Natasha Jonas takes on Marie-Eve Dicaire in WBO, WBC and IBF unification; Sky Sports viewers will be able to watch Ricky Hatton’s farewell exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera; Plus Dalton Smith vs Kaisee Benjamin, Bradley Rea vs Tyler Denny and Frazer Clarke vs Kamil Sokolowski
Thursday 29 September 2022 06:10, UK
Natasha Jonas will aim to win a third world title this year when she fights IBF champion Marie-Eve Dicaire at the Manchester Arena on November 12, live on Sky Sports.
Jonas will headline a full BOXXER bill, while Sky viewers will also be able to watch Ricky Hatton's farewell exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera on a separate show promoted by Europa Combat on the same night.
In February, Jonas leapt up three weight classes to knock out Chris Namus and win the WBO super-welterweight title in spectacular style. Earlier this month in a dazzling performance in her Liverpool hometown, she unanimously outpointed Patricia Berghult to add the WBC title to her collection.
Now she is looking to win a third major championship before the end of the year against Dicaire.
The Canadian has only ever lost once in her professional career, when she fought Claressa Shields for the undisputed super-welterweight championship.
Dicaire bounced back from that to stop Cynthia Lozano and win back the IBF belt that she had held previously for three years.
"Once I was able to establish myself at this level I just wanted to stay there and keep on performing and keep getting titles," Jonas told Sky Sports News.
"I think every fight at this level is going to be tough. Everyone who's got a world title is that level, they are elite fighters. Berghult who I've just boxed was unbeaten.
"I know what I'm up against, I know it's a tough test, I know it's a big ask but I'm ready for the challenge. I think I've proven that throughout my career."
"This will be a massive night of boxing in Manchester," said BOXXER promoter Ben Shalom. "I think this is Tasha's toughest test to date and it promises to be a spectacular women's fight, just weeks after the iconic all-female card in London, on October 15."
"Remember, remember the 12th of November, because this Fight Night will deliver more fireworks just a week after Bonfire Night," said Adam Smith, Sky Sports Head of Boxing Development.
"This truly is a great card, taking place in the iconic big fight city of Manchester, and it will be a night which promises to be a historic occasion with Tasha fighting for the unified world titles, just weeks after our iconic evening of women's boxing at The O2 in London."
Ricky Hatton will enter the ring for one last time to say goodbye to his Manchester faithful at the arena that was home to so many spectacular nights in the career that made him a British boxing legend.
The Manchester Arena was the site of his most famous victory, his dramatic triumph over Kostya Tszyu in 2005.
Hatton returns for this farewell event in a separate show which will see him take part in an exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican icon renowned for his historic trilogy with Erik Morales and much more during his glittering career.
Tickets purchased for the BOXXER bill in Manchester will also allow access to the Hatton-Barrera exhibition.
The fight night will include Dalton Smith's exciting British super-lightweight title fight with Kaisee Benjamin.
Former GB Boxing sensation Smith scored an impressive sixth-round stoppage win when he headlined in Sheffield last month - his third consecutive win inside the distance - to take the vacant title and bring his number of professional stoppage victories to 10.
Benjamin, from Birmingham, has 16 wins from 18 professional appearances and is undefeated in his last 13 fights. In June, he celebrated a unanimous decision win over Serge Ambomo at the Coventry Skydome to maintain his status as Smith's mandatory opponent.
BOXXER earned the right to promote this mandated British championship bout between the two when it won the purse bid earlier this month.
"Dalton Smith will be hoping to win the British super-lightweight title outright in what is a very, very tough challenge against Kaisee Benjamin. It's a big fight and it will have huge consequences for the winner," Shalom said.
"Dalton is one of the finest young fighters in the country. We saw recently in Sheffield how his popularity continues to grow. Kaisee is a brilliant talent too and he'll be hungry to pull off a major upset."
Frazer Clarke gets a step up in his fourth professional fight against tough journeyman Kamil Sokolowski, who's no stranger to springing an upset and will look to test the Olympic bronze medallist.
Clarke has won all three of his professional bouts so far with three devastating knockouts - and the Tokyo Olympic GB captain will be hungry to add another stoppage to his burgeoning highlight reel in front of a packed crowd at the AO Arena - just a stone's throw away from the home of his beloved football club, Manchester United.
"Frazer Clarke will go right to the top of this very exciting heavyweight division. He has a huge personality and the talent and commitment to go all the way. This fight against Kamil Sokolowski will offer a sterner test against experienced competition that fans will look forward to seeing," Shalom said.
Manchester middleweight Bradley Rea will box in his home town when he takes on Tyler Denny.
Shalom said: "Bradley Rea against Tyler Denny is a great fight. I saw Tyler in one of the fights of the year when he won the English title against River Wilson-Bent. This will be a huge test for Brad early on in his career. It is a compelling fight and possibly it could be the fight of the night. Brad has the chance to make a real statement in front of his home crowd on the big stage."
Adam Smith added, "we'll have a real spectacle in store with Kaisee Benjamin challenging Dalton Smith for the British title. Both men are hot prospects, who have huge futures ahead of them. This fight has all the makings of a domestic classic.
"Plus, after the controversy of his last outing in Liverpool, I'm delighted to see Frazer Clarke stepping it up against Kamil Sokolowski. A big man for a big night of boxing, live on Sky Sports - including the legendary Ricky 'The Hitman' Hatton versus Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera, which takes place in an unmissable separate show by Europa Combat on the same evening, following the BOXXER card."
