Rabah vs Ndou in Bad Blood for shot at Hatton

There is nothing but ‘Bad Blood’ between super lightweight boxers Naoufel “Chocolata” Ben Rabah and Lovemore “Black Panther” Ndou and things are only going to get hotter when the two clash over twelve rounds on Sunday afternoon 4th February 2007 at the Homebush State Sports Centre in Sydney. While personal pride is at stake, more importantly, the winner will get a shot at current IBF super lightweight world champion Ricky Hatton.

29 year-old Ben Rabah who is originally from Tunisia and now resides in Perth and 35 year-old Ndou who is originally from South Africa and now lives in Sydney, to put it mildly, simply do not like each other.

Ben Rabah and his trainer Craig Christian have been pursuing Ndou for a fight for the last two years. The “Black Panther” has always said that he would take the fight when it would really mean something and with a world title shot at the undefeated Ricky Hatton (who upset the great Kostya Tszyu in June 2005) on the line, Ndou has been good to his word.

But this fight means much more than that and is now nothing but “Bad Blood”!

The Rabah-Ndou clash will headline one of the most talented international boxing cards seen in Australia in recent times, promoted by Grange Old School Boxing.

World title challengers in 2006, light heavyweight Paul “Hurricane” Briggs trained by the legendary Johnny Lewis and super middleweight Sakio “Scorpion” Bika will also appear in separate bouts, along with two of the countries most talented rising stars in junior middleweight Daniel Geale and welterweight Robert Medley.

The full card is as follows.

1. Naoufel Ben Rabah (Aust) vs. Lovemore Ndou (Aust)

IBF super lightweight world title eliminator – 12 x 3 minute rounds

2. Sakio Bika (Aust) vs. Andre Thysse (Sth Africa)

IBF Australasian super middleweight title – 12 x 3 minute rounds

3. Daniel Geale (Aust) vs. Lee Oti (New Zealand)

OPBF interim junior middleweight title – 12 x 3 minute rounds

IBF Pan Pacific junior middleweight title

4. Paul Briggs (Aust) vs. Rupert Van Aswegen (Sth Africa)

light heavyweight – 10 x 3 minute rounds

5. Rob Medley (Aust) vs. Kaizer Mabuza (Sth Africa)

IBF Australasian welterweight title – 12 x 3 minute rounds

6. Bobby Antanakos (Aust) vs. Ariel Omongos (Philippines)

super lightweight - 6 x 3 minute rounds

7. Garth Wood (Aust) vs. Paz Vejaz (New Zealand)

super middleweight - 6 x 3 minute rounds

8. Zak Awad (Aust) vs. Ramillo Caballes (Philippines)

super lightweight - 6 x 3 minute rounds

9. Charlie Vella (Aust) vs. Junmar Dulog (Philippines)

junior welterweight - 6 x 3 minute rounds

The official Press Conference with all boxers present will be held at Novotel, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush at 12:00pm on Wednesday 31st January 2007.

The Official Weigh-in for the boxers will be held at Novotel, Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush at 12:00pm on Saturday 3rd January 2007.

Tickets for the boxing card are now on sale at Ticketek for $80.00, $60.00 and $50.00. Tickets will also be on sale at the door. Corporate tables of 10 can be purchased by calling 0425 818825. Doors will open at 11am and the first fight will commence at 11:45am.