George Ashie Fights In WBC World Cup Series

Ghana’s George Ashie has been lined up against

American and WBC Silver

Lightweight championDaniel Estrada at Juan dela Barrera Gym, Mexico,Distrito Federal

Mexico on October 18,

2013.

Daniel Estrada

has a record of 31 fights with23 knock outs. He has lost twice

and drawn once

Ashie has on the other has won 24 with 17 of his opponents going down

by known out and lost 4. He has

drawn once in his illustrious 29 bouts.

Starting on 5th July, the 2013 edition

of the World Cup WBC world tournament for professionals is being organized by

the World Boxing Council. The inauguration will be held in Mexico City, home of

the association chaired by Jose Sulaiman, probably at the Zocalo, the largest square

of the city.

The formula involves the participation of 48

boxers, divided into four weight categories (maximum, welterweight, lightweight

and featherweight). The meetings will be knockout and will be held in

prestigious locations and suggestive, like the Red Square in Moscow.

The winners, in addition to cash prizes

(440,000 euro to the winner among the heavyweights) and a significant media

exposure (TV coverage worldwide), the ability to challenge the defending WBC

world title.

Involved boxers of ten international

confederations (Africa, Asia, Britain, the Caribbean, Central America, CIS and

Slavic countries, Europe, North America, South America, Eastern and Pacific),

in addition to the international standards and the WBC silver.

Meanwhile, FOX Sports and

the World Boxing Council (WBC) have reached a multi-platform agreement that

brings the recently created, 24-card “WBC World Cup of Professional Boxing” to

the FOX Sports family of networks, beginning Friday, October 18.

The deal grants exclusive broadcast rights in the U.S.,

where fights air on FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network, FOX Sports 2

and FOX Deportes. Exclusive rights also apply in the Caribbean through FOX

Sports 2 and FOX Deportes, while non-exclusive rights apply in the Dominican Republic

and Cuba.

The unprecedented elimination-style event brings together

champions from across ten related intercontinental federations, plus the Silver

and International Belts, in four weight classes: Feather, Light, Welter and

Heavy. Broken into an Elimination Phase, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals,

the first 20 broadcasts include two main events and have a two-hour window,

while the Finals are scheduled for 90 minutes.

Fight nights take place in the U.S. (10), Mexico (10) and

four international venues yet to be determined.

“The WBC closes the celebration of its 50th Anniversary

with the introduction of the first WBC World Cup of Professional Boxing,” said

WBC President José Sulaimán. “The participants are champions from the 10 WBC

Continental Federations, representing 165 countries affiliated with the WBC, in

four traditional weight divisions. The WBC belt has been worn by the world’s

greatest boxing champions, and the winner of the World Cup of Boxing will earn

a WBC world championship title fight. The WBC is very proud of having FOX

Sports as our home for this historic event.”

"This is a great opportunity to partner with the WBC

on what we expect will be an incredibly competitive series of events,"

said Joshua Glassel, FOX Sports VP Programming & Acquisitions. "Some

of the best fighters from around the globe fighting their way through a 'World

Cup' format certainly has the makings for compelling sports television, and FOX

Sports is excited to be a part of this ambitious project from the beginning."

WBC World Cup of Boxing on FOX broadcast schedule (tentatively scheduled for

Friday nights; subject to change):

Elimination Phase

· 8 fight nights from Oct. 18, 2013 – Dec. 13, 2013

Quarterfinals

· 8 fight nights from Jan. 10, 2014 – Feb. 28, 2014

Semifinals

· 4 fight nights from March 21, 2014 – April 11, 2014

Finals

· 4 fight nights from May 16, 2014 – June 6, 2014

From SAMMY HEYWOOD OKINE, Member GBA Media / Communications Team