Chris Kongo won a six-round decision over John Henry Mosquera in a middleweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Kongo, 158.1 lbs of London won by a 60-54 score and is now 17-2. Mosquera, 159.2 lbs of Cali, COL is 5-21-1.

Adam Hamed remained undefeated with a fourth and final round stoppage of Jesus Gonzalez in a welterweight bout.

Towards the end of round three, Hamad, landed a ripping left hook that rocked Gonzalez that he followed with more shits that put Gonzalez down. Just seconds into round four, Haned rocked Gonzalez again and the fight was stopped at 26 seconds.

Hamed, 145.8 lbs of Manchester, ENG is the son of former world champion Naseem Hames, is 5-0 with three knockouts. Gonzalez, 142.8 lbs of Colombia is 3-5.

Abdullah Darkazanly made a successful pro debut with a four-round decision over Jose Aguirre in a middleweight bout.

Darkazanly, 157.9 lbs of Riyadh, SAU won by a 40-36 score and is now 1-0. Aguirre, 160 lbs of San Jose, CA is now 2-9.

Levi Barnes won a four-round decision over Romero Garcia Lopez in a junior middleweight bout.

Barnes, 155.9 lbs of Preston, ENG won by a 40-36 score and is now 8-0. Lopez, 153.2 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 8-18.

Luke Bibby remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Jordan Ellison in a junior welterweight bout.

Bibby, 141,2 lbs of Perth, SCO won by a score of 59-55 and is now7-0. Ellison, 143.6 lbs of Sunderland, ENG is 15-56-5.

LONDON, UK (February 9th, 2024) – More bad blood has been added to BOXXER’s hotly-anticipated Super Sunday Bank Holiday showdown between unbeaten heavyweights Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke with welterweight rivals Florian Marku and Chris Kongo set to settle their differences on March 31st at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

There’s no love lost between Marku and Kongo, who had to be pulled apart following an explosive press conference altercation last year. It will be a clash of styles as the ‘Albanian King’ and ‘2 Slick’ meet in the capital to settle their long-standing feud in a fascinating ten round contest.

Marku, the unbeaten former IBF International Champion, made short work of his last opponent, stopping Dylan Moran inside 60 seconds on the undercard of the Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr rematch on September 2nd in Manchester. The 31-year-old will be raring to go following this speedy stoppage win and is expected to bring an army of Albanian supporters with him to London.

Kongo returns following a narrow points defeat to Ekow Essuman for the British, Commonwealth, IBF European and WBC International Silver Welterweight Titles on January 21st last year. The Bermondsey man thought he did another to edge the contest but found himself of the wrong end of a majority decision at Manchester’s AO Arena.

Florian Marku said: “I’m really pleased that all my fans get to see me put on a special performance on this great card at The O2, live on Sky Sports. It’s been two and half years since my last fight in London. I can’t wait to get back in the ring and for all my fans to see me knock out Chris Kongo.”

Chris Kongo said: “I’m back in my backyard, and I’m not here to play games. Marku might think he’s dangerous, but he’s just another stepping stone on my path. I’ll show everyone why I belong at the top, starting with a victory at The O2 in South London.” 

BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “This is a great addition to what is going to be an incredible night of action at The O2. Florian Marku vs Chris Kongo is a fight fans have wanted to see for years. Finally, we will see them in the ring on Sunday, March 31st. It’s another unmissable ‘Bad Blood’ matchup and a must-win fight for both men.” 

Unbeaten heavyweight rivals Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke collide in a ‘Bad Blood’ showdown for the British and Commonwealth Titles on Sunday, March 31st at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA

Pre-sale tickets, priced from just £30, go on sale at midday on Tuesday, February 13th with general sale tickets available from midday on Thursday, February 15th. Sign up for pre-sale tickets here: https://www.boxxer.com/sign-up-31-mar/

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Integritas Property Group and VOW Nutrition.

Liam Smith scored a fourth round stoppage over Chris Eubank Jr. in their scheduled 12-round middleweight fight at The AO Arena in Manchester, England.

