Stieglitz-Kessler on Showtime, Froch Draws Prizefighter

WBC Super-Middleweight champion Carl “The Cobra” Froch will perform the first ever live fight-night draw at tomorrow’s sold-out Prizefighter Light-Middleweights II at Bethnal Green’s York Hall, live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1.

The Nottingham star will lead the eight contenders to the ring with none of the fighters knowing who they will face in the quarter-finals. In another first for Prizefighter, Ryan ‘Crash Bang’ Taylor takes on Dan Carr in the first “Prizefighter Prospect” before the action gets underway.

Fight fans should get to the venue early to see Londoner Taylor make his pro debut. The 23 year-old fights out of Tony Sims’ gym alongside ‘Dazzling’ Darren Barker and Lee ‘Lights Out’ Purdy, and is aiming to turn his amateur talents into professional victories, having won numerous titles and fought in New York’s prestigious Golden Gloves – the doors at York Hall open at 6.30pm.

Tomorrow’s Prizefighter line-up is led by former two-weight World champion Takaloo who returns to primetime boxing after three years out of the ring.

Adding some razzmatazz to proceedings is Peterborough’s JJ Bird, the 24 year-old who finished fourth in the last series of Big Brother, who will bank on support from flatmate Aston Merrygold from pop group JLS as he returns to the ring after two years out of action.

‘The Raging Bull’ Peter Vaughan will be full of confidence after outpointing previously unbeaten Phill Fury in a real war on the Tyson Fury vs. Dereck Chisora undercard at Wembley Arena in July, taking his record to three wins and one draw.

Hampshire fighter Wayne Goddard takes a 9-0 record into the tournament while Brentwood’s Kris Agyei-Dua has three points wins to his name since making his pro debut at 30 years-old in February.

Steve Harkin’s place in the line-up came down to his loyal followers, as fans of the 29 year-old from Liverpool began a campaign on Twitter that sees the 5-1-2 fighter become the seventh name in the mix. Harkin’s Merseyside compatriot Nick Quigley and Blackpool’s Jeff Thomas complete the line-up.

Prizefighter Light Middleweights II weigh-in results

Kris Agyei-Dua (11st 1lb 4oz)

JJ Bird (11st 1lb 13oz)

Wayne Goddard (11st 1lb 3oz)

Steve Harkin (10st 13lb 3oz)

Nick Quigley (11st 1lb 7oz)

Takaloo (11st 1lb 5oz)

Jeff Thomas (11st 1lb 8oz)

Peter Vaughan (11st 14oz)

Reserves:

Robert Lloyd-Taylor (11st 2lb)

Nathan Weise (10st 13lb 3oz)