Ricards Bolotniks is ready to strike gold again as he steps into the lion’s den and takes on Joshua Buatsi in a massive fight for the Light-Heavyweight division at Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex this Saturday August 14.
Bolotniks (18-5-1, 8 KOs) has done things the hard way after a less than spectacular start to his career, losing three and drawing one of his first eight fights after turning pro in August 2013.
The Latvian was not deterred by those setbacks and two further defeats and burst into the reckoning for major titles in a big way by winning the MTK Golden Contract tournament at the end of 2020.
The 31-year-old was considered an outsider for the tournament but destroyed the unbeaten Steven Ward inside the opening round of their quarter-final in December 2019 at York Hall, before widely outpointing Hosea Burton in the semi-final in his Riga backyard in September.
That set up a final with Germany’s Serge Michel that ‘The Lion’ dominated and put an exclamation mark on his win with a stoppage at the death, winning the coveted contract and firmly cementing his place as a real threat at 175lbs.
Buatsi has roared to 14-0 as a pro and only two fighters have heard the final bell against the 2016 Olympic bronze medal man, but Bolotniks is full of confidence that he’ll hand a first pro defeat to the Londoner and continue his remarkable journey to World Title honours.
“I’ve wanted this fight for a long time, and I’ve always thought that we would fight so all my training over the last six months has been for this man,” said Bolotniks. “It’s going to be a hard fight and a long fight but I’ve done the 12 rounds before and he hasn’t yet, I think that I can beat him over the full distance but I want it to be a street fight, a boxing match, I want to show everything that I have got so that I can go back to the dressing room afterwards and say ‘yes, we did it’, I want that feeling.
“I’ve had three fights cancelled in 2021, but then boom, here comes the Buatsi fight. So, I am happy now, it’s a massive fight for me and I hope that after I win this fight there will be more this year, but the focus is only on this one.
“Every fighter gets better the more fights that they have, he’s improved but so have I. I only fight for my family, for my country and my coach – and money! But I am not the kind of guy to say that I don’t fight for money, just belts – I need to buy food and to pay for the house, petrol for the car, clothes for me wife – so of course the money is important. But my family believe in me so much and that drives me on so much.
“I only think about Joshua, so I don’t want to think about the future. I am well ranked in the governing bodies so of course I look at the champions and the belts, and my wife likes the WBC belt, she wants me to win that! But we need to do our job on Saturday night and then the future will sort itself out.
“Latvian’s are made for boxing because we are big strong people and we’re proud, so we put it all on the line when we get chances to prove ourselves. I wanted to box because I watched Mairis Briedis on TV and now I am training alongside him, it’s amazing.”
Buatsi vs. Bolotniks tops a huge night of action, Joe Cordina (12-0, 7 KOs) returns in a ten round Lightweight clash with Joshuah Hernandez (10-3, 8 KOs), Portsmouth’s Michael McKinson (20-0, 2 KOs) defends his WBO Welterweight Title against Przemyslaw Runowski (19-1, 5 KOs), Hopey Price (4-0, 1 KO) meets Claudio Grande (5-0, 3 KOs) in a six round Super-Bantamweight contest, Glasgow’s Kash Farooq (15-1, 6 KOs) clashes with Luis Gerardo Castillo (28-2, 18 KOs) for the WBC International Bantamweight Title, the USA’s Raymond Ford (8-0-1, 4 KOs) meets Watford’s Reece Bellotti (14-4, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBA Continental Featherweight Title and Manchester Super-Featherweight Zelfa Barrett (25-1, 15 KOs) joins the card as a late addition.
12 x 3 mins vacant IBF Featherweight World Title KID GALAHAD WRTD11 v JAZZA DICKENS (Sheffield, England) (Liverpool, England)
Kid Galahad’s dream of becoming World Champion was finally realised as he produced a stunning effort to defeat Jazza Dickens and claim the IBF Featherweight crown at the top of the bill on Matchroom Fight Camp Week 2 in Brentwood, Essex, live worldwide on DAZN.
The Sheffield man (28-1, 17 KOs) had been denied the IBF title in a split decision defeat to Josh Warrington in 2019, but he captured the vacant belt after gradually breaking down the stubborn resistance of Dickens, who was pulled out by his corner before the final session started.
“I’ve been waiting 19 years for this and it’s finally here, I’ve finally got it – IBF Champion of the World,” Galahad told DAZN. “Not a little bit, the whole world. This doesn’t say regular champion, this says World Champion. People can think what they want. I come to fight. I’m a full time professional, I don’t take no days off. Jazza Dickens will become a World Champion 100%. Without a doubt, he’ll become a World Champion. I’m just over the moon.
“Thank you Eddie Hearn. If it weren’t for Eddie Hearn I wouldn’t be in this position right now. Thank you to DAZN. I’m just over the moon man. Brendan Ingle told me that I’m going to win everything from Super-Bantamweight up to Lightweight. Nobody believed me and everyone doubted me when I said I’d become Word Champion. Before I met Brendan, I would have probably been locked up in jail. He was the only person that gave me hope. If it wasn’t for boxing, Eddie Hearn, DAZN, Brendan Ingle, my mum I’d probably be locked up or dead.
“Naseem Hamed, I met him at the local mosque. I said to him, ‘Naz, I want to be a World Champion like you’. He told me if I wanted to become a World Champion I needed to go and find Brendan Ingle at the St Thomas’ Boxing Club. The rest is history. I went and met Brendan and that’s it.
“Every single day two busses. 45 minutes. I used to get up at 5.45 to get in for 6.45. Every single day from the age of 12-years-old. When I was 15 I moved out of my area. Brendan told me I’d end up locked up or dead if I stayed in that area. I lived in a crappy house at the bottom of the road with about five other boxers. There were rats and everything. I used to have a mattress on the floor. I lived there from the age of 15 until I was 20 and I got enough money to get my own house.
“My mum is over there somewhere. She’s over the moon. We’ve come from nothing. Hopefully I make a few quid out of this and get her a nice house, and get out of the area. I’m going to dominate the division. I always told Eddie I was going to dominate this division. I will make sure that I clean up this division. Nobody is going to beat me. I just beat the guy who beat Leigh Wood. This says IBF Champion of the whole World. This is not a regular title.”
10 x 3 mins English Heavyweight Title FABIO WARDLEY WTKO1 (2:30) v NICK WEBB (Ipswich, England) (Surrey, England)
Fast-rising Ipswich prospect Fabio Wardley wasted no time as he blasted out Nick Webb inside the opening round to retain his English Heavyweight Title and improve his unblemished record to 12-0 (11 KOs).
Surrey fighter Webb made a decent start to the fight, catching Wardley with some punishing shots, but a brief moment of carelessness allowed Wardley to make his impact. The 26-year-old hurt Webb and once he realised that, he unloaded a barrage of hurtful shots forcing the referee to halt the fight.
“It was a big one for me because this was a good test,” Wardley told Matchroom. “He was coming off a good win and we had to just make a bit of an impact, make a bit of a statement. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t the cleanest performance but sometimes you’ve just got to grit these ones out and get it done. I proved the difference. I proved that I can take a shot and keep moving like I proved against Molina. You can hit me and I’ll still come back at you with full force. He caught me a few times but it doesn’t faze me, I keep moving and I’ll move to take you out.
“I wasn’t going to let him off the hook. That’s something that we’ve been building on, that killer instinct – to notice and pay attention to when you’ve got someone going. I think in my last few fights I’ve been getting that going. When I hit someone and I see that little chink in their armour, I’m going in and I’m getting the kill.
“I respect every fighter that’s ever stepped in the ring because it’s a dangerous sport and anything can happen. I had to do what I did to get Nick in the ring in the first place because I’ve been chasing Nick for a year. I had to switch up my approach and go for the more aggressive stance and call him out and call him a few names. It’s all for the love of the sport at the end of the day. I respect everyone that gets in there.
“I think I’ve made the most out of every opportunity that’s been put in front of me. I’ve never said no to an opportunity that Ed has given me. I’m becoming increasingly more difficult to match because me, Dill and the team, we don’t say no. If you want to meet me in the ring I’m happy to go there, let’s go. It feels like a dream, it feels like a weird rollercoaster and I’m just running with it. I’m just loving what I’m doing and I’m staying focused.