In round four, Smith hurt Eubank with a hard right in the corner that set off a vicious six-punch barrage that featured a left uppercut and a left hook that put Eubank on the deck. Eubank was badly hurt and tried hold on, but Smith landed another flurry of punches that put Eubank down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:09.

Smith of Liverpool, ENG is 33-3-1 with 20 knockouts. Eubank is 32-3.

Riakphore Stops Glowacki in 4

Richard Riakphore stopped former world champion Kryzystof Glowacki in round four of their scheduled 10-roud cruiserweight bout.

In round four, Riakphore hurt Glowacki with a hard right hand that drove him to the ropes. Four punches later the bout was stopped at 2:44.

Riakphore of England is 16-0 with 12 knockouts. Glowacki of Poland is 32-4.

Essuman Decisions Kongo

Ekow Essuman won a 12-round majority decision over Chris Knongo in a welterweight bout.

Essuman of England won by scores of 116-113, 115-114 and 114-114 and is now 19-0. Kongo is 14-2.

Parker Decisions Massey

Former world Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jack Massey.

In round eight, Massey was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Massey was cut over his left eye.

Parker of New Zealand won by scores of 97-97, 96-93 and 97-93 and is now 31-3. Massey is 20-2.

Clarke Stops Espindola in 4

Frazer Clarke remained undefeated with a stoppage after round four of his scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout with Kevin Espindola.

Clarke of England is now 5-0 with four knockouts. Espindola of Argentina is 7-7.

The British & Commonwealth, IBF European and WBC International Silver Welterweight titles will be on the lines as Ekow Essuman and Chris Kongo go head-to-head in a scintillating addition to the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith on Saturday, January 21 at Manchester’s AO Arena.

‘The Engine’ produced a comprehensive, unanimous points victory over BOXXER’s Samuel Antwi at the same venue last September to retain his British & Commonwealth titles and protect his flawless record (18-0, 7 KOs).

But Essuman will undoubtedly face a tough test in the form of ‘2 Slick’ Kongo in what promises to be a barnstorming title clash.

Kongo captured the vacant WBC International Silver Welterweight crown when he defeated Sebastian Formella last June in London. And he’ll be hungry to start the new year in style by putting the first dent on Essuman’s burgeoning CV and claiming two prestigious titles.

Rising heavyweight sensation Frazer Clarke is another sterling addition to the event which is broadcast live, in the UK and Republic of Ireland, on Sky Sports Box Office.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medal hero is eager to ascend up the heavyweight rankings this year and will return to the scene of his last victory.

An opponent will be named in due course but Clarke (4-0, 3 KOs) will be keen to remind the division of his incredible power as he did last November when he outclassed Kamil Sokowlski over six rounds.

Another explosive heavyweight prospect is confirmed for January 21 too in Matty Harris.

The hard-hitting Coventry fighter (3-0, 2 KOs) burst on the scene in 2021 and last year added two impressive stoppages to his résumé, defeating Mait Metsis and Pawel Strykowski. An opponent for Harris will be named soon.

And unbeaten Scottish cruiserweight starlet Scott Forrest (3-0, 3 KOs) will be keen to showcase his talent on the night when he collides with Amine ‘The Beast’ Boucetta (7-5-0).

BOXXER Founder and CEO, Ben Shalom said: “These are four terrific additions to what is already a blockbuster card. Tickets are selling out fast with a bumper crowd all set for an incredible night of boxing in Manchester.”

The main event – in association with Wasserman Boxing – sees bitter middleweight enemies Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith face-off in what promises to be an epic domestic clash for the ages as both rivals bid to take a giant leap towards their desired world title pursuits. 

Elsewhere on the stacked pay-per-view card, Richard Riakporhe battles former two-time WBO cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof G?owacki, as local lad Jack Massey steps up to the heavyweight division to fight former world champion Joseph Parker. 

Final remaining tickets are on sale now at Boxxer.com.

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

London, England – (May 3, 2022) – Full steam ahead for ‘The Midnight Train’ Richard Riakporhe as he returns to action at the OVO Arena, Wembley on Saturday, June 11, live and exclusive on Sky Sports, to take on Italy’s Fabio Turchi in an eliminator battle which will see the winner move up the cruiserweight rankings and in prime position to challenge reigning champion Maris Breidis later this year.

