Paul McCloskey will face DeMarcus Corley on Saturday 5 May at the King’s Hall in Belfast live on Sky Sports 1 HD.

Corley won his world title in 2001 with a first round stoppage of Felix Flores and made two successful defences against Ener Julio and Randall Bailey before dropping a split decision to Zab Judah in July 2003.

The 37 year old took Floyd Mayweather Jr the distance in 2004 and faced Miguel Cotto the following year for his old title. Corley travelled to England to face Junior Witter for the WBC belt in 2006 and went the distance with Marcos Maidana for the WBA belt in 2010.

Corley proved he still has plenty to offer as he claimed the NABF light welterweight title against previously unbeaten New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in the Big Apple in January, and his promoter Lou DiBella has predicted a possible route to a shot at the WBC belt through another of his fighters, New York-based Londoner Ajose Olusegun, who is hoping to face current champion Danny Garcia.

“Chop Chop is a former world champion and is coming off a great comeback win against an undefeated fighter,” said Di Bella. “He is eager to take a shot at McCloskey. If McCloskey were to defeat DeMarcus though, and after Ajose Olusegun wins the title from Danny Garcia, an Olusegun-McCloskey match-up would certainly be very attractive for all fight fans, particularly those in the U.K. and Ireland.”

McCloskey closes the curtain on Belfast’s biggest boxing bill against Corley following the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights and six-round outings for Martin Lindsay and Prizefighter Prospect Jamie Conlan, and the former unbeaten European champion says he’s happy to face anyone for a second World title shot after his tilt at Amir Khan ended in disappointment.

“I’ve always said that I would go through anyone to win a World title and that includes both Ajose and Danny Garcia,” said McCloskey. “Corley has been in with the very best in the business and is on a high after beating Bracero so it’s a good test for me.”

“Paul’s name has been mentioned by Juan Manuel Marquez’s team and I reached out to Top Rank to let them know that we’d love the fight,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “I think we are in with a decent chance but a convincing win against Corley in front of a packed King’s Hall crowd would strengthen our case for a July clash with Marquez.”

McCloskey added: “It’s an honour to be linked with a showdown with Juan Manuel and it’s a dream fight for me. May 5 has always been a pivotal night for me as I aim to get back into World title contention, and this news has made a huge occasion even bigger.”

McCloskey v Corsey is LIVE on Sky Sports 1 HD after the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights tournament from 8pm on Saturday 5 May. 

The Premier League have invited broadcasters to bid for domestic UK broadcast rights for the 2013/14-2015/16 football seasons.

The Premier League say that 154 matches will be shown live on TV each season from 2013/14-2015/16 more than currently broadcast and more than 40% of all top-level matches. The extra 16 live games comes as matches are moved away from Saturday 3pm kick-off times, due to Europa League involvement or police advice.

The rights put out to tender include :

• Live rights to a total of 154 matches – split into seven packages.
• A Free-to-Air Highlights package – including ‘catch-up’ rights.

The live rights are split into seven packages – five of 26 games and two of 12 games. The maximum number of games any broadcaster is allowed to acquire is 116 games.

A Premier League statement said : “This creates a more attractive and compelling offering for both broadcasters and fans; whilst allowing the continued protection of the Saturday 3pm ‘closed window’ and minimising further displacement of Premier League fixtures,”.

A separate sales process will be conducted for the other packages including :

• Two “Near Live” long form packages each containing 226 matches; one for linear and the other for on-demand exploitation.
• An Internet-based Clips package for all 380 matches.

Sky Sports currently enjoy dominance in the pay TV football market holding the rights to 115 live games per season whilst ESPN screen 23 live matches.  Some commentators have suggested that Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera could express an interest in live UK Premier League rights after recently outbidding Canal Plus for rights to French domestic football.  The BBC are current rights holders of the free-to-air highlights package.

The BBC have announced the details of their Euro 2012 coverage which will include 16 live games, including a potential England quarter final, both semi finals and the final.

Coverage kicks off on Friday 8 June and will be fronted by Gary Lineker who will be joined by Harry Redknapp, Jurgen Klinsmann, Clarence Seedorf, Niall Quinn and David James alongside regulars Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer , Robbie Savage and Lee Dixon.

Redknapp re-joins the BBC team following his involvement in the 2010 World Cup and said : “I’m really looking forward to working with the BBC team again on what should be a terrific tournament.”