“I’ve won the English and I’ve defended it; I think that’s me done with it now. Moving forwards for the British, Commonwealth, European – those types of belts are what I’ve got my eyes set on next and obviously Joe (Joyce) is holding onto them. He’s going to be moving on, he’s trying to move to that world level and he’s going to want to drop them sooner or later. I’ll be there ready and waiting.”
8 x 3 mins International Heavyweight contest ALEN BABIC WRTD5 v MARK BENNETT (Zagreb, Croatia) (Dunsville, England)
Alen Babic’s destructive form continued as he forced Mark Bennett to retire after the fifth round.
‘The Savage’ had to endure a couple of rocky moments in the early rounds but his relentlessness saw him get on top after the second session. It was all one way traffic after that and after enduring a torrid fifth stanza, Bennett’s corner did the right thing and pulled their man out.
“I feel great,” Babic told DAZN. “Thank you for having me, it was a very very tough fight. I didn’t expect that – I’ve got to say that. All kudos to him. He’s a very very tough warrior, a legit warrior. I threw maybe 100 power punches at his head, and I have knockout punches, so it was a very tough and competitive fight. I thank him for that.
“Left, right and I was like, ‘fall, it’s your time to fall’, but he just didn’t want to fall. He really caught me with a few ones. He didn’t catch me flush because I always bob and weave but he’s a very tough man and I respect him.
“This guy was 30kg heavier than me and you saw what happened, he wasn’t stronger in that ring. I can do everything. I’m here to represent the little people who can’t do nothing. I am just little like them – the smallest Heavyweight alive! You can do it if I can do it, I’m nothing special. I just put my mind to it. If you put your mind to it, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
4 x 3 mins Heavyweight contest JOHNNY FISHER WTKO2 (1:08) v DANNY WHITAKER (Romford, England) (Silsden, England)
Johnny Fisher was far too powerful for Danny Whitaker as he progressed to 3-0 in front of his father who was watching on from ringside.
A dominant second round saw ‘The Romford Bull’ drop Whitaker twice before the fight was stopped before any more damage could be done.
“It felt fantastic, especially in front of some of my supporters here,” Fisher told Matchroom. “In the future we’ll get a lot more in. It was great to have that little taste of what the future can hold. Respect to Danny Whitaker, a great man and a great opponent. I’m ready for the next step. I feel like I prepared better for this fight than any of my previous fights – especially with Mark being back. I’ve got a great assistant trainer in Steve Andrews. We’ve got a long way to go but I’m in a good place.
“My mum and dad are here, and my brothers are here. It’s brilliant. My little sister is at home. We’re going to have a nice Chinese now and celebrate. I think it’s the confidence that you can take from knowing that you have prepared well. Lennox Lewis sent me a message before my debut, ‘the more I prepare, the less I worry’, and that was testament to the work that we’ve been doing in the gym.
“I’ve definitely calmed down from the second fight. I think it’s different when you’ve got someone with a winning record in there. I’ve got a long long way to go to calm myself down and box on the back foot, but I know I can box on the back foot because I’ve showed it before in sparring. Doing it in the ring is another thing and that’s why we have a process. I’m only 22-years-old and I’ve got to build. You’ve got to stay humble and you’ve got to stay ready.
“We all know in our area about Mark Tibbs and his dad and how great they are. It’s not just that he’s my boxing trainer, we’re good friends and we get on really well. He said to me once that it’s like we’ve known each other forever and it is. It’s brilliant to be working with someone who is such a legend in the sport. Boxing is a very brutal sport and it can end at any time for anyone, especially at Heavyweight. You’ve got to have respect for all of your opponents. You’ve got to be ready for anything, and the best way to be is to be honest.”
8 x 2 mins International Bantamweight contest EBANIE BRIDGES WTKO3 (1:22) v BEC CONNOLLY (New South Wales, Australia) (Swindon, England)
Popular Australian Ebanie Bridges returned to winning ways by stopping Bec Connolly in three rounds.
Bridges found a superb right hand to floor the Swindon fighter and when a further attack followed once Connolly was back on her feet, the referee made a sensible intervention.
“To be back here in the UK, and to win and get my hand raised is amazing,” Bridges told DAZN. “Las time I was unlucky, although I still got a good reception. It was good to get in here and get my hand raised for my fans. I had a few people here supporting me so shout out to everyone that came. I saw you there with your Aussie flags and I appreciate you. It feels great.
“Winning is what it’s all about. It’s all good having the fanbase and the social media presence but if you’re not winning it can only go so far. Winning is important. It feels good. She was more difficult in the sense she was holding and a bit rough on the inside. That was new for me. I’m not used to people holding.
“I thought I would finish it in the later rounds. I knew I would break her down. I was just aiming for her body for the first few rounds because I wanted to break her body down so I could open her up to the head, and that’s exactly what we did. That’s what our plan was.
“By the third round I already had her hands dropping from going to the body and then that’s why that right hand was landing. That’s the one that stopped it. Obviously I want the rematch with ‘Shanny’. That’s what everyone wants, not just me. I know I want it, the fans want it, I’m pretty sure Eddie Hearn wants it. The only one that doesn’t want it is her.
“Hopefully she wants it, but then again she’s on her journey and I’ve got to focus on mine. I don’t hold my breath. The ball is in her court, and if she doesn’t take it, I suppose it looks a bit like she’s running.
“To all my fans and everyone that supported me tonight – I hope you enjoyed it. I love being back in the UK and I love being on DAZN. It’s a great platform as well with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom so a big thank you to them. This is just the comeback.”
8 x 3 mins International Super-Featherweight contest AQIB FIAZ WPTS8 (77-76) v KEVIN BALDOSPINO (Oldham, England) (Miranda de Ebro, Spain)
Oldham prospect Aqib Fiaz advanced his record to 7-0 as he defeated Spain’s Kevin Baldospino on points. The 21-year-old was made to work hard and that was reflected in the 77-76 scorecard.
“I’m just glad to be back after such a long layoff,” Fiaz told Matchroom. “It’s good to get back in there and get the win. It wasn’t my best performance, but I got the win most importantly. It was emotional to get back in there, especially here as well. It meant a lot to me. I had to come in and do my job no matter what.
“It wasn’t my best performance. We’re going to go away and look at the mistakes I made, then we’ll definitely work on them and be better next time. Even going into the last round, I felt I did enough to win. It was probably the right decision yeah. He was a tough man. I hurt him a couple of times and he stuck in there and dug in. Credit to him.
“I expected to be better than that, and I definitely am better than that. I need to be better than that. The fight didn’t go the way I wanted to. It’s about learning, and I feel like that’s a good learning fight. I’m definitely better than that, I just need activity. The more time I’m in the ring, the better I’ll be.
“I’ve had a lot going on, and my team have had my back. They’re like father figures to me. They’ve been there for me when I’ve been at my lowest. I’m here today because of them. Ten months is probably the longest layoff that I’ve ever had in my amateur career and pro. It’s good to be back, but let’s be back soon.”
According to Boxrec.com on Saturday night (31st July 2021) Coatbridge’s Ben McGivern and Middlesbrough’s Chris Wood both made their professional boxing debuts at New Douglas Park in Hamilton, Scotland. McGivern beat Lewis van Poetsch (9-126-2) and Wood drew with Corey McCulloch (4-1-0).
However, according to reliable sources within the sport, McGivern made his professional boxing debut on the 4th September 2016 against Jody Meikle at the Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort, Cumbernauld and Chris Wood made his debut against Edgars Milevics on the 29th March 2015 at the Pryzm, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds.
Following his victory over van Poetsch, McGivern’s current record is in reality 7-1-1 and Wood’s true record is now 5-4-1.
It should also be noted that both McGivern and Wood have fought for professional boxing championships prior to the 31st July 2021.
McGivern is both the Professional Boxing Council (PBC) and World Boxing Union (WBU) International Light Heavyweight Champion, both victories were over Navid Iran, the first on the 17th November 2018 and the second on the 22nd June 2019, which was broadcast live on Fite TV.
