INTERNATIONAL BOXING SHOWDOWN – ONLY ON MĀORI TELEVISION

14 October 2007

Kaikohe boxer Mohamed Azzaoui was given a vote of confidence from an unexpected quarter at Thursday's official media conference in Russia ahead of his IBF world cruiserweight title fight screening on Māori Television tomorrow – Sunday October 14 – from 12.00 PM (NZ time).

According to the Northern Advocate, Azzaoui and his trainers were the only team invited to meet legendary boxer Evander Holyfield behind closed doors. Azzaoui will take on Nicaraguan Henry Saenz in the biggest fight of his professional career for the vacant IBF cruiserweight belt at Moscow’ Khodynka Arena.

The bout is on the undercard of the WBO heavyweight championship bout between Sultan Ibragimov and veteran challenger Holyfield and will take place in front of an expected crowd of more than 10,000 and a worldwide television audience of millions.

Azzaoui’s manager, Anthony Warren, told the Northern Advocate that Holyfield was an awesome guy – “Mohamed and I shook his hand and he signed a couple of autographs for us and he wished us the best for the fight”.

Algerian-born Azzaoui turned professional shortly after being controversially disqualified at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He has made his home in the far north since 2002 and has acquired the Pan Asian cruiserweight belt and the Pan African belt since his arrival.

Azzaoui is unbeaten in his professional career with 21 wins and two draws while Saenz has six losses with 16 wins and one draw. A win in tomorrow’s bout is regarded by his management as vital to his chances of gaining a WBA championship challenge against American Virgil Hill, either in December or early next year.

Warren says Azzaoui won’t be coming out firing in his undercard bout against Nicaraguan Saenz. Saenz is an unknown quantity for Azzaoui’s camp and they are taking him seriously as an opponent. The pair train in the same gym in Moscow and Warren says the Central American appears to be a powerful boxer.

He says Azzaoui is feeling some nerves as the fight draws nearer. “This is a big fight, it’s the fight of his life really and there’s a lot riding on it and you’d be silly not to be nervous. A little bit of anxiety just helps makes you sharper.”

Māori Television screens this international boxing event on Sunday October 14 from 12.00 PM (NZ time).

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Vanessa Horan
Kaiwhakaputa (Publicist)
Māori Television
DDI: +64 9 539 7159
MOB: +64 21 928 007
EML: vanessa.horan@maoritelevision.com