With Riakporhe (14-0, 10 KO’s) coming off a stunning knockout victory over Deion Jumah in March and former IBF International Cruiserweight champion Turchi (20-1, 14 KO’s) having a 66% stoppage rate in his victories, this fight matches two proven finishers and promises action from the very start as both men look to score the knockout which will move them on to world championship opportunity.

Bermondsey’s former WBO Global Welterweight Champion Chris Kongo (13-1-0, 7 KO’s) has a route back into world title contention if he defeats the tough German contender Sebastaian Formella (23-2-0, 11 KO’s) in their International showdown.  

Kongo is raring to get back into pole position after winning his comeback fight against Kelvin Dotel in March following his close points loss to Michael McKinson last year. While Formella is looking for his own shot at the World title and his only two losses have been against Former World Champion Shawn Porter and Connor Benn, pushing both big hitters the distance.

Two of the very best young fighters in the UK, English Super-Middleweight Champion Germaine Brown (12-0, 3 KO’s) defends his title against challenger Zak Chelli (11-1-1, 6 KO’s) in an exciting trade fight.

The two Londoners will both be going into this fight totally confident of victory and certain to put on an eye-catching performance in a 50-50 fight which will delight the nation’s boxing fans and looks set to steal the show.

Also on the card, the long-awaited professional debut of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Gold Medallist Lauren Price MBE.

One of the most highly-touted amateurs in women’s boxing, Price earned the amateur sport’s supreme honour when she won gold last summer. She was subsequently awarded an MBE in recognition of this stunning success. 

She now looks destined to reach the very highest level of the professional sport in the exciting and fast-moving world of women’s boxing, with the first step towards that greatness coming on June 11.

Cruiserweight star Viddal Riley (5-0-0, 2 KO’s) fights in his home city for the first time in his pro career. The Hackney sensation made his pro-debut in November 2018 with a first round KO of Julio Manuel Gonzalez in Mexico and has since fought in Las Vegas (twice) and Dubai. 

Last time out he was on the huge Amir Khan-Kell Brook undercard in Manchester in February registering a six-round points win over Willbeforce Shihepo via a first round knockdown and aims to showcase his power and skill in front of the London fans.

“I’m ready to continue my assault on the cruiserweight division. The Midnight Train is on an unstoppable roll and Turchi is the next man tied to the tracks in front of me. He’s a good boxer and I’m expecting a tough fight but nothing I can’t handle. I’m coming out of this one with the win and stepping up into world title contention,” said Riakporhe.

“I am very happy to have this opportunity. Since I was a kid I always dreamed of fighting at the international level and in an important venue like this. I’m dedicating my body and soul to get into the best shape and have a great match against Riakporhe who I think is an excellent boxer,” said Turchi.

“Richard Riakporhe has been on an unstoppable rise to world title contention and now he’s potentially within touching distance of getting his shot at gold. Turchi is the former IBF International Champion and brings heavy firepower to the ring. This is Riakporhe’s toughest career challenge to date and a win here will make a strong statement about his potential to be world champion,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER Founder and CEO.

“The English Super-Middleweight Title showdown between Zak Chelli and Germaine Brown is a fight which every boxing fan in the country will be glued to. It’s impressive that they are willing to fight each other at this stage and lay it all on the line. Don’t be surprised if this is a Fight Of The Year contender.

“Finally, the professional debut of Lauren Price. Olympic gold medalist, MBE – there aren’t many athletes in any sport who have those kind of credentials and we’re proud to be sharing her professional journey and being part of her rise to the top.”

Adam Smith, Head of Boxing Development at Sky Sports, said, “This is shaping up to be a fantastic card. I’m looking forward to seeing ‘The Midnight Train’ Riakporhe roll back into Wembley after that excellent win over Jumah. Another big test awaits as he faces the tough and classy Turchi. 

“The fight between Chelli and Brown is a really good match. We’ve seen some absolutely cracking fights in the English title matches, those fights just seem to deliver incredible action, and this is a 50-50 pick ’em. 