Wood is a two time title challenger, having challenged Sammy Hill for the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) British Welterweight Championship and Tommy Jacobs for the British Masters Bronze Super Welterweight title.
So why has Boxrec.com listed them as professionally debuting on the 31st July 2021?
The answer, according to Boxrec, is that they do not recognise the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA), who previously licensed both McGivern and Wood, as they have a policy of recognising only one commission per country, and in the case of the UK that is the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).
However, according to Gianluca Di Caro, Vice President of the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) that is “Total Bulls**t”, adding “there is no genuine Boxrec policy of one commission per country, the reality is that Boxrec are acting in a protectionist manner on behalf of the BBBofC in our particular case, and what’s more we have the evidence to prove this is the case.”
“Just one example is Germany, where there are three German Commissions, Bund Deutscher Berufsboxer (BDB), German Boxing Association (GBA) and Bund Deutscher Faustkämpfer (BDF), and in addition the Austrian Boxing Federation (ABF) have also sanctioned events in Germany and they are listed by Boxrec.
The most recent being a Sauerland event that took place at the Fraport Arena in Frankfurt that was headlined by an IBF Championship fight between Leon Bunn and Leon Harth on the 4th May 2019.”
“Whilst the BDB, GBA and ABF listings and results can be verified by just going to Boxrec’s website, at this time you will not find anything regarding the BDF, as Boxrec removed BDF as a commission and began listing past BDF events and results as ‘unsanctioned’ and does no longer update any BDF events reports and results following a public dispute between the BDF’s UK rep and Boxrec’s Management back in 2018.”
“The dispute was over Boxrec failing to update the records of boxers that fought on BDF sanctioned events in the UK initially, including the Tommy Jacobs vs Chris Wood British Masters titles fight, both of whom were licensed by BIBA, as were most pro boxers on BDF UK shows.”
“As I said earlier Boxrec act in a protectionist manner on behalf of the BBBofC.”
“A few years earlier Boxrec threatened the GBA with a similar punishment unless they stopped sanctioning events in the UK, unlike the BDF, who continued to sanction events in the UK, the GBA withdrew immediately, interestingly the records and results of the GBA sanctioned UK events prior to receiving threats of removal are still listed on Boxrec”
“Boxrec tried similar tactics with the Malta Boxing Commission (MBC), albeit more underhandedly via the championship organisation the European Boxing Union (EBU), following the MBC sanctioning events in the UK, again the reports and most of the results are still listed on Boxrec, including three of the events that Chris Wood fought on, there is a fourth which has since been wrongly removed by Boxrec.”
“The Chris Wood fight result removed by Boxrec, took place at the Rivals Gym in Wishaw, Scotland on the 25th April 2015 and was against Sam Allan and this one was removed by Boxrec when Allan switched to BBBofC so Boxrec could list Allan as debut and Boxrec’s John Shepherd justified this because the event took place at a gym. Incidentally Boxrec removed the two fights Sam Allan’s record, the one against Chris and another against Marty Kayes without a genuine reason”
“in 2017 John Shepherd used video of the event as so called ‘evidence’ that the BIBA was not a suitable commission to Championship organisations at the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) annual convention a few years ago, conveniently forgetting to mention that the event was actually sanctioned by the MBC, not BIBA, or that the BBBofC also sanctioned events at Rivals Gym.”
“This is far from the first incident of Boxrec and BBBofC colluding to maliciously and without foundation try and cause serious problems for BIBA, and not just with the Championship organisations, although the example I will now cite do relate to e.mails from BBBofC Secretary General Robert Smith to the International Boxing Federation (IBF) after the IBF added a number of BIBA licensed boxers to the IBF rankings.”
“In 2017 the International Boxing Federation (IBF) added a number of BIBA licensed boxers to the IBF Intercontinental rankings. Literally within days the secretary general of the BBBofC Robert Smith e.mailed the IBF stating “Dear Lindsey Please note that the following boxers are not licensed by the BBBC but an organisation not recognised by the BBBC- Sandy Robb Nathan DeCastro, Tasif Khan. It is noted they are rated by yourselves.””
“IBF Ratings Director Anibal Miramontes responded “Dear Robert, I don’t rate fighters based on where the license is from. This fighters fight for a different organisation that also does fights in the UK regularly.””
“Robert Smith responded with “They have licences withdrawn or not granted by BBBC due to medical queries. many of the boxers competing for this organisation have had licences withdrawn or not granted. Boxrec can confirm. Speak at the weekend.””
“The IBF e.mailed myself the following “Below you can see e-mail exchanges between Mr. Robert Smith General Secretary of the BBBofC and myself. I will really appreciate if you can send proves that the fighters rated have no medical issues to be license.I don’t understand what boxrec has to do with this, they are not a commission, decision makers regarding medicals or any other issue regarding boxing licenses, but I will reach for John Sheppard, boxrec’s owner, as requested by Mr. Smith. In the meantime, and for precaution I will remove the fighters mention by Mr. Smith until I receive confirmation that don’t have any medical issues.””
“I responded by not only sending the then current medicals but also historic ones, as well as any specialist reports that we had regarding the two boxers that had been wrongly refused BBBofC licenses, by return e.mail in most cases, and within two days for the Scottish based boxers as their medical records are kept by our Scottish Area Chief Medical Officer not head office, which proved that Mr Smith was providing false information.”
“BIBA boxers remained ranked by the IBF, and in fact two of those from the original fighters ranked that Mr Smith named in the e.mail are still ranked by the IBF some four years later.”
“I have a similar case of interference by Boxrec regarding a very recent Championship fight, Lee McAllister versus Richmond Djarbeng World Boxing Organization (WBO) title fight that took place in Aberdeen back in May – which was broadcast globally as well as streamed live on Fite TV and Viva Live TV”
“Following the event the WBO submitted the results to Boxrec only to be informed by Boxrec that the BBBofC are the only commission recognised in Europe (by Boxrec), that is aligned with the WBO as the excuse not to list the fight on Mr McAllister or Mr Djarbeng’s records.”
Lee McAllister’s Boxranking Record including May 2021 WBO Championship fight result
“Boxrec’s refusal to update Mr McAllister’s and Mr Djarbeng’s records with the WBO title included is in violation of the ABC’s Official Record Keeper Criteria Rule 15. “Boxing Officials Registry for world title bouts sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO).””
“The whole issue of Boxrec is insane, the Association of Professional Boxing Commissions (APBC), of which I am currently the Chairman, has recently been undertaking research ahead of deciding who should be appointed as the APBC Official Record Keeper for 2021/23.”
“During this period of research the APBC has received close to a thousand cases of Boxrec failings and wrongdoings from every corner of the globe, everything from faked records to entire events removed without reason and of course many instances of records failing to be updated as well as failing to list commissions or add or update their fighters records.”
“Yet in the same period the APBC have not received a single case or complaint against Pro Boxing Records (Formerly Fight Fax), other than cannot view records on-line, or against BoxRanking.com, other than only features current active boxers, which of course is a minor factor with regard to accurate records being available for matching etc, and not all commissions yet submit results to them, again only a minor factor and one I am sure will change in the near future.”
“Luckily for our beloved sport there are these two further official record keepers; Pro Boxing Records (formerly Fight Fax, official professional boxing record keeper since 1984) which unfortunately doesn’t list the results on-line, although believe that will change soon, and Boxranking.com, which is a very recent addition to the Record Keeping domain so currently only lists recent and active fighters results.”
“Both PBR/Fight Fax and Boxranking only accept results from Commissions so their record keeping tend to be 100% accurate, unlike Boxrec which is only 60-65% accurate and dropping fast due to their failing to update quite a few results as well as listing fake results from non-commission sources.”
“It’s a crazy situation that Boxrec can have such a dominant and extremely important role in our beloved sport when they act the way they do, it’s not just my view either, besides the obvious, such as those that have been wronged, one former ABC President Greg Sirb e.mailed current ABC President Mike Mazzulli stating “I have become increasingly frustrated by the way Boxrec (Marina) has single handedly decided what fight results shall be included in the ABC database. Boxrec like Fight Fax is a record Keeper, that is it, they are not a commission, Boxrec does not decide what is a good result and what is not, the fact is that if a boxing result comes in from a commission (anywhere in the World) that result must be posted.””