He’ll join the on-air team broadcasting from the state-of-the-art studio based at BBC Sport’s new home at MediaCityUK in Salford. Using the very latest in augmented-reality virtual graphics, Motion Analysis and VizRT, the team will bring the atmosphere and flavour of every live game to audiences across the country.

Jake Humphrey will lead the coverage from Poland and Ukraine, whilst Gabby Logan will bring all the news and updates direct from the England camp.

In addition to comprehensive TV coverage the BBC will also bring audiences full coverage of the tournament across radio and online platforms. On radio all games will be covered via BBC Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra whilst a raft of online tools, alongside live streaming of BBC games will mean viewers can follow the tournament wherever they may be.

Philip Bernie, Head of TV Sport, said: “We are really looking forward to our top team covering the European Championships. We have an excellent line-up of talent to present and comment on all the action and hope to see England progressing as far as possible, with the BBC showing all their knockout matches live.”

Adrian Van Klaveren, Controller Radio 5 live, added: “Euro 2012 is the start of a spectacular summer of sport across 5 live and 5 live sports extra. From the first kick to the final whistle, we’ll make sure our listeners can hear all the action and news as well as having their say on air and online.”

The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine and take place between 8 June and 1 July 2012.

Ricky Hatton has vowed to give his stable of boxers a new television home after Hatton Promotions split from Sky Sports. The broadcaster has decided not to give the promoter any further dates after the Manchester Velodrome bill on Saturday 16 June.

Former two-weight world champion Hatton has played a huge part in Sky’s success story in the last decade, breaking British television pay-per-view records. However, Hatton who has produced many champions in less than three years as a promoter believes it is a new beginning for his mushrooming brand.

The Hitman said: “The news came as a blow and I feel we have been unfairly treated, but there are meetings already set up with other TV channels. Next season I am very confident that my fighters will have a big television platform to perform on.

“I have a great stable of fighters, many champions and a hard working team. TV companies have contacted me – not me them which is encouraging. It shows the great promotions I have staged for Sky hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last month I promoted a potential Fight of the Year between Anthony Crolla and Derry Mathews for Sky and we’re staging the ‘Road to Glory’ card next month which will be our final Sky date.

“When I started promoting three years ago my plan was to build a successful stable and produce champions. I have done that, producing many British, Commonwealth, European  and International champions, and world title challengers.

“Just as Hatton Promotions were making their mark, Sky Sports have told me we haven’t got any more dates after the June 16 card.”

Hatton Promotions were told that their contract was not being renewed in a short e-mail from Sky’s Head of Sport, Barney Francis almost two weeks ago. Hatton added:  “The most disappointing aspect of it all is the relationship I had with Sky until almost two weeks ago.

“It isn’t rocket science to work out how well I did for Sky Sports as a boxer and a promoter. I was their first world champion to come through without terrestrial TV, gave them their biggest Box Office successes ever and helped make them millions of pounds.

“They repaid me by telling me I had no more dates by e-mail. There was no phone call to me or anything like that and even the e-mail was sent to my Director of Boxing, Richard Poxon – not me. If you finish with a girlfriend by e-mail all your mates would be calling you some right names. I obviously have better morals than they do.

“Since the news broke it is amazing the amount of support shown towards Hatton Promotions from fans, journalists and even rival promoters. Hatton Promotions isn’t going anywhere and we will be back on TV in the new season delivering high class shows for a new broadcast partner.”

Hatton Promotions final Sky Sports bill is Quigg v Munroe – Road to Glory on Saturday 16 June.

England’s men and women’s cricket teams will defend their ICC crowns exclusively live on Sky Sports under a new 4-year deal with ESPN STAR Sports.

The agreement awards Sky Sports exclusive rights to the next two ICC World Twenty20 tournaments from Sri Lanka in September 2012 and South Asia in February 2014.  Sky will also screen live coverage of cricket’s biggest One-Day competition – the ICC Cricket World Cup from Australia and New Zealand, beginning in February 2015.

In addition, Sky will also broadcast the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup from India in March 2013 and the ICC Champions Trophy, a one-day international to be hosted by England in June 2013.

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “England’s men and women’s teams are both on top of the world and this new deal means Sky Sports viewers will see them defend their ICC titles live in the next 12 months. It brings even more world class cricket to our schedules and complements our coverage of England’s home Tests, ODIs, Twenty20s and county cricket as well as coverage from overseas.”

