BoxRec

Lee Haskins gets long overdue world bantamweight title shot on June 13 in Bristol, LIVE on Channel 5

Proud Bristolian faces Japan's Ryosuke Iwasa for the IBF Interim World Title

Lee Haskins vs. Ryosuke Iwasa Live on Channel 5


LONDON (27 APRIL) Hennessy Sports in association with Sanigar Events are delighted to announce that Bristol's Lee Haskins will get his long overdue shot at a version of the world bantamweight championship when he boxes for the vacant IBF Interim World Title against Japan's Ryosuke Iwasa on Saturday, June 13 at the Action Indoor Sports Arena, Bristol. The fight will be televised live and exclusively on Channel 5.

Iwasa is a 25-year-old southpaw from Chiba, Japan with a professional record of 19-1 (12 KOs). Included on his record are wins against two-time world title challenger David De La Mora and former WBC International champion Hiroki Shiino. Iwasa was formerly the Japanese bantamweight champion and is currently ranked at number three in the world according to the IBF.

Haskins, meanwhile, is a popular 31-year-old Bristolian boasting a professional record of 31-3 (13 KOs). Sharp, unpredictable and dangerous, Haskins is also in a rich vein of form, having won each of his last five fights, three inside schedule, and last time out lifted the European bantamweight title with a dominant eighth-round stoppage of Omar Lamiri. He has held the British title at both super-flyweight and bantamweight and is rated at number four by the IBF.

This shot at a world title means more to Haskins than most, of course, given the fact he's had to watch the likes of Jamie McDonnell and Stuart Hall, two men he has previously defeated, go on to claim world championships of their own in the last two years.

Now it's Haskins' turn.

“It’s amazing to finally land this world title shot,” he said. “At times I thought it would never come - when other British fighters I had beaten got their chances.

“And when the IBF announced I was to fight Ryosuke Iwasa, a Japanese fighter, I presumed we would probably have to travel to Japan. But massive thanks to promoter Mick Hennessy and my manager Chris Sanigar for bringing this world title to my hometown of Bristol.

“I know this is going to be a tough fight, but I’ve never lost in Bristol and, with that massive West Country support behind me, we can make history on June 13.”

Promoter Mick Hennessy added: “This is a major opportunity for Lee Haskins and one he has been chasing for a number of years now.

“He has more than paid his dues at the top of the bantamweight division and has beaten a number of quality operators throughout his career.

“It's fantastic that Channel 5 have helped deliver this opportunity for Lee on free-to-view, terrestrial television. It gives him a great platform and some great exposure.

“For us and Channel 5 it's vitally important that world championship boxing finds a regular home on terrestrial television, free of charge.”


*** Tickets priced at £35, £75 and £100 are available from the Ticketline Box Office on 0844 888 4402 or Sanigar Events on 0117 949 6699 ***

Glad to see Lee get his shot. Hope he makes the most of it and gets the chance to fight for the proper title. 35 bucks for a ticket is decent so hope he gets a good turn out. Show over my way next month and it's 40 for cheapest ticket and that is just a few local lads fighting journeymen.

Best of luck to Lee and good to see more boxing on Channel 5.

Not heard much of Iwasa - maybe Datsue or Boxing Prospect could fill us in on the Japanese fighter?

Really good fight, a lil shocked they didn't get this on the Monaco card though. Glad to see another food fight on free TV.

Will fill in more on Iwasa later on the day but he's a tidy southpaw boxer puncher. Most notable win is probably over David De La Mora or Kentaro Masuda whilst his sole loss is to Yamanaka in am excellent war.

As an amateur he was a multi time domestic champion as a pro he was fast tracked until running into Yamanaka.

Strangely I think he's probably about the 4th best that Japan has at the weight (clearly behind Yamanaka, Tomoki Kameda and around the same level as Akaho, Matsumoto, Omori) but that's due to the insane depth they have right now.

i like haskins and overdue but does it not seem that every fight announced for a world Title is actually the Interim these days when Brits are involved.

Does this not mean that they are effectivly fighting an eliminator for a shot of the real belt ?

Gazmac81 wrote:i like haskins and overdue but does it not seem that every fight announced for a world Title is actually the Interim these days when Brits are involved.

Does this not mean that they are effectivly fighting an eliminator for a shot of the real belt ?

Iwasa was meant to fight Perales earlier this year in a final eliminator whilst Caballero was supposed to fight a voluntary defense. Perales and Caballero were bother injured and Iwasa fought a stay busy fight whilst Caballero's bout was canned.

Turned out Caballero's injury was a serious one and that he'll be out for another 6 months + with talks that he might be moving up.

As a result the IBF ordered Iwasa Vs Haskins for the interim with the winner to fight Caballero IF Caballero returns at Bantamweight other wise the winner will be upgraded.

Unlike the WBA the IBF uses interim titles properly. There is only 1 other division with an IBF interim champion, Cruiserweight, with Ramirez to fight Hernandez when he's fit again.

tough fight for Haskins, good to see more boxing on free to air tv

Good luck to Lee and his team.

Great that CH5 have another boxing match to air too.

Great news that boxing on channel 5 isn't quite dead yet,Haskins deserves his shot hopefully he can do the bizzo and get Caballero when he returns, I don't know much about Iwasa but these Japanese guys can fight and are durable as they come

I'm agreeing with posts above its technically not a world title fight and the winner has to face Caballero should he come back.

Still good fight on paper and the winner may actually be upgraded to full status more good fights on terrestrial TV the better.

Agree , great to hear of another card shown on channel 5 , I reckon terestrial tv has had more meaningful fights than Sky so far this year

Really hope Lee can do it.

putting 2 unknown jockey-sized dudes without fanbases on terrestrial on a saturday? brave.

Counter-puncher wrote:putting 2 unknown jockey-sized dudes without fanbases on terrestrial on a saturday? brave.

You could easily argue it's similar to the bills with Kid Galahad headlining, except the arena will probably be full and not need require the Fury family to be seated in the front row.

jameswilson wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:putting 2 unknown jockey-sized dudes without fanbases on terrestrial on a saturday? brave.

You could easily argue it's similar to the bills with Kid Galahad headlining, except the arena will probably be full and not need require the Fury family to be seated in the front row.

How big is the arena?

jameswilson wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:putting 2 unknown jockey-sized dudes without fanbases on terrestrial on a saturday? brave.

You could easily argue it's similar to the bills with Kid Galahad headlining, except the arena will probably be full and not need require the Fury family to be seated in the front row.

Yeah I suppose you're right now you mention it. Just seems a bt odd, and, well Haskins *isn't exactly renowned for exciting fights/has been in the odd stinker* so......