“Following conversations between myself and Mike Mazzulli back in 2016, shortly after the ABC appointed Boxrec as co-Official Records Keeper with long time appointee Fight Fax, Mike sent an e.mail to both Boxrec and FightFax with the heading “Boxrec – details of record manipulation and failure to list events or update records.” In which he wrote; “In an effort to resolve this issue, all ABC Boxing Record Keepers will actively recognise and record all pro boxing contest for all commissions (including those in the United Kingdom) that are sent in by those Boxing Commissions that are recognised by the ABC.””
“Mr Mazzulli probably should just have said that Boxrec needed to comply to the ABC’s Official Record Keeper Criteria Rule 14: which states “Records must be kept on ALL boxers, United States, Canadian, European, Asian, Mexican, and South American to ensure Boxrec understood that it is a term of appointment as ABC Official Record Keeper.””
“Either way you would have thought that Mr Mazzulli’s instructions were clear enough, yet Boxrec continued to ignore the ABC edict and continues to do so even today, and something I am sure they will continue to do until someone dies because of their actions, or is that lack of action”
“That may sound a bit dramatic and I really hope never happens, but think about it Ben McGivern is an experienced big punching Championship winning fighter who had fought professionally eight times yet is listed by Boxrec as a debut when he fought on Saturday, what if they do the same with another fighter of an even higher calibre and he ‘debuts’ according to Boxrec and faces an inexperienced but game fighter.”
Mr Di Caro has highlighted the situation in the United Kingdom, but this is not just a UK issue, not by a long shot. There are similar issues being highlighted in the media in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and South America on virtually a weekly basis, which lead to the conclusion that Boxrec fail in spectacular fashion at its main role within the sport RECORD KEEPING, but what can be done about it.
The simple answer is nothing, zero, zilch, as the organisations that provide them with Official Record Keeper status, such as the Association of Professional Boxing Commissions (ABC), Championship organisations World Boxing Council (WBC) and the European Boxing Union (EBU) and of course the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), just don’t seem to care, probably because it suits these organisations right now, as they hold the dominant positions within their particular sectors within the sport.
The ABC, which represents North American Commissions, has been provided details of many Boxrec failings and wrongdoings, in a recent case Brian Dunn, the recently retiring ABC President, said this “I am sorry to hear about this situation. Unfortunately, I am afraid there is nothing I can do to help resolve it. Boxrec is the official record keeper of the ABC, but they are also a private company, not even based in the United States.
I’ll admit to not really understanding how boxing “commissions” work internationally, as it is much different than in the US (and other international ABC member commissions). After many conversations with John and Marina, they do understand the situation and they only record what they deem to be accurate”.
In my view this reply raises more questions than answers, to actually state that he, an actual Commissioner as well as President of the Association of Boxing Commissions, does not know how other commissions operate but John and Marina Shephard do is unbelievable, neither of these people have held roles within a commission and as such neither could possibly know even the basics.
I am utterly flabbergasted by Brian Dunn saying and clearly accepting, “they only record what they deem to be accurate”. Is even crazier as that is not the role of Record Keeper, their role is to record results of Professional Boxing Contests not be judge and jury on which commissions, championships, promoters results are deemed to be legitimate, and should they be given such power to the detriment of boxers themselves.
The BBBofC appears to work maybe a little too closely with Boxrec, possibly in an attempt to maintain a close to 90 year monopoly of Professional Boxing in the United Kingdom, that was until the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) launched in 2016.
The BBBofC also have a highly unusual and without doubt unique arrangement with the WBC, they are the only commission that has a standalone affiliation, one that is the same as a Continental Association of Commissions, such as the African Boxing Union (ABU), the European Boxing Union (EBU) etc and as such should any European or UK commission wish to become a member of the WBC, they must first affiliate with the BBBofC and/or the EBU according to WBC Secretary General Robert Lenhardt.
Another interesting fact is that the former President, and current Chairman of the BBBofC, Mr Charles Giles is not only a Vice President of the WBC but also the EBU.
The BBBofC has the largest amount of votes of all commissions within the EBU, in 2012 they had 134 votes, whilst the BDB 34 and the next highest Swiss Boxing has 24 votes, all other members had between 1-5 votes per commission, this exceptionally large disparage enables the BBBofC to dictate actions within the EBU.
An example of the BBBofC’s incredible power within the EBU is the expulsion of the Luxembourg Boxing Federation (LBF) from the Championship organisation in 2012, following the LBF sanctioning Haye vs Chisora at Upton Park in London, UK in July that year and even possibly the expulsion of the Malta Boxing Commission (MBC) some months later, as the MBC licensed most of the undercard fighters on the Haye-Chisora bill, as well as vocally supported the LBF at the EBU Convention in Bruges, Belgium in 2012.
Have to admit, a pattern seems to be emerging here, one that requires some serious research for a follow up article in the near future.
Eggington kicks off new deal on Friday 10th September headlining the Coventry Skydome Arena live on Channel 5
Promoter Mick Hennessy welcomes the WBC Silver Middleweight Champion Sam Eggington to the distinguished Hennessy Sports team after the Birmingham star signed a long-term promotional agreement with his first fight under the new deal on Friday 10th September, live and free in the UK on Channel 5.
All-action Eggington will return to headline a huge night of boxing at the Coventry Skydome Arena in a Championship contest to be announced shortly.
The night of action titled Hennessy All-Stars also features some of the promoter’s stable of talent from champions and prospects all showcasing their skills: Isaac Chamberlain, Stevie McKenna, Shakan Pitters, River Wilson Bent, Kaisee Benjamin, Idris Virgo, Brett McGinty, Tommy Welch and Michael Hennessy Jr.Known as the the ‘Savage’,
Eggington was last out in May and a scored a resounding points victory over the hard-as-nails Mexican former World Champion ‘King’ Carlos Molina.
The win saw Eggington lift the WBC Silver title and also claim a world ranking as he closes in on a World title shot with his future now secure under Hennessy’s guidance.
Eggington said, “It’s fantastic to have a promoter like Mick behind you who’s fully backing you and working for you, believes in you and is giving your career a real push which is why I’m thrilled to sign this promotional deal with him. I’ll do everything I can in the ring to prove him right, he’s placed his faith in me and I’ll give that back to him one hundred percent. The only path left now is the World title and I believe I can win it.”
Hennessy said, “I’m delighted to officially welcome Sam to the team, although he was already in our team as his last two fights were with us, but it’s fantastic that he’s put pen to paper and signed the deal. I’m really pleased to be working with a World class fighter of Sam’s calibre who’s on the cusp of challenging for a long deserved and overdue World title shot. He’ll be headlining again at the Coventry Skydome Arena on Friday 10th September, live on Channel 5, where he had a great victory over Molina in May.”
Jon Pegg, who has managed Eggington from the start of his career, added, “Mick’s promoted Sam’s last two fights and he was over the moon with his treatment as it was all about Sam, he was made to feel like a champion. With the win over Molina last time he’s gone up another level and he’s in such a great place. Sam has the best team around him as he homes in on the world title.”
Still just 27-year-old, Eggington has not had it easy in his near nine-year and 37-fight career despite winning British, Commonwealth, European and International titles.
Now with Hennessy’s promotional firepower behind him, his dream of challenging for a World title will soon be realised.
The working class warrior is a real fight fans favourite and has faced anyone and everyone put in front of him, regardless of being in the home or away corner on these shores or abroad.
Whilst being on the end of wrong decisions, he’s also caused big upsets by defeating the home fighter, all of which has forged a steely determination to become a World champion.
In recent years, key victories have seen him end the career of former Two-Time World Champion Paulie Malignaggi with a devastating eighth round KO in March 2017; win the European title with a tenth round KO of Ceferino Rodriquez in May 2017; destroy local hero Orlando Fiordgiglio inside two rounds away from home in Tuscany, Italy in November 2019; involved in the 2020 Boxing News British Fight of the Year for his thrilling fight against Ted Cheeseman last August, although he lost a close and highly debated points decision, the fight is remembered for an epic final round.
