Channel 5 has picked up the rights to broadcast the ‘Title Tornado’ show in Monte Carlo, jointly headlined by title fights featuring Britain’s Martin Murray and Stuart Hall.
In a major coup for boxing fans, the free-to-air broadcaster will screen live coverage of Murray’s WBC silver middleweight title defence against Domenico Spada, which also acts as a world title eliminator, on Saturday, October 25.
In addition, Channel 5 will also show Hall’s IBF world bantamweight title fight against undefeated Randy Caballero, as part of bumper line-up of international boxing which will take place at the glamourous Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco.
The ‘Title Tornado’ show has been put together as a result of a collaboration between promoter Hennessy, William Storey and Golden Gloves promoter Rodney Berman.
Hall’s world title clash will be significant milestone as it represents the first major world title fight to be broadcast live on primetime UK terrestrial television in nearly six years.
The last world title fight to be shown on free-to-air television was Amir Khan’s WBA defence against Paulie Malignaggi in May 2010, which was screened by ITV, though Carl Froch’s WBC super-middleweight title triumph against Jean Pascal in Nottingham in December 2008, a show which was promoted by Mick Hennessy and also broadcast live on ITV, was the last to be shown in UK primetime.
Hennessy, who in the past has developed and promoted top boxers including the likes of Junior Witter, Carl Froch, Darren Barker, Howard Eastman, Herbie Hide and James De Gale, currently promotes heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury and super bantamweight star Kid Galahad, among many others.
Commenting on the Channel 5 deal, Hennessy said: “I’m delighted. Murray is an elite-level fighter with a huge following at home. The fans deserve to see more of him.”
Another British highlight on the card is former world champion Hall’s crack at the IBF world title and UK fight fans will be able to see whether Hall can regain the world title he held until four months ago.
British fight fans will also get to see Europe’s most avoided middleweight, the ‘west country warrior’ Nick Blackwell, who makes his Monte Carlo debut.
All the action from a spectacular night of boxing will broadcast on Channel 5 on the evening of Saturday, October 25.
In addition to the British fighters in action, the Monte Carlo show also features two world championship fights and another WBC silver belt championship bout between unbeaten Ryno Liebenberg of South Africa and undefeated Eleider Alvarez of Colombia, with the winner certain to step into a full-blown world title fight against Adonis Stevenson.
China’s Xiong Zhao Zhong challenges South African Hekkie Budler for the WBA and IBO minimum-weight belts, in a fight which is expected to seen by 300 million Chinese people on the night.
Channel 5 made its boxing debut in July 2011 when it screened Tyson Fury’s British title fight against Dereck Chisora, drawing an impressive 3m viewers.
Fury’s subsequent fights also attracted big numbers to Channel 5 in primetime on Saturday evenings of well over the one million mark from 2011 to 2013, culminating with his victory in an exciting world title eliminator against Steve Cunningham in New York.
Since Fury’s departure to fight exclusively on the dedicated boxing channel BoxNation, Channel 5’s coverage of Hennessy Sports-promoted shows has largely focussed on the rising career of Kid Galahad.
Channel 5’s primetime coverage of this special Monte Carlo fight night at La Salle des Etoiles starts at 8.30pm on Saturday, October 25, presented by Mark Pougatch, with fight commentary coming from Dave Farrar and Richie Woodhall.
Boxing fans can catch up with the action they may have missed by watching the entire broadcast shortly afterwards on Demand 5, available on all devices.
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Saturday 25th October
World Championship Boxing: Live from Monte Carlo
Stuart Hall v Randy Caballero
LIVE: 8.30pm-11.00pm Channel 5
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