| Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen will meet again in a huge Heavyweight rematch at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday May 17 following their controversial first fight in Saudi Arabia back in December, while undefeated WBC Super-Lightweight Mandatory Challenger Dalton Smith returns against Mathieu Germain at the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield on Saturday April 19 – with both events shown live worldwide on DAZN. Romford’s Fisher (13-0, 11 KOs) took a contentious split-decision victory over Coinsbrough’s Allen (32-7-2, 18 KOs) on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Two of the judges scored in Fisher’s favour, despite the 26-year-old ‘Romford Bull’ suffering a knockdown in the fifth round of a gruelling ten-round Heavyweight clash. Fisher returns to the scene of his sensational one-round destruction of Croatia’s Alen Babic last summer, looking to put this chapter of his career to bed, while Allen is convinced he will be able to take the decision out of the judges’ hands in the rematch by knocking Fisher out this time. Sheffield’s newly-crowned European Champion Smith (17-0, 13 KOs) looks to keep the momentum building as he works towards career-defining fights in the 140 lbs division when he faces Canada’s Germain (26-2-1, 11 KOs) at the top of a card also featuring Matchroom’s latest signing Josh Padley (15-1, 4 KOs). ‘Thunder’ kicked off the year in style by wiping out Frenchman Walid Ouizza in one round at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to claim the vacant EBU Title in January, and the 28-year-old has now been named as the Mandatory Challenger to the WBC World Title currently owned by the Dominican Republic’s Alberto Puello. Armthorpe Lightweight Padley recently put pen to paper on a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing following his valiant display against WBC World Champion Shakur Stevenson on the blockbuster Beterbiev vs. Bivol 2 undercard in Saudi Arabia. The 29-year-old Yorkshireman stepped in to face pound-for-pound star Stevenson at just four days’ notice and has since quit his day job as an electrician to fully focus on his boxing career, promising a big performance on his Matchroom debut next month. Elsewhere on the card, former IBF Featherweight World Champion Josh Warrington (34-4-1, 8 KOs) returns to action, Ishmael Davis (13-2, 6 KOs) and Ryan Kelly (19-5-1, 8 KOs) meet in an Eliminator for the British Super-Welterweight Title, Aldershot Super-Featherweight Giorgio Visioli (6-0, 5 KOs) takes on Birmingham’s Kane Baker (19-11-2, 1 KO), Newham Super-Middleweight Leli Buttigieg (7-0, 1 KO) fights for the second time this year and Dave Allen-managed Wigan Super-Lightweight Joe Howarth (11-1, 4 KOs) fights for the first time in 2025. “I’m looking forward to headlining my second sold-out event at the Copper BOSH Arena on May 17,” said Fisher. “I’m excited to put on another great fight for the fans and win in even better fashion this time around.” “I’m excited to be getting another great opportunity,” said Allen. “To headline shows twice in London means a great deal to a kid from a small village in Doncaster. This time I will be bringing home the victory.” “It’s an honour to be headlining again in my home city, and this time at a new venue in the Canon Medical Arena,” said Smith. “I’m sure it’ll be a lively atmosphere in there with my fans in full voice! “I had an excellent start to the year winning the European Title in spectacular fashion and now that I’m Mandatory Challenger for the WBC Title I’m looking to keep up my activity. “Mathieu Germain will be coming to win but I’ll be getting the job done – he’s in the way of some huge nights for me. I’m not looking ahead, but there will be one name I’ll be calling out after dealing with Germain. Alberto Puello, where you at?!” “I am a boxer who thrives on challenges,” said Germain. “Dalton is one of them. I’ve been working hard my whole life for this moment!” “Another two UK fight nights to bolster our unrivalled global schedule on the home of boxing – DAZN,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen will run it back in front of a packed out Copper Box Arena on May 17 after their thrilling back and forth battle in Saudi Arabia last December. ‘The Romford Bull’ is promising to be ten times better when they meet again while ‘White Rhino’ says he will take it out of the judges’ hands this time by knocking out Fisher. It’s going to be another electric night in East London for the Bull Army. Before that, WBC Super-Lightweight Mandatory Challenger Dalton Smith returns in his home city against Canada’s Mathieu Germain, and he can’t afford any slip ups as he waits for his dream World Title shot.” “Two brilliant UK fight nights to add to our already packed spring schedule’, said Alfie Sharman, VP DAZN. “It’s brilliant to see Dalton back at it so quickly as he chases down a World Title in 2025, and I can’t wait for Fisher vs. Allen 2. I was ringside for the first fight, and it was brutal; a proper back and forth, action packed, fight to remember. So tune in to these two excellent matchups, only on DAZN.” Ticket details for both events will be announced in due course. |