National Boxing Series officially launched

THE search for Australia’s next world champion continues with the launch of the National Boxing Series.

Having built former welterweight titleholder Jeff Horn from the infancy of his professional career, promoter Dean Lonergan, and his firm D&L Events have launched a new national venture.

The series will be built around a slew of promising contenders, featuring on nationally televised cards, including the likes of world rated Brock Jarvis, Jai Opetaia and Jayde Mitchell, flanked by unbeaten pair Liam Wilson and Isaac Hardman.

“Four years in the making the National Boxing Series was born from the success of Jeff Horn’s rise to WBO world welterweight champion,” read the press release issued by D&L Events.

“The series will see seven televised boxing events per year live on Fox Sports, with events featuring the best and brightest up and coming boxers and future world champions of Australia.

“Dean Lonergan and matchmaker Stuart Duncan have carefully selected this group of future world champions. All of these boxers have a unique story and skill set and all have the ability to become world champions.

“D&L Events are staging these events with Fox Sports broadcasted live from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

“This will include all major cities as well as the regions. D&L Events will be working with successful local businessmen in each state to produce the next level of boxing events.”

Mirroring the framework from their recent collaboration with Victorian outfit Hosking Promotions in August, D&L Events will partner with promoter Mick Francis in Sydney and the aforementioned Hosking Promotions in Victoria.

Events in Canberra will be promoted alongside Nick Boutzos, with Brisbane duo Nick Livermore and Dan Janiszewski providing a presence in Queensland.

The National Boxing Series will also incorporate the use of a hand-held hematoma detector, the first of its kind in Australia.

“Matchmaker Stuart Duncan has secured the Australasian distribution rights for the worlds first portable hand held hematoma detector,” the release explained.

“The Infrascanner 2000 was invented for use in the battlefield by the US military in conjunction with Philadelphia University and is being used around the world by defence forces, ambulance services and sports including major league football codes and combat sports including boxing.

“We are presently negotiating with a state regulatory board to see boxers scanned at the weigh-in and a trained scanning agent present at the event, who will be directed by the ringside medical staff to screen boxers they deem necessary.”

The series begins with a pair of televised cards in November, with Jai Opetaia headlining the first offering against two-time world title challenger Mark Flanagan on November 16th in Sydney.

Meanwhile, popular Peninsula product and world rated super middleweight Jayde Mitchell faces former interim titleholder Stanislav Kashtanov in Melbourne on November 23rd.

Photos: Provided