Home to some of boxing’s biggest events since its launch in 2009, Primetime (Channel 480) is proud to be the pay-per-view home for an explosive championship tripleheader on Saturday, April 16, featuring the WBA Light Welterweight World Championship bout between World Champion Amir “King” Khan and unbeaten European Champion Paul “Dudey” McCloskey. The broadcast will see additional championship action when Rendall Munroe faces Andrei Isaeu for the WBA International Super Bantamweight Title and Craig Watson and Lee Purdy square off for the British Welterweight Title.
In the 12 round main event, WBA Light Welterweight World Champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) returns to fight on British soil for the first time since 2009. Khan looks to follow up his spectacular 2010 wins over Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and Marcos “Chino” Maidana with another big victory over Derry, Northern Ireland’s Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s). McCloskey, the European and British champion, brings a five fight knockout streak into Saturday’s bout and he is ready for his long-awaited shot at a world title.
In the evening’s chief support bout, the WBA International Super Bantamweight Championship will be on the line when Leicester’s Rendall Munroe (21-2, 9 KO’s), a longtime European champion, faces Minsk’s Andrei Isaeu (23-2, 7 KO’s) in a 12 round contest.
Known as “The Boxing Binman,” Rendall Munroe (21-2, 9 KO’s) is one of the U.K.’s most popular fighters and for good reason, as he’s won 21 of his 23 professional fights, and collected European, Commonwealth and English super bantamweight titles along the way. In October of 2010, the southpaw from Leicester got his first shot at a world championship, but lost a hard-fought 12 round decision to Toshiaki Nishioka in the WBC champion’s backyard in Tokyo. On April 16, the 30-year-old will look to get back on a winning track closer to home in Manchester.
A decorated professional from Minsk, Belarus who has earned four regional title belts, Andrei Isaeu (23-2, 7 KO’s) is finally on track to capture the biggest title of all when he takes on Munroe for the WBA International Super Bantamweight title. The winner of 11 of his last 12 bouts, the 30-year-old veteran returns to fight in the U.K. for the first time since 2006, and he’s well-prepared to spoil Munroe’s homecoming.
The championship action doesn’t stop there, as Manchester’s own Craig Watson (20-3, 8 KO’s) defends his British Welterweight title in a 12 round showdown against 23-year old Colchester prospect Lee “Lights Out” Purdy (14-2-1, 7 KO’s).
Winner of Commonwealth titles at light middleweight welterweight, the versatile Craig Watson (20-3, 8 KO’s) has shown career-best form over the last two years in putting together a seven-fight winning streak that includes a 12-round win over 24-1 John O’Donnell this February which earned him the vacant British Welterweight title. Now, he’ll look to parlay that form into abig win in front of his hometown fans in Manchester this weekend.
Colchester’s Lee “Lights Out” Purdy (14-2-1, 7 KO’s) has been battling it out as a professional in British rings since 2006 and, after winning the British Southern Area Welterweight title in 2009, he has made his case for a shot at the British welterweight title. On Saturday, fresh off of an eight-round decision win over Theophilus Tetteh last September, the 23-year-old will get his shot at Watson and the title.
“King Khan Returns,” the WBA Light Welterweight Championship fight featuring Amir “King” Khan defending his title against undefeated European Champion Paul McCloskey on April 16 at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester, is a 12 round bout presented by in association with Khan Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. The event will be broadcast live on Primetime Pay-Per-Viewin the U.K. at 8:00 PM BST, with the main event being aired on a delayed basis in United States on HBO at 9:45 PM ET/6:45 PM PT.
