, 1 KO) defending his belt in 10-rounder versus Germaine Brown (11-0, 3 KOs), and the heavyweight professional debut of British Olympic bronze medalist Frazer Clarke.
Linares (47-6, 29 KOs) has been a professional for nearly 20 years, winning world titles at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight. During his lightweight run, he’s defeated the likes of Anthony Crolla and Kevin Mitchell while giving pound-for-pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko a stern test before being knocked out in the 10th round of their May 2018 matchup. Linares is coming off last May’s competitive decision defeat to rising star Devin Haney. Abdullaev (14-1, 8 KOs), who has won three fights since a TKO loss to Haney, earned the WBC Silver title last September with a unanimous decision over former world champion Dejan Zlaticanin.
ESPN+-streamed undercard action from Russia includes a 12-round WBA 130-pound title eliminator between Mark Uranov (20-2-1, 10 KOs) and Angel Rodriguez (19-1, 10 KOs), and Russian junior welterweight standout Ivan Kozlovsky (4-0, 2 KOs) in a 10-round test against Zoravor Petrosian (12-1, 5 KOs).
CLICK HERE for PHOTOS Credit: BOXXER(ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) • Amir Khan 147.3 vs. Kell Brook 148.3
(Junior Middleweight— 12 Rounds)
• Natasha Jonas 149.5 lbs vs. Chris Namus 147.5 lbs
(Vacant WBO Female Junior Middleweight World Title — 10 Rounds)
English