Tag Archives: matchroom

Posted on 08/24/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Promoter Bob Arum apparently has no problem kicking a man while he’s down. 

Top Rank’s CEO sat back in his palatial estate, kicked his feet up and watched a Saturday night  filled with boxing. His promotional company had a headliner of light heavyweight contenders in Joe Smith Jr. and Eleider Alvarez. Premier Boxing Champions also had a slot which featured former welterweight champion Shawn Porter and the unheralded Sebastian Formella. 

But before either of those shows came on, heavyweight contenders Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin clashed on the other side of the world in a world title eliminator. 

Their contest went according to what most envisioned in the early goings. Whyte floored his man twice in the fourth and seemed to be on his way to a stopped victory. Then, out of nowhere, the dramatic theater of boxing struck as Povetkin knocked Whyte clean out in the fifth round.

There were some that felt bad for Whyte as he occupied WBC’s number one ranking for several years. Arum on the other hand, was not amongst them and piled onto the heavyweight contenders’ misery.

“Dillian Whyte was so busy fighting for his WBC mandatory position that he didn’t see Povetkin’s uppercut, which knocked him cold on his ass,” said Arum on his Twitter account. 

Following a 2015 loss to current unified champion Anthony Joshua, Whyte, 32, went on a 11 fight win streak. But even with the victories piling up against former champions and current contenders, Whyte couldn’t sniff a crack at a world title. 

Every chance he got, the British native called out the WBC sanctioning body for making him wait. Whether it was a rematch with Joshua or a shot against Tyson Fury, Whyte simply wanted his shot. Now, he’ll be forced to wait even longer as he has stated that he will pursue an immediate rematch with Povetkin. 

Should he reverse the outcome the second time around, Whyte could have his long awaited rematch with Joshua. However, there won’t be any titles on the line. At least according to Arum.

At the moment, the long time promoter has his heavyweight in Kubrat Pulev sitting in the mandatory IBF position to face Joshua next. Their matchup is set to take place at the back end of 2020, although there has been multiple delays. 

When the green light is given for Pulev and Joshua to step into the ring against one another, Arum is expecting the British empire that is Whyte and Joshua, to continue to crumble. 

“Pulev will KO Joshua next,” said Arum. “London Bridges are falling.”

Posted on 08/22/2020

Well, that was shocking. After finding himself on the canvas not once but twice, Alexander Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs) was thought to be completely out of it against Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs).

The two squared off as the final event of Fight Camp in Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing backyard. Whyte walked into their contest as the heavy favorite and for good reason. Yet, no matter how many people counted Povetkin out, with one cold hearted left hook, he quickly put out the lights of Whyte in the fifth round and ended their contest in dramatic fashion.

Katie Taylor vs Delfine Persoon

There may not have been a crowd to give both Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon an applause, but there is no doubt that the fans watching from home gave a standing ovation.

Taylor (16-0, 6 KOs) got the proverbial monkey off her back this afternoon. When the undisputed lightweight champion met Persoon (44-3, 18 KOs) last year, many were split on who won. This time around, Taylor left no doubt as she was the better boxer on the night.

Persoon, as always, came forward and created chaos for Taylor. To her credit though, she managed to avoid the big shots and land some of her own. It was clear that Taylor was in no mood for a firefight, yet she found herself in one during long stretches of their matchup.

Unlike their first contest however, Taylor dealt with the pressure like the champion that she is and walked away with her undefeated record intact.

The final scores were as followed: 98-93 and two scores of 96-94 all in favor of Taylor.

Chris Kongo vs Luther Clay

It was a systematical breakdown applied by welterweight prospect Chris Kongo (12-0, 7 KOs) against Luther Clay (13-2, 5 KOs).

Throughout much of their contest, Kongo dictated the pace. He showed that size does matter as he continually backed his man up. To the credit of Clay though, he never gave up and rallied back during the mid rounds.