“I’m also really excited to see Lauren Price begin her professional journey. She was a standout amateur and achieved so much for the sport, everyone at Sky Sports is very proud to have her with us and we can’t wait to see her achieve equally huge things in the pro ranks.”

Tickets are on sale from 12pm midday tomorrow, Wednesday May 4 via BOXXER.com priced at £250, £150, £100, £75, £60 and £40. 

BOXXER proudly presents this event in association with bet365, Everlast, Wow Hydrate and Village Hotels.

Dillian Whyte got his revenge as he stopped former world champion Alexander Povetkin in round four of a scheduled 12-round fight and win the WBC Interim Heavyweight title at the island of Girbralter.

Whyte rocked Povetkin from the outset as the former champ looked unsteady on his legs in almost every round. In round four, Whyte landed a big right hand that sent Povetkin sprawling into the ropes, and a wicked left hook sent a prone Povetkin down to the canvas just as the towel from Povetkin’s corner came flying in and the fight was stopped at 2:39.

Whyte was knocked out by Povetkin last August, but now the Englishman is back in line to get a world title shot. The 247.2 pound native of Brixton, ENG is 28-2 with 19 knockouts. Povetkin, 228 lbs of Russia is 36-3.

“I’m happier for my team than I am for me because some of my staff missed Christmas with their families,” Whyte told Matchroom. “They stayed back to help me train. They did so much behind the scenes to get me into the position for a World Title fight.

“I was so close, and then one lapse in concentration and I made a mistake. Tonight, I was like ‘yo’, I’m looking to beat some a** tonight. I was trying to get it done in the first round but then I had to relax. Anybody on the planet that gets hit with that left hook, they’re going down. Some of them might get up but most will stay down. He was kind of badly hurt. Now I feel bad. I want him to go home to his family healthy. 

“Everyone says a lot of things about me like I’m not this and I’m not that. These guys don’t know me. These guys don’t know what I’m capable of and what I can do. When I read the comments about me, I just laugh. I just laugh at these guys because I’m as strong as steel.

“One loss, two loss so what. It was a good learning fight for me because I had to think in there. I was rushing him but I had to think also. He’s still very heavy-handed and he’s still very good. I’m going to spend some time with my family and just relax. I’ll probably call Eddie tomorrow and ask him what we’re doing next. I want to make the most of it now and retire good and healthy.”

Wardley Stops Molina in 5

Fabio Wardley remained undefeated with a fifth round stoppage over former two-time-world title challenger Eric Molina in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.

In round five, it was actually Molina who was pushing Wardley back by landing some good right hands. Molina was on the offensive when Wardley landed a short left that was followed by a right that put Molina on his back for the 10-count at 52 seconds.

Wardley, 232 lbs of Ipswich, ENG is 11-0 with 10 knockouts. Molina, 251.5 lbs of Texas is 27-7.

“My corner weren’t too happy because sometimes I get a little bit, not lose my head, but I get a little bit bored of playing the long game and waiting it through in the tactics side,” Wardley told Sky Sports. “My heart won over a bit and I got stuck into a little bit of a war.

“I’m by no means the finished article. I’ve still got a lot to learn and that’s why we need fights like that because in other fights I’ve had where I’ve hit people, I’ve stuck it on them and they’ve gone missing. Molina didn’t go missing until we really had to dig it out.

“There was a few lessons there for us to watch back and for us to tick off. We’ll go back to the drawing board and figure them out. I needed this type of fight at this stage of my career. You can do it as much as you want in sparring and all of those type of things but it’s different when you get here under the bright lights.

“You need to test yourself in different ways and that’s what tonight was all about. I don’t go hunting for names, that’s not my style. I don’t go calling people out. I’m going for Titles, belts and accolades. That’s where we’re going next. We’re still trying to build and get those good level of opponents. At the same time, I’m now looking for that next step up. European, Commonwealth or British, something like that.”

Cheeseman stops Metcalf in 11

In a terrific back and forth brawl, Ted Cheeseman stopped previously undefeated James Metcalf in round 11 of their scheduled 12-round junior middleweight fight.

