Joe Mullender and Lee Churcher aim to go toe-to-toe for the IBF European belt
Ex-English titlist ‘Smokin’ Joe Mullender (10-2) and Welsh Area champion Lee Churcher (13-3-1) both plan to meet each other in the middle of the ring on December 9 at the Copper Box Arena for the IBF European middleweight title, live on BT Sport.
The stacked Frank Warren show, titled ‘The Boys are Back in Town’, features two world champion headliners in IBF super-middleweight world titleholder James DeGale and IBF featherweight world champ Lee Selby.
31-year-old Mullender vacated his English belt in order to contest for the European honours that promises the winner a top-15 world ranking.
Gianfranco Rosi, a two-time world champion and Italian legend, was the first champion of the IBF East/West super-welterweight title back in 2004.
It will be the first time that the belt has arrived in England, having previously been contested in Serbia, Switzerland and Germany.
Welshman Churcher landed the opportunity to challenge Brentwood’s Mullender after reeling off seven straight wins.
The pair have each promised to bring the excitement in the 12-round championship bout.
Mullender said at the press conference this week, “I expect Lee to be in good shape; I expect him to be strong, durable, but let’s meet in the middle and have a go.
“I don’t really look at opponents I fight, to be honest, I had a little look on YouTube for five minutes but then my kid wanted the phone again, so I didn’t really get the chance, but listen, he’ll either go on the back foot and I’ll have to hunt him down or, hopefully, he meets me in the middle of the ring and…let’s dance.”
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Churcher responded, “He’s a come-forward fighter, strong, durable; either I meet him in the middle and go toe-to-toe or pick him off on the back foot. Pretty much which one suits me.
“I’m strong enough to meet him in the middle, strong enough to hurt him in the middle; if that works then we’re doing it that way.”
Trained by Jamie Williams at the Legends Gym in Romford, Mullender explained his reasnns for vacating his English strap, “Given the option to fight for this IBF belt and earn a top-15 world ranking, it’s silly to turn it down because just one or two defences and you could get up in the top-5 in the world.
“You never know what opportunities that could lead to, someone with the world title may choose you as a voluntary defence and every fight could also push you up further for the British.”
Watch the official weigh-in here:
Mullender was crowned the new English Middleweight Champion back in June after beating former champion and club mate Lee Markham to avenge his previous loss at the 02 Arena in 2016.
He decided to vacate his English title in September in order to secure a shot at the IBF title but is still determined to bag a British title showdown with Frank Warren stablemate Tommy Langford in 2018.
“The British title is 100 per cent in my sights still,” asserted the Essex boxer. “But, for now, my next fight is all I’m focused on.
“I think it’s dangerous looking ahead of fights and at things before they’ve happened, so I look to December 9th and nothing more.”
Mullender concluded with a message for his fans, “Cannot say how grateful I am for people who support me, hopefully they make lots of noise and me and the fella over there will have a good tear up that everyone wants to watch and everyone’s happy.”