His success however, was brief as Kongo began doubling up on his pressure. Clay reached his breaking point in the ninth round as he hit the deck. The referee began his count but quickly waved off their bout as Clay simply looked out of it.

Shawndell Winters vs Alen Babic

This year just hasn’t been kind to heavyweight journeymen Shawndell Winters (13-4, 12 KOs). Earlier this year, the Illinois native found himself on the wrong end of a knockout loss. That devastating defeat came at the hands of former heavyweight belt holder Joseph Parker.

Fast forward to today, and he once again found himself flat on the mat. This time at the hands of heavyweight prospect Alen Babic (4-0, 4 KOs). With only a few seconds into their second round matchup, Babic sent his man down to the deck. From there, the referee waved off the contest.

Posted on 08/22/2020

It was a systematical breakdown applied by welterweight prospect Chris Kongo (12-0, 7 KOs) against Luther Clay (13-2, 5 KOs).

Throughout much of their contest, Kongo dictated the pace. He showed that size does matter as he continually backed his man up. To the credit of Clay though, he never gave up and rallied back during the mid rounds.

His success however, was brief as Kongo began doubling up on his pressure. Clay reached his breaking point in the ninth round as he hit the deck. The referee began his count but quickly waved off their bout as Clay simply looked out of it.

Posted on 08/22/2020

This year just hasn’t been kind to heavyweight journeymen Shawndell Winters (13-4, 12 KOs). Earlier this year, the Illinois native found himself on the wrong end of a knockout loss. That devastating defeat came at the hands of former heavyweight belt holder Joseph Parker.

Fast forward to today, and he once again found himself flat on the mat. This time at the hands of heavyweight prospect Alen Babic (4-0, 4 KOs). With only a few seconds into their second round matchup, Babic sent his man down to the deck. From there, the referee waved off the contest.

Posted on 08/22/2020

Both Zak Chelli (7-1-1, 3 KOs) and Jack Cullen (18-2-1, 9 KOs) came into their contest as fringe contenders needing a big win.

Unfortunately for both men however, neither was able to take the next step in their respective careers as their contest ended in a draw.

Posted on 08/16/2020

Cecilia Braekhus vs Jessica McCaskill

Cecilia Braekhus (36-1, 9 KOs) was once a dominant champion. But like all good things in this world, her run came crashing down against heavy underdog Jessica McCaskill (9-2, 3 KOs).

The smooth boxing skills which Braekhus could always rely on, quite simply failed her on the night as she lost a close majority decision.

With 39 years of age knocking on the door of Braekhus next month, it is unclear where she will go from here.

Israil Madrimov vs Eric Walker

Throughout the short career of Israil Madrimov (6-0, 5 KOs) he looked like a freight train with arms. He absolutely bullied all of his competition, but Eric Walker (20-3, 9 KOs) would hear none of it.

Madrimov came out methodical and landed some huge shots on his man. To the credit of Walker though, he kept pushing forward and landed some impressive shots of his own.

No matter how much success Walker had throughout the match though, he simply did not do enough as he lost a clear decision on the judges scorecards. The following scores were as followed: 116-111 and two scores of 116-110 all in favor of Madrimov.

Nikita Ababiy vs Jarvis Williams

Nikita Ababiy (9-0, 6 KOs) had anything but a difficult night at the office against Jarvis Williams (8-3-1, 5 KOs).

The opening bout was the perfect way to kick off the night in Tulsa Oklahoma. Williams chases his man around the ring throwing looping right hands, but failed to connect with anything of note. As for Ababiy on the other hand, he simply outworked his man and cruised to a unanimous decision victory.

Posted on 08/15/2020

Throughout the short career of Israil Madrimov (6-0, 5 KOs) he looked like a freight train with arms. He absolutely bullied all of his competition, but Eric Walker (20-3, 9 KOs) would hear none of it.

Madrimov came out methodical and landed some huge shots on his man. To the credit of Walker though, he kept pushing forward and landed some impressive shots of his own.

