Super middleweight punchers Frank Buglioni and Lee Markham will be looking for the KO when they collide at the SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday May 9th. The rivals are 1-1 in the amateurs ranks and will use their first clash in the pros as a settler to decide who really is the best.
Buglioni defends his WBO European title for the second time and aims for his fifth straight win since his loss to Sergey Khomitsky last year. The Enfield ace has got his career back on track and is now rated at number six in the world by the WBO.
He doesn’t see Markham causing an upset on the night and is confident of taking out his rival within the distance. Buglioni said:
“This fight has really got my juices flowing and I can’t wait for it.
“I need that needle and edge to bring out the best in me and with so much on the line, I can feel the heat is on, but that’s when I perform to my best and I know that you’ll see the best of me on fight night.
“The fights in the amateurs are well past us now, we’ve both been solid pros for over four years and we’ve both come on a lot since then. We’ve both grown into men and added strength, power and skill to our game so it’s going to be a totally different fight to the ones we had in the amateurs.
“I think that I’ve progressed quicker and faster the Markham, although I had a set back against Khomitsky last year, I’ve bounced back with four good wins, regained my title and I’m now ranked inside the WBO top ten. I reckon I’ve had better experience and operated at a higher level than him which will be a big factor in this fight.
“I’ve said that I’m levels above him and I believe that it will show. I can see myself stopping him from mid to late in the fight if I box carefully and to plan, but if I risk it I know that I can stop him early.”
Romford hitman Markham is looking to return from his close and controversial points loss to Jahmaine Smyle in March by claiming the scalp of his biggest opponent to date.
He said:
“Buglioni will be taken out inside the distance. If it isn’t him then it will be me, but either way one of us will be flat out on the canvas.
“While he may have boxed at a higher level, he’s also been exposed at a higher level. No matter how hard he works on it, he’ll always be wide open to right hands and that’s my best shot.
“We’ve both tasted losses, although my two were very debatable points losses, he was stopped by Khomitsky, which shows that he can be hit and hurt, it’s my job to make sure that I hit him and hurt him with everything I throw.
“I’ll be looking to take him earlier than the six-round mark he mentioned. It’s going to be him or me, but believe me when I say I’m going to pull off an upset.”
