Former IBF heavyweight champion Francois Botha will meet Danny Williams in the second Thursday Night Fights UAE at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai on May 1, promoters announced Sunday morning.
Botha (48-10) will draw hands with Williams (48-12) in a scheduled 10-round WPBF Inter-Continental heavyweight title fight as eight fights are on the card.
The event is considered the Dubai encore and follow up to the first-ever live professional boxing event in Abu Dhabi history, Thursday Night Fights @ Yas Island, which was held on December 19.
Botha has had a very distinguished career as a heavyweight boxer, having fought several of the top world heavyweight champions of his time, including Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko.
Botha had a victory in 1995 against Germany’s Axel Schulz to win the IBF heavyweight Championship, suffered a fifth round knockout to Mike Tyson, and had the famous fight with Shannon Briggs which ended in draw.
In the co-main event, Brazilian welterweight champion Antonio Mesquita will commence his comeback against Dubai-based French fighter Nordine Arik (17-2).
The event will also feature regional and local stars such as 2012 Fighter of the Year MohammedAli Bayat (4-0), Syrian brawler Abdul Kabanni (3-2), Lebanese amateur standout Rabih Fayad (1-0) and the debut of Emirati Muhmmed Alshbl.
Tickets will be available online and at all Virgin MENA stores and they go on sale March 26.
Thursday Night Fights UAE will be broadcasted live on Dubai Sports in the UAE and MENA Region, as well streamed live worldwide on ESPN3. Additionally, Thursday Night Fights UAE will be rebroadcast on a delayed basis by Fox Sports in the MENA Region and via regional sports channels in the US.
For more information, visit www.LionHeartBoxingProductions.com or www.YasIslandFights.com.
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