Both guys were hurt during the entertaining fight. Cheeseman seemed to have the fight in hand on several occasions, yet Metcalf would fight back with heart and desire each time. In round 11, Cheeseman landed a perfect left hook just as the bell sounded that sent Metcalf to the deck. Metcalf got to his feet, but stumbled forward, and the fight was stopped at 3:10.

Cheeseman, 154 lbs of Bernmondsey, ENG is 17-2-1 with 10 knockouts. Metcalf, 154 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is 21-1.

“Again and again I’m in exciting fights,” said Cheeseman. “I’m always in entertaining fights. I’m improving and maturing. I’m working hard in the gym. Everyone doubted me and thought that I had a lot of miles on the clock. I’m still fresh as a daisy, and again I’ve cemented myself as the number one domestic Super-Welterweight.

“I felt I won the first five or six rounds. I nearly had him out of there in the fourth. I thought to myself, ‘I’m not going to waste too much energy’. I used my experience and had a couple of rounds off. I don’t think he’d ever done the 12 rounds. Then it was time for me to step it up, bully him and push him back.

“It’s great to be in these fights because they’re entertaining. I’m looking forward to the future now. For a long while I was down, and everyone thought I was out. Now I’m flying again. The bookies had me as an underdog and a lot of people thought that I was going to get beat. I outboxed him, I outfought him and I knocked him out. I showed how good I am, and I showed how much I’ve improved.”

Campbell Hatton wins Pro Debut

Campbell Hatton made his pro debut and won a decision over Jesus Ruiz in a four-round lightweight bout.

Hatton, who is the son of former two-division world champion Ricky Hatton and is trained by uncle and former world title challenger Matthew Hatton won by a score of 40-36. Ruiz of Spain is 0-11.

“At first, I was a little bit disappointed in myself,” said Hatton. “I spoke to Matt and he’s always dead honest with me. A bit brutal at times. He said I could have done better but I definitely didn’t box badly. He said I boxed really well in patches and I should be pleased with it.

“There was a lot of pressure. I did the one thing I said all week that I didn’t want to do, I let the occasion get to me a bit. Now that occasion is out of the way, it can only get better. I’m pleased and I’m buzzing. It’s a dream come true. There’s no feeling like it. You always hear people say it on the telly. I didn’t realise how true it was.

“When the music started coming on, I think everyone could see how fired up I was. That’s probably what made me put the performance in that I did. I smothered myself a little bit, but I feel on top of the world. Eddie said there that I’d be out next on the Chisora undercard. I’ll have a couple of shandies tonight and then straight back into the gym next week. I think the second fight is going to be ten times better now I’ve got that first taste of things.”

McKinson Decisions Kongo

In a battle of undefeated welterweights, Michael McKinson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Chris Kongo.

In round one, McKinson dropped Kongo in round one with a left on the inside.

McKinson, 146.2 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG won by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 95-94 to raise his mark to 20-0. Kongo, 147 lbs of Bermondsey, ENG is 12-1.

“I feel on top of the word,” said McKinson. “I’ve done things the hard way in my career. For many years I’ve been calling for my shot on the big stage and I never thought it would happen. I’ve been beating people for hardly anything to work my record up to 20-0.

“Fair play to Chris, Dillian and Eddie for giving me the opportunity. I didn’t think it was ever going to happen. A big shout out to my management team MTK Global and Lee Eaton for securing me this. I believe that my career starts tonight. There was a lot of people in the boxing world that didn’t have me down as the favourite. All of my mates have made money tonight! I’m happy. I’m bringing this belt back to Portsmouth.

“In the week we’ve had a lot of hype around this fight. Everyone has been talking about it. I know he’s a respectful lad deep down, and so am I. But it did get a bit heated and everyone was questioning if it was going to live up to the hype. I think it was a bit boring, but I did what I had to do to win. Great champions do what they have to do to win and I did that tonight.

“I hope Eddie can give me the opportunities; its winner stays on. I just hope I can get on one of these shows again. Like I said in all of my interviews before, Chris is the most dangerous Welterweight out there I the UK I believe but he has his weaknesses. I believe in myself. I’ve got a great team around me. I’ve given my life to this sport and it’s paid off tonight.