No matter how much success Walker had throughout the match though, he simply did not do enough as he lost a clear decision on the judges scorecards. The following scores were as followed: 116-111 and two scores of 116-110 all in favor of Madrimov.

Posted on 08/15/2020

With much of the fight fought on his terms, Harry Scarff (8-2, 1 KO) found himself on the losing end of a questionable decision tonight against Troy Williamson (15-0-1, 11 KOs).

Scarff landed numerous shots upstairs and to the body but was left on the losing end according to the three judges scoring the bout.

Posted on 08/15/2020

It didn’t take long for Paddy Donovan (4-0, 3 KOs) to take care of business against Des Newton (8-16, KOs).

From the moment Donovan landed a significant punch Newton had no clue what to do. From there Donovan pounded his man out until the contest was waived off.

Posted on 08/06/2020

By: Hans Themistode

2020 has become an absolute crap shoot. 

The year started off with such promise as big time matchups between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury led the way. But with COVID-19 turning the boxing world upside down, notable fighters have seen their once busy schedule dwindle down considerably. 

For unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in particular, his schedule has been nonexistent. 

With a win over Andy Ruiz Jr. to take back the titles that were ripped away from his broad shoulders in late 2019, Joshua was set to return in mid 2020 in a mandatory title defense against number one contender Kubrat Pulev. Assuming Joshua made it out of that contest in one piece, a date with WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk awaited him. From there, a matchup with Tyson Fury would be next on the docket. 

Yet, before boxing fans can wipe the drool from the side of their mouths as they envision those future matchups, Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) must first make his 2020 debut. Unfortunately for the British born champion however, the lack of a live audience has made his return an arduous question to answer.

“We know AJ’s only going to fight once this year,” said promoter Eddie Hearn to ESPN. “We want to give ourselves the best opportunity to bring in a crowd, and obviously the later the better. But it’s still not a gimme at all. There’s still a very strong chance that AJ will have to fight behind closed doors.”

Throwing punches inside of an empty arena will be much different for a man who has grown accustomed to doing so in front of thousands of screaming British fans. The O2 arena in Liverpool, England has become the 30 year old Joshua’s home away from home. But even with countless knockouts inside of that aforementioned venue, it doesn’t seem likely that Joshua will be making a trip there for his matchup with Pulev.

“Their regulations comply with the government, so at the moment they’re closed,” explained Hearn. “So they would need to open up. We’d need to get an understanding from the government what is allowed in arenas. Are you going to open at 50 per cent [capacity]? Are you going to open up 100 per cent? There’s a lot of work that has to go into that with the government and The O2.”

Posted on 08/03/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Dark lighting and empty seats inside of boxing venues have quickly become the new norm. 

Just three months ago, the sport of boxing was put on a COVID-19 induced hiatus. Pugilism was replaced with soap operas and old television shows from the 90s. While they were appreciated, boxing was sorely missed. 

The thought of the sport returning sometime this year seemed far fetched with the deadly virus refusing to slow down. Despite that, promoter Bob Arum and his Top Rank stable set in place the guidelines that would allow them to come back. That they did, but things looked and felt vastly different. 

There were no more obnoxious fans caught on camera giving the middle finger, nor were there any that stood on their feet whenever a big shot landed. No, they were substituted for blacked out backgrounds or in other cases, old fight posters. 

For the most part, fans didn’t seem to care. Fights were back on the big screen and that’s all that mattered. Nevertheless, promoter Eddie Hearn couldn’t stand it. Matchroom Boxing’s head man took notes and began putting the pieces in place to return his fighters to the new COVID-19 boxing world. 

This global pandemic may have placed a hinderance on much of the sport, but for Hearn, he used it to his advantage. And with that being said, “Fight Camp” was born. 

First thing in the morning, Hearn would stretch out and be awoken, not by the sound of birds chirping, but by the sounds of bodies hitting the canvas as he built an entire arena in the backyard of his once childhood home turned Matchroom headquarters. 