Nasser Hussain, former England captain and Sky Sports commentator, added: “These ICC events always offer so much drama and excitement and with England the defending champions at two of them, there’s even more reason to tune in.”

Campbell Jamieson, ICC General Manager – Commercial said: “We are pleased to extend our partnership with Sky Sports. This deal ensures that ICC events, including the ICC Champions Trophy to be played in the UK next year, receive excellent coverage in the region. Sky Sports have been a long standing supporter of cricket and as such we are delighted to continue our relationship with them.”

Anurag Dahiya, Senior Vice President, ESPN STAR Sports, said: “We are very proud of this continuing partnership which brings to Sky Sports viewers international cricket tournaments that stand right at the pinnacle of the sport. It is our aim to keep on strengthening the popularity of the game and our partnership with Sky Sports is a testament to this commitment.”

Sky Sports has shown every ICC Cricket World Cup since 1992, including each match live from the 2003, 2007 and 2011 tournaments. Sky Sports viewers have also been able to follow each ICC World Twenty20 since its inaugural staging in 2007, including England’s win in 2010, plus several ICC Champions Trophy tournaments.

Women’s cricket remains an important element of cricket on Sky Sports and viewers were able to follow Charlotte Edward’s England team as they captured the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2009.

This summer viewers can enjoy another packed schedule of live cricket, with England’s clashes with the West Indies, Australia and South Africa, plus at least 60 county matches featuring each county at least three times from the ECB’s major competitions.

Sky’s cricket schedule also includes Scotland v England ODI, Ireland v Australia ODI and England women v India and the West Indies.

With the London 2012 Paralympic games now just around the corner, Rick Edwards, Ade Adepitan MBE and Iwan Thomas MBE return with a fourth series of Channel 4’s Road to London 2012: That Paralympic Show.

Starting on Saturday 5 May at 1.20pm, the first episode is dedicated to swimming, as Rick, Ade and Iwan head to Ponds Forge in Sheffield for the British International Disability Swimming Championships. The event is the second Paralympic swimming trial, and the final opportunity for our elite swimmers to achieve the qualifying time for London 2012 and win a place in the British squad.

With reigning Paralympic Gold medallist Liz Johnson and nine-times Paralympic gold medallist Dave Roberts yet to make the grade, the pressure is really on. Plus, Paralympic gold medallist and TPS resident swimming guru Giles Long explores the bizarre-sounding theory that London’s Aquatic pool could be faster than any other.

Road to London 2012: That Paralympic Show returns to Channel 4 on Saturday 5 May at 1.20pm.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games will be broadcast live on Channel 4 from 29 August 2012 to 9 September 2012. Meet the Channel 4 Paralympics presenting team.

British Eurosport will broadcast live coverage of the 2012 edition of the Giro d’Italia which starts in the Danish town of Herning on Saturday 5 May and culminates in Milan on Sunday 27 May.

The Giro is one of three Grand Tours in cycling (the others being the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España) and the 95^th edition will cover 3,376km over 21 stages.

The sprinters will contest seven stages while the mountain specialists will have 11, including 6 summit finishes. Michele Scarponi will start as favourite, with strong competition from fellow Italian riders, notably Vincenzo Nibali.

Team Sky’s squad for the Giro d’Italia has been finalised and sees Mark Cavendish head up a formidable nine-man line-up including Bernhard Eisel, Juan Antonio Flecha, Sergio Henao, Peter Kennaugh, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Geraint Thomas and Rigoberto Urán.

Cavendish is looking forward to making his mark in the race, he said : “The Giro is one of my favourite races of the season and I’m very happy to be riding it. We’ve got a good squad to go and win stages. Geraint, Pete and Swifty have just come off the track so they should have that explosive power which will be important in the first week, and the rest of the team have all done well in the Classics.

“We want to win the team time trial as well and hopefully that will get us the pink jersey. If we could achieve that it would be a massive honour for the team.

“It should be a really good three weeks because we’re all friends and have a good understanding on the road. The Tour de Romandie has allowed me to get some miles in the legs so come the start in Denmark I’ll be raring to go.”

British Eurosport will broadcast daily live coverage of each of the 21 stages in the 2012 Giro d’Italia.

BBC Two will broadcast a revealing and intimate insight into the life of Barry Hearn, one of the most powerful and colourful characters in sport.