“I believe I’m top of the tree. There’s a lot of talk. I’ve got respect for all of the other Welterweights. Josh Kelly, Conor Benn and Florian Marku. It’s a great time to be a Welterweight domestically at the moment. I deserve the Conor Benn fight more than any other domestic fighter.”

Webb Stops Pfeifer in 2

Nick Webb stopped Paul Pfeifer in round two of a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout.

In round two, Webb sent Pfeifer down with a hard right hand. Webb dropped Pfeifer two more times, and the fight was stopped at 1:51.

Webb, 262 lbs of Surrey, ENG is 17-2 with 13 knockouts. Pfefier, 246.2 lbs of Germany is 7-1.

“I feel on top of the world,” said Webb..“Tonight before we went in we had a talk – start fast, get him out of there, we don’t get paid for overtime.  

“Everyone doubts me, but I have come here and made a statement. So, don’t doubt me no more. I want more belts, more Titles, get me out. I always believed in my self and my team believed in me too.

“It’s indescribable. I’m so happy. I’ve been through so much pain and hurt. I put everything into that. Everything into my training camp. To get a win like that is sending the right message. It’s a big win.

“Pfeifer is a great man; he was a great amateur and he had some great fights and great wins as an amateur. We knew what was in front of us, and we knew that we didn’t want to get involved with a boxing match. I just wanted to go in and destroy him.

“We said in the changing room to start fast and hit him quick, and that’s exactly what we did. Everyone overlooks me and everyone doubts me. It’s all about self-belief and mind games. When you’ve got bombs to back the mind games up, it’s all good.”

Michael McKinson says he is ready to announce himself as the best Welterweight in the country when he takes on Chris Kongo for the WBO Global Welterweight Title at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar on Saturday March 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and Ireland.

Portsmouth’s McKinson has won all nineteen of his professional contests, with two of those wins coming via knockout, and the 26-year-old prospect has picked up the WBC Youth World, WBC International Silver and WBO European Welterweight Titles in an impressive run. 

Kongo comes into this weekend’s battle of the unbeaten Welterweights coming off the back of a breakout win over Luther Clay at Fight Camp lust summer, but ‘The Problem’ believes he is a level above Bracknell’s Clay and is determined to prove it in ‘The Rumble On The Rock’. 

“I found out recently that maybe he wanted to fight me a couple of years ago,” said McKinson. “I must have had a Title fight lined up. I’ve been in some decent level fights for a good few years now whereas he hasn’t. He had a tough time getting fights. I’ve been in quite a few Title fights now. He was very inactive and very frustrated for a while.

“I always want to fight the guys that have a big platform and the guys that have a lot of hype around them. I want to prove myself as the best Welterweight in the UK. I’ve been calling for big fights for quite a while. After my last fight, the one name that I called out in my post fight interview was Chris. Then we got on somebody’s Instagram live and there was a bit of back and forth.

“It has all been respectful to be fair. I knew that Chris would fight me. I’ve been wanting a big fight for a while and nothing really materialised until my manager Lee Eaton from MTK called me and asked me if I’d fight Chris in six weeks. I said definitely. The three extra weeks because of the delay have just been a bonus. 

“I’ve started from the very bottom. I’m from a small fighting city really, Portsmouth. I’ve had to do things the hard way. I’ve been the B side many times before. I’ve fought for no money; I’ve come up the hard way with little publicity. I wasn’t a top amateur which didn’t help me when I first turned pro. 

“You’ve got two hungry ambitious confident lads, unbeaten lads coming to the ring and fighting each other. It’s great for the boxing public. I was impressed that he got Luther Clay out of there and stopped him. I’ve sparred with Luther Clay a lot in the past. He’s in with a different kettle of fish this time. He will notice that very early.”

