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