Eggington has previously featured twice on Hennessy’s shows and immediately raised his profile to the mainstream audience through his exposure on free-to-air Channel 5 with a sixth round blow out of former World title challenger Ashley Theophane with a crushing body shot that promptly pushed the Londoner into retirement.
Followed by his clinical performance to shut out the vastly experienced and tricky Molina on the scorecards, displaying his astute boxing brain to match his brawn.
‘AJ’ defends Heavyweight crowns against Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Tickets for Anthony Joshua’s IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight World Title defence against Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday September 25 have sold out within the first 24 hours of going on sale.
‘AJ’ has sold-out stadiums and arenas around the world and now the Heavyweight division’s biggest attraction returns to the Capital for his fifth stadium fight at the sensational, state of the art home of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Over 100,000 fans waited in the StubHub ticket queue for their chance to land seats for the biggest Heavyweight clash of the year starring two London 2012 Olympic gold medallists going head-to-head in their quests for Undisputed supremacy.
Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) dominated and then floored IBF Mandatory Challenger Kubrat Pulev to score a brutal ninth-round knockout at The SSE Arena, Wembley last time out in December in what was his first fight on UK soil since he stopped Alexander Povetkin in seven explosive rounds at Wembley Stadium back in September 2018.
Ukrainian pound-for-pound star Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) made the move to the Heavyweight division after dominating at Cruiserweight, ending his extraordinary spell at 200lbs as the Undisputed king with a phenomenal run of victories in his opponent’s backyard against Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev and Tony Bellew.
The 2012 Olympic Gold medallist began his assault on the Heavyweight division by retiring Chazz Witherspoon in seven rounds at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago in October 2019 and continued his bid to become a two-weight World Champion when he outpointed Derek Chisora over 12 rounds at The SSE Arena, Wembley last October.
Undercard details will be announced in due course.
Kid Galahad has vowed to win his first World Title in style as he clashes with familiar foe Jazza Dickens for the IBF Featherweight crown at the top of the bill on Matchroom Fight Camp Week 2 this Saturday August 7 in Brentwood, Essex, live worldwide on DAZN.
Galahad (27-1, 16 KOs) fights for the strap for the second time, having been edged out by the narrowest of margins by former champion Josh Warrington in a Yorkshire derby in June 2019 – with the Leeds man holding onto his title via a hotly-disputed split decision.
Sheffield star Galahad bounced back with a win over Claudio Marrero in February and with Warrington vacating the title, Galahad now locks horns with Dickens (30-3 11 KOs) for the second time having stopped the Liverpool man to land the British Super-Bantamweight Title in September 2013.
The 31-year-old has since sparred plenty of rounds with the southpaw Scouser that he calls a friend, but he’s ready to put that to the side for one night only.
“I’ve actually done about 60 or 70 rounds with Jazza Dickens, probably more!” said Galahad. “When I boxed Marrero, I sparred Jazza. I’ve known him for a long time, we’re friends. Any time I ever fight a southpaw I always spar with Jazza because he’s a good southpaw. At the end of the day, when we get in there, friendship is going to be pushed to the side and that’s it. Seek and destroy, that’s it. I’m not here to make friends and everything else. When I get in there I’m here to win. I don’t care who you are.
“Getting in with me is a different kettle of fish to getting in with all of them guys who he’s boxed. It doesn’t matter who he’s boxed. I believe I box in a higher category and I believe that I’ve taken less punishment than him. I believe that the wins I’ve got I’ve done in better fashion than he has.
“He’s very good. He’s well rounded and he can do a bit of everything. I just believe that I’m better than him in every little department. Whatever he does I can do better. He can say that he’s got the momentum and everything else. He can have the momentum – it doesn’t mean anything does it.
“When we get in that ring on it’s just going to be me and him in there, nobody else. That’s when it’s going to matter. I’ve done it the hard way, and I’m going to win this World Title in spectacular fashion. I’m going to be a World Champion for a very long time. I’m not going to let it go.
“After I win this fight, it’s going to get even harder, then you just need to maintain it. I’m always fully focused only on what I do. I can’t wait to get in there and take what’s mine. I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do. Jazza can bring a few different styles but I’ve just got to go in there and win the fight in any way and any form. The game is to hit and not get hit. I’ve got to go in there and do a number on him. I’m going to give it to him, tell him to make sure he’s prepared. I know he’s going to prepare well, but when we get in that ring, we aren’t going to be friends. He’s going to get seriously hurt.”
Galahad vs. Dickens tops a huge night of action, Ipswich knockout artist Fabio Wardley (11-0, 10 KOs) defends his English Heavyweight Title against Nick Webb (17-2, 13 KOs), ‘The Savage’ Alen Babic (7-0, 7 KOs) looks to extend his KO streak against Mark Bennett (7-1, 1 KO), popular Australian Ebanie Bridges (5-1, 2 KOs) returns to the UK to face Bec Connolly (3-9) over eight rounds, Romford Heavyweight Johnny Fisher (2-0, 2 KOs) goes for another knockout against Danny Whitaker (4-3) and Oldham prospect Aqib Fiaz (6-0) takes on Kevin Baldospino (9-5-2, 1 KO) over eight rounds.
12 x 3 mins WBA Featherweight World Title XU CAN v LEIGH WOOD WTKO12 (2:43) (Beijing, China) (Nottingham, England)
Leigh Wood stopped Xu Can in the 12th and final round to claim the WBA Featherweight World Title in a big upset at the top of the bill on the first week of Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex, live worldwide on DAZN.
‘Leigh-thal’ created history by becoming only the second ever boxer from Nottingham to become a World Champion – following in the footsteps of former IBF Super-Middleweight World Champion Carl Froch who was watching on from ringside.
After only competing at British level throughout his career, Wood was thought to be up against it against Can, but it was clear from the opening bell that the powerful Ben Davison-trained puncher belonged on the big stage. As the fight entered the championship rounds, Can tried to put his foot down as he felt his crown slipping, but he would pay for that approach in a memorable last session. A superb right hand dropped the Chinese fighter and after rising to his feet, Wood wasted no time in forcing the stoppage. “It feels good you know, to get the stoppage over the line in a great and high-paced fight, the last round with six weeks’ notice, I couldn’t have done anymore,” Wood told Matchroom afterwards.
“I did say in an interview that I’m going to be catching him clean and it’s not down to me how long the fight lasts, it’s down to him pretty much. I could have sustained that all night. He took some big shots, big heart, credit to him but the accumulation has its effect as well. The shot I finished him with wasn’t as big as the ones I caught him with earlier on, but they took their toll, I caught him and got the stoppage.
“I had belief in my power, not only do I have big power, but I know how to get it off, how to set it up and how to mix it up. That’s the biggest factor in working with Ben, Lee Wylie and Barry Smith, they’ve really changed the game for me.
“He definitely wasn’t throwing 120 punches a round and that’s down to the game plan. Everyone was saying how are you going to do it, what are going to do, are you going to hit him hard, are going to hold him, it was down to the game plan. Even people watching don’t understand, but that’s a conversation for another day.
“Hopefully the younger generations see this and think you know what, he’s done it, World Champion, British, Commonwealth, European, hopefully people decide to go pick up a pair of boxing gloves and start their journey.
“Ben and Lee said to me they’ve never been so confident in someone getting the tactics right as much as me going into this fight. I thought that was a big statement, I was doing everything they wanted me to do. I executed it pretty much to perfection and credit to those guys for getting it right – I just do as I’m told, and it works.
“I’m easy, redemption with Dickens would be great for myself. Full confidence in Ben getting my tactics right for that fight, I had a bad night that fight, first southpaw I boxed as a pro, I’d like to put that right naturally.
“But if there’s bigger fights, I said I wanted the Navarrete fight he’s explosive like me, that’ll be absolute fireworks. People might slate me and say it’s a regular title, let’s fight for the super title, let’s unify – I want big fights.
“My career was stalled earlier on. In three years I’ve been British, Commonwealth, WBO European and now World Champion. My best years are definitely to come.”
12 x 3 mins European, British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Titles TOMMY MCCARTHY v CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH WSD12 (115-114 McCarthy, 115-114 CBS, 116-112 CBS) (Belfast, Northern Ireland) (Bournemouth, England)
Chris Billam-Smith withstood a late fightback from Tommy McCarthy to edge out a narrow split points decision to add the British and European Cruiserweight Titles to his Commonwealth Title in an epic battle at the Matchroom HQ.