Kongo vs. McKinson is part of a huge night of action in Gibraltar, Alexander Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs)rematches Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) with the Interim WBC Heavyweight World Title on the line, Bermondsey’s Ted Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9 KOs) meets Liverpool’s James Metcalf (21-0, 13 KOs) for the vacant British Super-Welterweight Title, Ipswich Heavyweight talent Fabio Wardley (10-0, 9 KOs) steps-up again against USA’s former World Title challenger Eric Molina (27-6, 19 KOs), Manchester Super-Featherweight Campbell Hatton – son of British fight legend Ricky Hatton – makes his professional debut against Jesus Ruiz, Heavyweight contender Eric Pfeifer (7-0, 5 KOs) locks horns with Nick Webb (16-2, 12 KOs) and Wembley Super-Featherweight Youssef Khoumari ( 11-0-1, 4 KOs) faces Birmingham’s Kane Baker (14-7). 

Chris Kongo is ready to prove he is the best Welterweight in the country by becoming the first man to beat 19-0 Michael McKinson when the pair collide this Saturday March 27 at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and Ireland.

Bermondsey’s Kongo clinically dispatched Luther Clay in nine rounds to win the WBO Global Title at Fight Camp last summer, taking full advantage oh his first opportunity of the big stage to extend his unbeaten record to 12-0 with seven knockouts.

Saturday’s clash with Portsmouth’s McKinson is a big step-up for the 28-year-old, who has drawn confidence from the valuable rounds he’s banked sparring with unified World Super-Lightweight Champion Josh Taylor ahead of his Undisputed clash with Jose Ramirez. 

“I’m the underdog in this fight,” said Kongo. “I’ll win it. I’ve got a better skillset, I’m stronger, a lot faster and it’s all about being smart in the ring and I believe I’m the best and the smartest in the UK – period. 

“The Kongo-McKinson story began when we sparred three years ago, only the one spar, he didn’t come back after that. I’ve got the big platform and I’ve got the Title now – he’s got no more Titles. He’s looking for the opportunity, so he’s coming to me. My focus is still the same, getting to the top and trying to get rid of McKinson. 

“I’ve been sparring top fighters, a guy that’s going on to become Undisputed Champion of the World. I can’t get any better preparation than that, so I’m fully ready and focused. To be able to spar a World Champion before I go into a British level fight is wicked. It’s going to up my game and it has. I’ve been able to feel it, I’ve seen it. I feel a lot better and I feel a lot sharper.  

“A lot of people are mentioning me in the mix with the likes of Conor Benn and Josh Kelly, now it’s my time to put my stamp on the division. I believe I am the best in the UK. Now it’s my time coming up, and I believe right now is the worst time to fight me. Michael McKinson, I’m bringing fireworks and I’m bringing the heat so make sure you’re ready.”

Kongo vs. McKinson is part of a huge night of action in Gibraltar, Alexander Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs)rematches Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) with the Interim WBC Heavyweight World Title on the line, Bermondsey’s Ted Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9 KOs) meets Liverpool’s James Metcalf (21-0, 13 KOs) for the vacant British Super-Welterweight Title, Ipswich Heavyweight talent Fabio Wardley (10-0, 9 KOs) steps-up again against USA’s former World Title challenger Eric Molina (27-6, 19 KOs), Manchester Super-Featherweight Campbell Hatton – son of British fight legend Ricky Hatton – makes his professional debut against Jesus Ruiz, Heavyweight contender Eric Pfeifer (7-0, 5 KOs) locks horns with Nick Webb (16-2, 12 KOs) and Wembley Super-Featherweight Youssef Khoumari ( 11-0-1, 4 KOs) faces Birmingham’s Kane Baker (14-7). 

Undefeated Welterweights Chris Kongo and Michael McKinson will collide for the WBO Global Title on the undercard of Alexander Povetkin vs. Dillian Whyte 2 on Saturday March 6, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and Ireland.

Bermondsey’s Kongo clinically dispatched Luther Clay in nine rounds to win the WBO ranking Title at Fight Camp last summer, taking full advantage oh his first opportunity of the big stage to extend his unbeaten record to 12-0 with seven knockouts.

Portsmouth’s McKinson has won all nineteen of his professional contests, with two of those wins coming via knockout, and the 26-year-old prospect has picked up the WBC Youth World, WBC International Silver and WBO European Welterweight Titles in an impressive run. 

