Former World Champion Paul Butler and undefeated IBF number one contender Apinun Khongsong have been confirmed as the reserve fighters for the World Boxing Super Series Semi-Finals at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland on May 18.

The ‘Baby Faced Assassin’, Butler, will be on standby for the hotly anticipated bantamweight brawl between the ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue and Emmanuel Rodriguez, while Khongsong is ready to step in for the super-lightweight showdown between local hero Josh Taylor and the ‘Beast’ Ivan Baranchyk.

“I’m really excited to be reserve once again,” said Butler, who was previously on call for the quarter-final clash between Ryan Burnett and Nonito Donaire last November at the SSE Hydro. “I loved the whole show and set up last time in Glasgow so I’m looking forward to getting back there. It’s a great card that I can’t wait to sit back and watch myself as a fan.” If not called upon as a reserve, the 30-year-old from Cheshire will be set for his own eight-round contest on the card.

“I’m excited to attend the WBSS tournament in Glasgow,” said Thailand’s Apinun Khonsong. “Both Baranchyk and Taylor are both very good boxers but I am also one of the best at 140lbs so this is my golden opportunity if I may fight on May 18. Whether I fight or not, my power punch will one day make me a world champion.”

With four of the biggest names in world boxing in action, vying to book their place in the finals for the coveted Muhammad Ali Trophy, fans in Glasgow can look forward to a spectacular night of boxing at the SSE Hydro, which will also feature a stacked undercard showcasing the very best of British boxing.

Rising super middleweight star Zach Parker is back following his British title win over Darryll Williams at the SSE Hydro in November last year, and having been kept out of the ring by a shoulder injury sustained in this bout, can now renew his World title charge with a comeback fight against Steven Crambert.

Edinburgh’s ‘Lightning’ Lee McGregor, an IBF Youth and Commonwealth Bantamweight Champion, will look to continue his impressive five-fight KO streak against the Spain-based Nicaraguan-native Cristian Narvaez.

Fresh from a second-round stoppage win over Feriche Mashauri and awaiting a WBC World title eliminator against Anisha Basheel, Northampton’s Chantelle Cameron returns to the ring to face Hungary’s Bianka Majlath.

Having secured a first-round technical knockout win over Dominik Landgraf at the last World Boxing Super Series event in Glasgow, Scottish super middleweight Tommy Philbin is back against British rival Harry Matthews.

Super bantamweight southpaw Reece McFadden, from Motherwell, enters his third professional fight following a TKO win over Stefan Sashev, and will test his ‘Fast Hands’ against Bulgaria’s Georgi Georgie.

WBSS Press Release