Belfast’s McCarthy started and ended the fight impressively but his low output in-between cost him the decision. Both fighters received a scorecard of 115-114, but a 116-112 verdict for Bournemouth’s Billam-Smith was enough to see him to progress to 13-1.
“It’s crazy, as Shane said, it’s been a bit of a tough camp towards the end – I had an injury and I haven’t sparred in 3-4 weeks,” Billam-Smith told Matchroom afterwards. “All that emotion came out, it was an interesting build up the fight, future fights, but I’m over the moon.
“It was a good shot, the best shot he landed all fight, I was with it, but it was a good shot, it buzzed me in a way, but I was in control, I could see, I knew I’d been hit but I just had to ride it a bit.
“I was really confident, the corner had it closer. In my head I thought I’d won probably eight rounds, but I wasn’t scoring it as I went along – so maybe seven. There was no way he won seven rounds, absolutely no way, that first round he landed one shot. It was a good shot, but I also had him hurt and hit him a lot more – those rounds should really go in my favour.
“He was harder to hit clean to be fair to him, but that was my own fault, I was loading up looking for one shot. Shane said that so the jab to the body was key, it was everything. It won me the fight, we watched the Askin fight today and that was the key – props to Shane.
“I sent the tweet out and it got him going, he built the fight really well. I played the villain at the beginning and just let him run away with it. All respect to Tommy, he was tougher and better than I thought he was.
“I’m so much better than that, I just walked back into the changing rooms and Shane has a massive go at me and said, ‘what was that?’ We know what I’m capable of but then I get too excited in there when I hurt someone. That’s because I’ve only had 14 fights, I’ve got a lot of learning to do but it’s a long process, I’m not the finished article and that’s the sort of fight I need.
“I was fit in there, comfortable in there, still ready to work in that last round and go up a gear which is good, but I’ve got to learn to be more articulate with how I go about things.
“They all work hard in the gym; I like to do the little 1% that they probably can’t be bothered to do. They work hard, Lawrence runs every morning, everyone’s a grafter in the gym but that comes down to Shane and Josh, they set such a high standard. You’ve got to be world class and act like a professional the whole time in that gym to survive.
“There was a group of twelve lads from Bournemouth that I kind of know and they all come up, to see them in crowd and to making the noise they did, it was really special. It’s so good to have fans back and some normality.
“I want a show in Bournemouth, I really do. We’ve tried it almost 18 months ago, it would be unbelievable to have a show down there. We’ve got the Bournemouth International Centre which Eddie had booked for last March which he couldn’t get an opponent for. I need a show in Bournemouth, I love my fans, they’ve been superb to me. I’ve been on the road, Riakporhe in London, Glover in Liverpool, here in London, I want to go home.”
4 x 3 mins International Lightweight contest CAMPBELL HATTON WPTS4 (40-36) v JAKUB LASKOWSKI (Manchester, England) (Siemianowice Slaskie, Poland)
Campbell Hatton extended his unbeaten record to 3-0 with a straight-forward four-round points win over Jakub Laskowski, from Poland.
The 20-year-old Mancunian, son of former double World Champion Ricky, banked more valuable rounds as he continued his development in the professional ranks.
“I was happy again really; I thought my defence was a lot better,” Hatton told Matchroom afterwards. “I was a bit more composed again, I think there were a few times where I’d hurt him and probably could have smothered my work fully and not caught him with anything. I managed to control myself a little when he was going. I didn’t quite get the knockout because I was smothering, and he was tricky, but it was exactly what I need. I need the rounds more than I need a stoppage.
“He was tricky customer, slippery, doing a bit of switching and some different looks. That’s the perfect fight and it has been matched perfectly for me to learn. There are people out there they could bring in and anyone could hit them and knock them over. That’s not how they’re matching me, we’re getting me people who are going to get the rounds out of me and give me different things to overcome – that’s what he did tonight.
“I think I showed some more classy work than I have before, working off my jab. My jab is one of my best shots in the gym and now I’m bringing it into play in the fights now.
“The first fight I was saying all week I was dead relaxed, but I had nothing to compare it to. The second fight I was more composed, and I was more composed this fight – next time it’s going to be the same pattern and even better.
“This was a different experience, it’s different to anything that I’m probably going to face very often in my career. It was different making the ring walk this time, you feel breezy seeing people tucking into their tea and having a pint. It was weird making my ring walk to that but as soon as the bell went it was just like any other ring and I just got to work.
“Gibraltar, the amount of media commitments I had to and how much time was invested into me on the media side, I think that set me up, so I’ve not had to do much really. We’ve got it all out the way in the first one, I’m never going to have to deal with anything like that again, the pressure will always be there but each time I’ll be dealing with it better. I’m dealing with the pressure like it’s not there now.
“You see all these opponents, if it was any other kid he was fighting with any other surname, I don’t think he would have been digging in half as much as he did there. They want to make a point, whether it’s to stop me, or just survive – they raise their game a bit when they know it’s me and I’ve got to do the same.”
10 x 3 mins International Super-Welterweight contest ANTHONY FOWLER WTKO8 (2:12) v RICO MUELLER (Liverpool, England) (Eberswalde, Germany)
Anthony Fowler was made to work hard for victory as he registered an eighth-round stoppage over late stand-in opponent Rico Mueller – setting up a tasty October 9 domestic clash with Liverpool rival Liam Smith.
The German, who arrived in the UK earlier this week to replace Roberto Garcia following an injury, had plenty of ambition at the start of the fight, but Fowler was always landing the heavy shots and the pressure finally told.
The Liverpudlian, who became a father during the week, has now won six fights in a row since suffering his one and only loss in the pros at the hands of Scott Fitzgerald at The M&S Bank Arena Liverpool back in March 2019.
“My next opponent is a really good fighter, much better than him, but I needed the rounds,” Fowler told DAZN afterwards. “I thought in round two I wobbled him but thought, ‘not today’. My last fight was three rounds and I thought, ‘I need rounds today’, so I stepped back and worked on a few things.
“The one thing I haven’t had in my career is rounds, I’ve always blasted my opponents out and haven’t really learnt much. I’m learning plenty in the gym but that’s where it counts, it means nothing in the gym.
“I’m from the south of Liverpool, Liam’s (Smith) from the north. It doesn’t bother me, I respect Liam a lot, he’s a really good fighter, ten times better than that lad tonight so I need to be on top of my game. I don’t turn fights down, since day one I’ve boxed anyone, I’ve asked for all these big fights, but it never happened for me.
“Even tonight, I wanted to box Roberto Garcia, a good, experienced veteran. Rico Mueller gaveca good fight and I’m happy he replaced Garcia because I said in the ring, ‘thanks for giving it your all’, after six rounds he was six rounds down and he was still trying.
“Liam is a much higher level, but I needed the rounds and that’s what I got.”
10 x 3 mins IBF International Super-Middleweight Title AVNI YILDIRIM v JACK CULLEN WU10 (100-90, 98-92, 97-93) (Istanbul, Turkey) (Little Lever, England)
Jack Cullen claimed the biggest win of his career by outpointing former World Title challenger Avni Yildirim over ten rounds to earn the IBF International Super-Middleweight Title.
‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ was in control from the opening bell as he used his long jab to set up further attacks on the Turk who shared the ring with pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez back in February.
Yildirim was looking to get back to winning ways after being stopped in three rounds by the Mexican in Miami but instead suffered the fourth defeat of his career at the hands of the 27-year-old from Lancashire.
Cullen outboxed and outfought ‘Mr Robot’ in front of his vocal support at the Matchroom HQ in Essex – with the final scorecards reading 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93 in favour of the Michael Jennings-trained fighter.
“I’m absolutely buzzing and listen; we came with a game plan, a couple of rounds in I wasn’t doing what I should have been doing, but I stuck to my game plan and it paid off eventually,” Cullen told Matchroom afterwards.
