Watch The Golden Contract light-heavyweight quarter-finals from 7.30pm on Saturday, live on Sky Sports
Saturday 14 December 2019 20:10, UK
The Golden Contract offers light-heavyweight hopefuls the chance to emerge from the shadows into a dangerous division with destructive world champions.
A crop of eight entrants, including forgotten contenders and former title holders will attempt to transform their fortunes by winning The Golden Contract, starting on Saturday live on Sky Sports, with a lucrative multi-fight contract on the line for the triumphant finalist.
Hosea Burton is a former British title holder who has slipped into obscurity after a sole defeat to Frank Buglioni, while Belfast's Steven Ward risks his unbeaten record to stake a claim for an elusive big-name fight.
Liam Conroy and Andre Sterling are desperate to keep their lingering ambitions alive, having plotted a difficult path that led to painful defeats at domestic level.
Ricards Bolotniks, a little-known Latvian, steps into the media glare against Ward, and Scotland's Tommy Philbin also yearns to become a main event attraction after tirelessly grafting for recognition on the undercard.
What lies ahead for the winner? Aside from richly deserved pay days, the victor will have renewed optimism about testing himself against the finest fighters in a treacherous weight class.
But battling spirit is also required, along with polished skills, as there are thunderous punchers loitering at the highest level.
Artur Beterbiev is arguably the most fearsome champion after he added the WBC belt to his IBF title with a crushing stoppage of Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October.
Fellow Russian Dmitry Bivol does not possess such concussive qualities, although his recent WBA title win included a crisp knockdown of Lenin Castillo, a glimpse of his undoubted power.
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, the biggest name in boxing, entered the realms of these destructive punchers and then sent out a warning by ripping the WBO belt from Sergey Kovalev with a brutal knockout.
Beneath these respected title holders lies a list of threatening challengers, including the classy Joshua Buatsi, who blasted aside Conroy to claim the British title in March.
For the likes of Burton and Ward, an unlikely bout with one of the elite performers could suddenly materialise if they excel over three fights to claim 'The Golden Contract', but big-hitting monsters lie in wait at 175lbs.
Watch The Golden Contract light-heavyweight quarter-finals from 7.30pm on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
