Maori TV Secures World Title Fight In Russia

Maori Television Secures World Title Boxing Fight In Russia

Maori Television has secured the live broadcast rights to the biggest boxing event ever to be staged in Russia when Sultan Ibragimov squares off against living legend Evander Holyfield on Sunday October 14 from 12.00 PM (NZ time).

In the biggest heavyweight event of 2007, unbeaten WBO heavyweight champion Ibragimov defends his crown for the first time against Holyfield at the state-of-the-art Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow.

The line-up also includes New Zealand cruiserweight boxing champion Mohamed Azzaoui who will defend his IBF Pan Pacific title against Henry Saenz of Nicaragua. Algerian-born Azzaoui, who has had 19 fights for 17 wins and two draws, now lives in the far North. He has been sparring with heavyweight contender Shane Cameron and has headed to London to finish his preparation by sparring with Britain's No 1 contender David Haye.

A 2000 Olympic silver medalist for Russia, Ibragimov (21-0-1, 17 KOs) struck heavyweight gold in June when he decisively decisioned Shannon Briggs over 12 rounds to win the WBO heavyweight championship. Winning the heavyweight crown was the culmination of a journey that began in Dagestan and which led him to wins over Al Cole, Lance Whitaker and Javier Mora. Now the 32-year old will return home to face a boxing icon.

Holyfield (42-8-2, 27 KOs), a four-time world heavyweight champion and former undisputed world cruiserweight champion, has already carved out a place for himself in boxing’s Hall of Fame with a stellar career which includes wins over Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, John Ruiz and Hasim Rahman. But ‘The Real Deal’ has plenty of fight left and currently riding an impressive four fight winning streak, Holyfield is eager to once again fight for the world heavyweight crown.

Tune into this historic bout as Holyfield fights in Russia for the first time in his professional career and tries to make history by taking Ibragimov’s heavyweight title when Maori Television screens this international boxing event on Sunday October 14 from 12.00 PM (NZ time).

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