“I knew he was going to come forward, he’s a tough fighter and he comes to fight – that’s what he did tonight. Like I said with my game plan, using the jab and trying to not get caught with the right hand. I got caught a few times stupidly, but I got back on my boxing and got through the ten rounds.
“To be honest with you every fight I’ve seen him in he’s been one paced. It’s me not doing too much, using the jab, and letting him come forward, instead of me getting involved in a scrap – it worked. We stuck to the game plan, it worked, and I’m delighted.
“I’ve been working over and over, every day, it’s starting to pay off. Like I said, you’re going to see a different Jack Cullen and I think you did tonight.
“At the end of the day, I’m in this game to fight the best and anything can happen, anything is around the corner. It’s all about being switched on and ready, whoever you get offered you’ve got to take the fight with both hands and go for it.
“I have got a brilliant support, a lot of fans that love watching and supporting me. There were only 25 in there tonight, but it sounded like 100, it’s brilliant and I’m going to have a nice little rest – we’ll see. Hopefully Eddie will sign me now!
“It’s moving in the right direction, the direction I want it to go. Everyone said Yildirim is going to be a tough opponent and I knew that, but I knew I should be beating fighters like him because of where I want to take my career to.
“I will go with flow, who knows, I reckon there will be all sorts of people jumping out the closet wanting to fight me, but we’ll see.”
6 x 2 mins Super-Lightweight contest SANDY RYAN WPTS6 (60-54) v KIRSTIE BAVINGTON (Derby, England) (Pensnett, England)
Former amateur star Sandy Ryan made a winning start to life in the paid ranks as she outclassed Kirstie Bavington over six rounds in the opening bout of Fight Camp.
The Derby fighter, who is trained by Clifton Mitchell and managed by Paul Ready, was in control throughout and that was reflected on the scorecards as she emerged from the contest a 60-54 winner.
“It was a very good fight,” Ryan told Matchroom afterwards. “I’m over the moon and I’m so happy. I enjoyed every minute of that, the walk, everything, I’m just made for the pro game.
“I took my time; I enjoyed the ring walk – I enjoyed it so much.
“I wanted a tough fight, to prove the levels. I showed glimpses of it, there were times where she was a bit messy and holding. The pro game and each fight as it goes on, I’m going to get much better.
“Levels, I said that even if I had a bad day, she wasn’t going to beat me. It’s not disrespect to her, but I just know what I’m capable of. Boxing’s my life and I’m going all the way.
“I’ve got the right team behind, Matchroom, DAZN, Eddie Hearn, Paul Ready my manager and Clifton my trainer, that’s all I need – that’s my team. I don’t need a big entourage around me, this is all I need and we’re going all the way.”
12 x 3 mins WBA Featherweight World Title XU CAN v LEIGH WOOD WTKO12 (2:43) (Beijing, China) (Nottingham, England)
Leigh Wood stopped Xu Can in the 12th and final round to claim the WBA Featherweight World Title in a big upset at the top of the bill on the first week of Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex, live worldwide on DAZN.
‘Leigh-thal’ created history by becoming only the second ever boxer from Nottingham to become a World Champion – following in the footsteps of former IBF Super-Middleweight World Champion Carl Froch who was watching on from ringside.
After only competing at British level throughout his career, Wood was thought to be up against it against Can, but it was clear from the opening bell that the powerful Ben Davison-trained puncher belonged on the big stage. As the fight entered the championship rounds, Can tried to put his foot down as he felt his crown slipping, but he would pay for that approach in a memorable last session. A superb right hand dropped the Chinese fighter and after rising to his feet, Wood wasted no time in forcing the stoppage. “It feels good you know, to get the stoppage over the line in a great and high-paced fight, the last round with six weeks’ notice, I couldn’t have done anymore,” Wood told Matchroom afterwards.
“I did say in an interview that I’m going to be catching him clean and it’s not down to me how long the fight lasts, it’s down to him pretty much. I could have sustained that all night. He took some big shots, big heart, credit to him but the accumulation has its effect as well. The shot I finished him with wasn’t as big as the ones I caught him with earlier on, but they took their toll, I caught him and got the stoppage.
“I had belief in my power, not only do I have big power, but I know how to get it off, how to set it up and how to mix it up. That’s the biggest factor in working with Ben, Lee Wylie and Barry Smith, they’ve really changed the game for me.
“He definitely wasn’t throwing 120 punches a round and that’s down to the game plan. Everyone was saying how are you going to do it, what are going to do, are you going to hit him hard, are going to hold him, it was down to the game plan. Even people watching don’t understand, but that’s a conversation for another day.
“Hopefully the younger generations see this and think you know what, he’s done it, World Champion, British, Commonwealth, European, hopefully people decide to go pick up a pair of boxing gloves and start their journey.
“Ben and Lee said to me they’ve never been so confident in someone getting the tactics right as much as me going into this fight. I thought that was a big statement, I was doing everything they wanted me to do. I executed it pretty much to perfection and credit to those guys for getting it right – I just do as I’m told, and it works.
“I’m easy, redemption with Dickens would be great for myself. Full confidence in Ben getting my tactics right for that fight, I had a bad night that fight, first southpaw I boxed as a pro, I’d like to put that right naturally.
“But if there’s bigger fights, I said I wanted the Navarrete fight he’s explosive like me, that’ll be absolute fireworks. People might slate me and say it’s a regular title, let’s fight for the super title, let’s unify – I want big fights.
“My career was stalled earlier on. In three years I’ve been British, Commonwealth, WBO European and now World Champion. My best years are definitely to come.”
12 x 3 mins European, British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Titles TOMMY MCCARTHY v CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH WSD12 (115-114 McCarthy, 115-114 CBS, 116-112 CBS) (Belfast, Northern Ireland) (Bournemouth, England)
Chris Billam-Smith withstood a late fightback from Tommy McCarthy to edge out a narrow split points decision to add the British and European Cruiserweight Titles to his Commonwealth Title in an epic battle at the Matchroom HQ.
Belfast’s McCarthy started and ended the fight impressively but his low output in-between cost him the decision. Both fighters received a scorecard of 115-114, but a 116-112 verdict for Bournemouth’s Billam-Smith was enough to see him to progress to 13-1.
“It’s crazy, as Shane said, it’s been a bit of a tough camp towards the end – I had an injury and I haven’t sparred in 3-4 weeks,” Billam-Smith told Matchroom afterwards. “All that emotion came out, it was an interesting build up the fight, future fights, but I’m over the moon.
“It was a good shot, the best shot he landed all fight, I was with it, but it was a good shot, it buzzed me in a way, but I was in control, I could see, I knew I’d been hit but I just had to ride it a bit.
“I was really confident, the corner had it closer. In my head I thought I’d won probably eight rounds, but I wasn’t scoring it as I went along – so maybe seven. There was no way he won seven rounds, absolutely no way, that first round he landed one shot. It was a good shot, but I also had him hurt and hit him a lot more – those rounds should really go in my favour.
“He was harder to hit clean to be fair to him, but that was my own fault, I was loading up looking for one shot. Shane said that so the jab to the body was key, it was everything. It won me the fight, we watched the Askin fight today and that was the key – props to Shane.
“I sent the tweet out and it got him going, he built the fight really well. I played the villain at the beginning and just let him run away with it. All respect to Tommy, he was tougher and better than I thought he was.
“I’m so much better than that, I just walked back into the changing rooms and Shane has a massive go at me and said, ‘what was that?’ We know what I’m capable of but then I get too excited in there when I hurt someone. That’s because I’ve only had 14 fights, I’ve got a lot of learning to do but it’s a long process, I’m not the finished article and that’s the sort of fight I need.
“I was fit in there, comfortable in there, still ready to work in that last round and go up a gear which is good, but I’ve got to learn to be more articulate with how I go about things.
“They all work hard in the gym; I like to do the little 1% that they probably can’t be bothered to do. They work hard, Lawrence runs every morning, everyone’s a grafter in the gym but that comes down to Shane and Josh, they set such a high standard. You’ve got to be world class and act like a professional the whole time in that gym to survive.
“There was a group of twelve lads from Bournemouth that I kind of know and they all come up, to see them in crowd and to making the noise they did, it was really special. It’s so good to have fans back and some normality.