Narrated by Sir David Jason, Barry Hearn : The People’s Promoter tells the story of the self-made millionaire, who has wheeled and dealed, charmed and chanced his way to the top from humble beginnings.

As chairman and founder of promotions company Matchroom Sport, Barry Hearn has managed some of the biggest sporting stars of the past four decades in snooker, boxing and darts, including six time world champion Steve Davis and former world middleweight and super middleweight champion Chris Eubank.

Credited as the ‘saviour of snooker’, Hearn has made many sweeping changes to the sport, adding more ranking events, introducing some new fresh and exciting talents, removed the stuffy nature of the sport and added a touch of razzamatazz.  Various new formats have been introduced to keep the sport fresh, including the fast paced ‘Snooker Shootout’, bringing the sport to a younger audience.

Hearn has also turned fishing, poker and tenpin bowling into popular televised sporting events and he bought his local football club, Leyton Orient, to save them from extinction. He even had a Top 10 hit in the 80s as the brains behind Chas and Dave’s Snooker Loopy.

Always opinionated, often controversial, never dull, Barry has survived a heart attack and near bankruptcy to emerge as one of the unlikeliest sporting heroes of the age.

Barry Hearn : The People’s Promoter features contributions from former snooker world champions Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor and Stephen Hendry, darts legend Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor as well as Greg Dyke, boxing promoter Frank Maloney and son and daughter Eddie and Katie Hearn.

To coincide with coverage of the final of the 2012 World Championship Snooker tournament, Barry Hearn : The People’s Promoter will be broadcast on BBC Two on Sunday 6 May at 6.10pm. 

Barry Hearn talks to Smarta.com about his approach to building his sporting empire, and revolutionising snooker and darts.

The Football Conference have confirmed the dates and kick-off times for the Blue Square Bet Premier play-off semi-finals with all ties to be broadcast live on Premier Sports TV.

The first leg of both the play-off ties will take place over 2/3 May with York City v Mansfield Town on Wednesday 2 May and Luton Town v Wrexham on Thursday 3 May – Premier Sports TV coverage starts at 7pm with kick off at 7.30pm.

The semi-final second leg matches will both take place on Bank Holiday Monday 7 May with Mansfield Town v York City in a 2pm kick off and Wrexham v Luton at 4.30pm.

Premier Sports TV (Sky Channel 433) will broadcast all the play-off matches live including the Final at Wembley on Sunday 20 May 2012. Steve Bower and Alan Snodin present live Premier Sports TV coverage of the Blue Square Bet Premier.

2011/12 Blue Square Bet Premier Play-Off Schedule

Wednesday 2 May 2012 (kick off times indicated)

7.30pm York City v Mansfield Town

Thursday 3 May 2012

7.30pm Luton Town v Wrexham

Monday 7 May 2012

2pm Mansfield Town v York City

4.30pm Wrexham v Luton Town

Sunday 20 May 2012

3pm Blue Square Bet Premier Play Off Final

The BBC will broadcast live coverage of the final day of the 1st 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup regatta in Belgrade, Serbia on Sunday 6 May with highlights to be broadcast on BBC Two the following day. 

It’s the first of three World Cup events that Great Britain will use to fine-tune their preparations for the London 2012 Olympics, where Team GB is tipped to improve on their Beijing medal haul of six.

Double sculls pair Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins were unbeaten together in 2011, and will be determined to extend that record in Belgrade. All eyes will also be on GB’s new-look men’s coxless four, which has been bolstered by the addition of Pete Reed and Andy Triggs Hodge.

GB Rowing Team Performance Director David Tanner said : “World Cups are important competitions in their own right but this one will be more significant than usual as it gives us the first glimpse of the potential 2012 racing form of our crews.  We are always ambitious to do well and will want to see a number of crews on the Belgrade podium.  We will take into account performances in Belgrade as we shape the Team for the remainder of the season”.

Live coverage of the final day of the opening World Cup rowing regatta will be broadcast on the BBC Red Button and online on Sunday 6 May from 9.40am – 1pm.  On Bank Holiday Monday 7 May, John Inverdale will introduce highlights on BBC Two at 11.30am.

Subsequent Samsung World Rowing Cup regatta’s are scheduled to take place in Lucerne, Switzerland from 25 – 27 May and Munich, Germany from 15 – 17 June.