Kell Brook’s IBF World Welterweight title defence against Diego Chaves on Saturday October 24 at the Sheffield Arena will be aired live on SHOWTIME Sports in the US.
The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL presentation of the Sky Sports telecast will feature analysis from SHOWTIME boxing experts Brian Custer, Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi before and after the world championship showdown. An encore presentation of the bout will air on SHOWTIME later that evening at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
“I’m delighted that my fight with Chaves is going to be shown in the U.S.,” said Brook. “I was thrilled when I saw my name in the top 10 of the pound-for-pound list in The Ring Magazine, and now is the time that I need to show the fans in the U.S. that I am a must-see fighter.
“Chaves is an all-action boxer who always comes to fight, and that is the perfect style for me to shine on October 24. I look forward to putting on an explosive performance and making the U.S. stand up and take notice that I am the best Welterweight in the world.”
“We know Brook is a tough fighter, very technical,” said Chaves. “But he is not a fast fighter and he is easily bothered by body punches, which is one of our strengths. I believe he has problems going backwards, and we are going to test his punching power, too.
“I feel that my confidence grows with this challenge, knowing that I will have to face a champion like Kell Brook in his home country in England. This raises the stakes for me, going up there as an Argentine and as a huge underdog. We know all the bad blood that exists between Argentina and England and this will give me much more strength. I will make history if I defeat an Englishman in his own country.”
“We’re excited to be back in business with Kell Brook, Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn and to deliver this exciting matchup of top 10 Welterweights to the U.S. audience,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports. “Kell won the World title on SHOWTIME in an action-packed victory over Shawn Porter last fall, establishing himself as one of the top Welterweights in the world – but Diego Chaves is a rugged fighter who has also proven that he can compete with the elite of the division.”
Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) will make his third consecutive title defence of 2015 in his native England after coming to the U.S. and dethroning previously undefeated IBF Welterweight World Champion Shawn Porter in August 2014 on SHOWTIME. The Sheffield native has scored knockouts in each of his defences – a fourth round TKO of Jo Jo Dan on March 28 and a sixth round TKO of Frankie Gavin on May 30. Brook aims for a similar result against the veteran Chaves, who has faced some of the top fighters in the 147-pound division.
Chaves (23-2-1, 19 KOs), of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been a road warrior in recent fights, facing favoured Americans on the road in three of his last four bouts. He challenged 147-pound titlist Keith Thurman in July 2013 and, after winning by knockout in a hometown fight in Argentina, was ahead on the judges’ scorecards against Brandon Rios in August 2014 until he was disqualified. In his last fight, Chaves fought to a draw against perennial Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
Tickets are on sale now priced at £40, £60, £80, £100 and £150 are on sale now from the Sheffield Arena on 0114 2565656 and at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk. VIP tickets priced at £250 VIP are exclusively available from www.matchroomboxing.com.
Tickets for October 24 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.