“I want a show in Bournemouth, I really do. We’ve tried it almost 18 months ago, it would be unbelievable to have a show down there. We’ve got the Bournemouth International Centre which Eddie had booked for last March which he couldn’t get an opponent for. I need a show in Bournemouth, I love my fans, they’ve been superb to me. I’ve been on the road, Riakporhe in London, Glover in Liverpool, here in London, I want to go home.”
4 x 3 mins International Lightweight contest CAMPBELL HATTON WPTS4 (40-36) v JAKUB LASKOWSKI (Manchester, England) (Siemianowice Slaskie, Poland)
Campbell Hatton extended his unbeaten record to 3-0 with a straight-forward four-round points win over Jakub Laskowski, from Poland.
The 20-year-old Mancunian, son of former double World Champion Ricky, banked more valuable rounds as he continued his development in the professional ranks.
“I was happy again really; I thought my defence was a lot better,” Hatton told Matchroom afterwards. “I was a bit more composed again, I think there were a few times where I’d hurt him and probably could have smothered my work fully and not caught him with anything. I managed to control myself a little when he was going. I didn’t quite get the knockout because I was smothering, and he was tricky, but it was exactly what I need. I need the rounds more than I need a stoppage.
“He was tricky customer, slippery, doing a bit of switching and some different looks. That’s the perfect fight and it has been matched perfectly for me to learn. There are people out there they could bring in and anyone could hit them and knock them over. That’s not how they’re matching me, we’re getting me people who are going to get the rounds out of me and give me different things to overcome – that’s what he did tonight.
“I think I showed some more classy work than I have before, working off my jab. My jab is one of my best shots in the gym and now I’m bringing it into play in the fights now.
“The first fight I was saying all week I was dead relaxed, but I had nothing to compare it to. The second fight I was more composed, and I was more composed this fight – next time it’s going to be the same pattern and even better.
“This was a different experience, it’s different to anything that I’m probably going to face very often in my career. It was different making the ring walk this time, you feel breezy seeing people tucking into their tea and having a pint. It was weird making my ring walk to that but as soon as the bell went it was just like any other ring and I just got to work.
“Gibraltar, the amount of media commitments I had to and how much time was invested into me on the media side, I think that set me up, so I’ve not had to do much really. We’ve got it all out the way in the first one, I’m never going to have to deal with anything like that again, the pressure will always be there but each time I’ll be dealing with it better. I’m dealing with the pressure like it’s not there now.
“You see all these opponents, if it was any other kid he was fighting with any other surname, I don’t think he would have been digging in half as much as he did there. They want to make a point, whether it’s to stop me, or just survive – they raise their game a bit when they know it’s me and I’ve got to do the same.”
10 x 3 mins International Super-Welterweight contest ANTHONY FOWLER WTKO8 (2:12) v RICO MUELLER (Liverpool, England) (Eberswalde, Germany)
Anthony Fowler was made to work hard for victory as he registered an eighth-round stoppage over late stand-in opponent Rico Mueller – setting up a tasty October 9 domestic clash with Liverpool rival Liam Smith.
The German, who arrived in the UK earlier this week to replace Roberto Garcia following an injury, had plenty of ambition at the start of the fight, but Fowler was always landing the heavy shots and the pressure finally told.
The Liverpudlian, who became a father during the week, has now won six fights in a row since suffering his one and only loss in the pros at the hands of Scott Fitzgerald at The M&S Bank Arena Liverpool back in March 2019.
“My next opponent is a really good fighter, much better than him, but I needed the rounds,” Fowler told DAZN afterwards. “I thought in round two I wobbled him but thought, ‘not today’. My last fight was three rounds and I thought, ‘I need rounds today’, so I stepped back and worked on a few things.
“The one thing I haven’t had in my career is rounds, I’ve always blasted my opponents out and haven’t really learnt much. I’m learning plenty in the gym but that’s where it counts, it means nothing in the gym.
“I’m from the south of Liverpool, Liam’s (Smith) from the north. It doesn’t bother me, I respect Liam a lot, he’s a really good fighter, ten times better than that lad tonight so I need to be on top of my game. I don’t turn fights down, since day one I’ve boxed anyone, I’ve asked for all these big fights, but it never happened for me.
“Even tonight, I wanted to box Roberto Garcia, a good, experienced veteran. Rico Mueller gaveca good fight and I’m happy he replaced Garcia because I said in the ring, ‘thanks for giving it your all’, after six rounds he was six rounds down and he was still trying.
“Liam is a much higher level, but I needed the rounds and that’s what I got.”
10 x 3 mins IBF International Super-Middleweight Title AVNI YILDIRIM v JACK CULLEN WU10 (100-90, 98-92, 97-93) (Istanbul, Turkey) (Little Lever, England)
Jack Cullen claimed the biggest win of his career by outpointing former World Title challenger Avni Yildirim over ten rounds to earn the IBF International Super-Middleweight Title.
‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ was in control from the opening bell as he used his long jab to set up further attacks on the Turk who shared the ring with pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez back in February.
Yildirim was looking to get back to winning ways after being stopped in three rounds by the Mexican in Miami but instead suffered the fourth defeat of his career at the hands of the 27-year-old from Lancashire.
Cullen outboxed and outfought ‘Mr Robot’ in front of his vocal support at the Matchroom HQ in Essex – with the final scorecards reading 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93 in favour of the Michael Jennings-trained fighter.
“I’m absolutely buzzing and listen; we came with a game plan, a couple of rounds in I wasn’t doing what I should have been doing, but I stuck to my game plan and it paid off eventually,” Cullen told Matchroom afterwards.
“I knew he was going to come forward, he’s a tough fighter and he comes to fight – that’s what he did tonight. Like I said with my game plan, using the jab and trying to not get caught with the right hand. I got caught a few times stupidly, but I got back on my boxing and got through the ten rounds.
“To be honest with you every fight I’ve seen him in he’s been one paced. It’s me not doing too much, using the jab, and letting him come forward, instead of me getting involved in a scrap – it worked. We stuck to the game plan, it worked, and I’m delighted.
“I’ve been working over and over, every day, it’s starting to pay off. Like I said, you’re going to see a different Jack Cullen and I think you did tonight.
“At the end of the day, I’m in this game to fight the best and anything can happen, anything is around the corner. It’s all about being switched on and ready, whoever you get offered you’ve got to take the fight with both hands and go for it.
“I have got a brilliant support, a lot of fans that love watching and supporting me. There were only 25 in there tonight, but it sounded like 100, it’s brilliant and I’m going to have a nice little rest – we’ll see. Hopefully Eddie will sign me now!
“It’s moving in the right direction, the direction I want it to go. Everyone said Yildirim is going to be a tough opponent and I knew that, but I knew I should be beating fighters like him because of where I want to take my career to.
“I will go with flow, who knows, I reckon there will be all sorts of people jumping out the closet wanting to fight me, but we’ll see.”
6 x 2 mins Super-Lightweight contest SANDY RYAN WPTS6 (60-54) v KIRSTIE BAVINGTON (Derby, England) (Pensnett, England)
Former amateur star Sandy Ryan made a winning start to life in the paid ranks as she outclassed Kirstie Bavington over six rounds in the opening bout of Fight Camp.
The Derby fighter, who is trained by Clifton Mitchell and managed by Paul Ready, was in control throughout and that was reflected on the scorecards as she emerged from the contest a 60-54 winner.
“It was a very good fight,” Ryan told Matchroom afterwards. “I’m over the moon and I’m so happy. I enjoyed every minute of that, the walk, everything, I’m just made for the pro game.
“I took my time; I enjoyed the ring walk – I enjoyed it so much.
“I wanted a tough fight, to prove the levels. I showed glimpses of it, there were times where she was a bit messy and holding. The pro game and each fight as it goes on, I’m going to get much better.
“Levels, I said that even if I had a bad day, she wasn’t going to beat me. It’s not disrespect to her, but I just know what I’m capable of. Boxing’s my life and I’m going all the way.
“I’ve got the right team behind, Matchroom, DAZN, Eddie Hearn, Paul Ready my manager and Clifton my trainer, that’s all I need – that’s my team. I don’t need a big entourage around me, this is all I need and we’re going all the way.”