Headlining the first event of his outdoor venture would be a pair of fringe 154 pound contenders in Sam Eggington and Ted Cheeseman. Other than the obvious egg and cheese breakfast joke’s that were told at nausea, both fighters put on an eye pleasing show. In between watching fists fly through the night, green grass and Matchroom employees could be seen in the background. 

Hearn’s plan is creative, but not unseen throughout boxing history. Fights have always been done in this way. Friends would gather around a pair of pissed off young adults and watch them settle their differences in a bloody way behind the home of a close friend. Whether you get your ass kicked in the most embarrassing way, or you walked away as the winner, backyard fights have always been a part of both pugilism and fighting history. The StubHub arena in Carson California, has been the home to outdoor boxing events on the west coast for decades. But despite the long outdoor boxing history, nothing has ever been done quite in this way. 

“Fight Camp” is essentially Eddie Hearn’s professional backyard brawls. For the entire month of August and possibly even longer, Matchroom’s head man will continue to host events there. His vision has become a reality, and although he expressed extreme satisfaction with his first event, the jury is still out on whether or not fans of the sport are completely receptive to his idea.

Posted on 08/01/2020

Both Sam Eggington (28-7, 17 KOs) and Ted Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9 KOs) were given boxing’s spotlight as they headlined Matchroom boxing’s Fight Camp.

With a loss in his last ring appearance, Cheeseman couldn’t afford to pick up another. The British born 154 pound contender came out strong to kick off his night. He landed big shots to start off their contest and imposed his will early on.

Eggington however, did not fold under pressure and weathered the early storm. He stumbled across the ring on several occasions but found a way to stay composed. That in turn, helped him turn things around during the second half of the contest which he thoroughly dominated.

Despite that, his late surge wasn’t enough as he lost a clear decision. The final scorecards after 12 rounds of action were as followed: 115-114 and two scores of 116-113 all in favor of Cheeseman.

Posted on 08/01/2020

With the English heavyweight title up for grabs, Fabio Wardley (9-0, 8 KOs) didn’t come to play around. Simon Vallily (17-3-1, 7 KOs) came into this matchup with four straight victories in his back pocket. However, he seemed ill-equipped to deal with his opponent on the night.

With two one sided rounds already in his favor, Wardley came out in the third ready to close the show. He did exactly that as he landed a left hook that sent his man flying into the ropes. From there, it was target practice for Wardley as he unloaded power shots until the referee stepped in.

Posted on 08/01/2020

Lightweight contender James Tennyson (27-3, 23 KOs) made it five knockouts in a row as he took care of business against Gavin Gwynne (12-2, 2 KOs).

The British born contenders battled it out in the co main event at Matchroom’s Fight Camp. With two wins on the record of Gwynne by stoppage, Tennyson walked straight ahead with no fear. He landed huge shots on the chin of his opponent and watched him crumble.

An early exchange forced Gwynne to drop down to a knee. He managed to pull himself together, but not for long. Tennyson continued the onslaught until the referee was given no other choice but to end their contest in the sixth round.

Posted on 06/26/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Promoter Eddie Hearn has sat back and watched from the sidelines long enough. 

Together with Matchroom promotions, they have announced the release of their August schedule. Much like promoter Bob Arum and his unique Top Rank “Summer Series,” which airs shows a minimum of twice per week, Hearn has created something different as well. 

Unlike other boxing events, Fight Camp will not take place inside of an empty arena, instead, fights will be staged in Brentwood, Essex in the United Kingdom, at the Matchroom headquarters. 

Hearn has spent several months renovating the area and it appears he is now ready to host live boxing events. 

Headlining the first card which will take place on August 1st, will be Jr Middleweight contender Sam Eggington as he takes on Ted Cheeseman. Also on the card will be James Tennyson as he looks to take out Gavin Gwynne. Details for the entire card can be found below.

–Sam Eggington (28-6, 17 KOs) vs Ted Cheeseman (15-2-1, 9 KOs)

-James Tennyson (26-3, 22 KOs) vs Gavin Gwynne (12-1, 2 KOs)

-Jordan Gill (24-1 KOs) vs Reece Bellotti (14-3, 12 KOs)

–Fabio Wardley (8-0, KOs) vs Simon Vallily (17-2-1, KOs)

–Dalton Smith (5-0, 4 KOs) vs Nathan Bennett (9-1, 2 KOs)

“Eddie Hearn has supplied a sizzling summer schedule in August,” said head of boxing development for Sky Sports Adam Smith. “Starting with three Sky Sports shows packed with British talent. Sam Eggington against Ted Cheeseman should be a classic clash, while the exciting trio of Jordan Gill, Fabio Wardley and Dalton Smith will be eager to impress.”

Next up for the second week of  “Fight Camp” will be WBC and IBO super featherweight champion Terri Harper as she places her titles on the lines against Natasha Jones. Also putting their undefeated records on the line will be a trio of prospects in Nathan Thorley, Aqib Fiaz and Hopey Price. Checkout who they’ll be taking on along with the entire night of action below.

–Terri Harper (10-0, 5 KOs) vs Natasha Jones (9-1, 7 KOs)

–Chris Billam-Smith (10-1, 9 KOs) vs Nathan Thorley (14-0, 6 KOs) 

–Anthony Fowler (12-1, 9 KOs) vs Adam Harper (9-1)

–Aqib Fiaz (5-0) vs Kane Baker (13-6)

–Hopey Price (2-0, 1 KO) vs TBA

“Terri Harper has already endeared herself to fight fans with her remarkable success story,” said Smith “But Natasha Jones is a genuine threat as we return to Matchroom HQ with a high-class World Title fight. Anthony Fowler and Chris Billam-Smith have big ambitions and cannot afford slip-ups on the same bill.”

Felix Cash grabs week three by the horns when he main events against Jason Welborn. Zelfa Barrett on the other hand, hopes to make it five wins in a row when he takes on Eric Donovan. The full line up of week three can be found by scrolling below.

–Felix Cash (12-0, 8 KOs) vs Jason Welborn (24-8, 7 KOs)

–Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) vs Eric Donovan (12-0, 8 KOs)

–Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) vs Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs)

–Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) vs Rachel Ball (5-1)

-John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) vs TBA

“Felix Cash defends his Commonwealth belt against the dangerous Jason Welborn on our third action-packed show. We’ll get another chance to see Shannon Courtenay in action – she is a rising talent with an entertaining style – and it’s a perfect platform for Kieron Conway and Zelfa Barrett to showcase their skills.”

The previous three shows will bring us to what “Fight Camp” is considering their biggest show of them all. WBC Interim heavyweight titlist Dillian Whyte hopes to knock off another big name when he takes on Alexander Povetkin. The former gold medal winner is fresh off a split decision draw in his last contest against Michael Hunter, and at the soon to be age of 41, time isn’t on his side if he hopes to gain a third crack at a world title. 

In addition to the main event, undisputed Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor returns against an opponent yet to be named. Her original opponent, seven division world champion Amanda Serrano, opted against facing Taylor for financial reasons amongst many. 

Check out below for the full line up of Fight Camp week four.

–Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) vs Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs)

–Martin Bakole (15-1) v. Sergey Kuzmin (15-1)

–Luther Clay (13-1) v. Chris Kongo (11-0) 

–Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) vs TBA

“Fight Camp ends with fireworks as Dillian Whyte risks his World Title ambitions against the big-hitting Alexander Povetkin, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Katie Taylor can cement her status as one of the sport’s finest fighters when she returns to action on another fantastic bill. We’re back with a red-hot line-up of live boxing!”

Fans hoping to catch the event can tune into Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN for those who are based in the US.