“I’m very excited, this is a fight that I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Kongo. “He was saying that he was far ahead of me, but now I’ve got the belt, the tables have turned.

“Michael has said he’s the most avoided, but I know I’m the most avoided, so we have to make it happen. The two most dangerous fighters in the division – we’re both getting it on now – so it’s a big fight.

“It’s not, can I solve ‘The Problem?’ I will solve ‘The Problem’ on March 6, guaranteed. In the Luther Clay fight, I said before it, someone is going to go down, and I definitely know it’s not me. Same way someone is going to go down in this fight, and it’s definitely not me again.

“It’s going to be an explosive win for me. This is what we train for, this is what we work for. I want the big risk fights. If you don’t take risks in life, you won’t get anywhere, so it’s all about taking another risk in my career.”

“I’m very pleased with this Chris Kongo fight,” said McKinson. “It’s a fight I have called for and I’m over the moon to get a fight that I want. I’ve wanted a big fight for a long time. I deserve one and I’m buzzing.

“It’s a massive platform and one that I need in my career. I believe I was born to be on the big stage and I can’t wait to show that on March 6. Chris Kongo is a dangerous fighter and a talented fighter, but there is no fighter like Michael McKinson. You can throw me in with anybody and I’d come out victorious.

“I’ve told Chris before many times that all they needed to do was make the call and the answer would be yes. Winning a fight like this can change my life and change my daughter’s life, it can catapult me to even bigger things. That’s why I’m in this sport, to do big things for my city of Portsmouth and big things for my daughter and make people proud, and that’s what I’ll do on March 6.”

Povetkin vs. Whyte 2 tops a huge night of action, Bermondsey’s Ted Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9 KOs) meets Liverpool’s James Metcalf (21-0, 13 KOs) for the vacant British Super-Welterweight Title, Ipswich Heavyweight talent Fabio Wardley (10-0, 9 KOs) steps-up again against USA’s former World Title challenger Eric Molina (27-6, 19 KOs), Manchester Super-Featherweight Campbell Hatton – son of British fight legend Ricky Hatton – makes his professional debut and Wembley Super-Featherweight Youssef Khoumari ( 11-0-1, 4 KOs) faces Birmingham’s Kane Baker (14-7).

Alexander Povetkin survived two knockdowns to comeback and stop Dillian Whyte to win the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title at Matchroom HQ in Essex, England.

In round four, Whyte dropped Povetkin with a left hook to the side of he head. Late in the round, Whyte sent Povetkin to the deck for a 2nd time with a left uppercut.

In round five, Povetkin landed a booming left uppercut on the jaw to sent Whyte crashing to the canvas, and the fight was stopped at 30 seconds.

Povetkin, 224 lbs of Russia is 36-2-1 with 25 knockouts. Whyte, 256.6 lbs of Brixton is 27-2.

Alexander Povetkin

On being knocked down twice: “I didn’t feel that I would finish the fight like this. I was pretty confident in the 4th round that, even though I went down twice, it was OK. It wasn’t too much damage.”

On the knockout punch: “I was watching his fights and taking into account that he was missing uppercuts from the left and from the right. During my training, I was training on putting combinations around those shots.” 

On a rematch clause: “First of all, my future plans don’t depend on me, it’s more a question for my promoter and for Eddie Hearn. So we will see what they decide. At the same time, I want to thank Andrei Ryabinski and Eddie Hearn for everything they do for me.” 

On everyone who doubted him: “I don’t have anything to respond to those people. I just want to box more. I want to thank all of the fans who believe in me.”

Whether this was the best punch of his career: “Yes, definitely.”

Dillian Whyte

Speaking to Eddie Hearn: “Can we get the rematch in December? I’m good, I’m good. It’s just one of those things where it just landed didn’t it. I was bossing it. It is what it is. Rematch. It’s cool, it’s all good. That’s what boxing is about. Cheers Eddie.”

Taylor Decisions Persoon Again; Retains Undisputed Lightweight Title

In a rematch of a terrific fight from last June 1st, Katie Taylor made it two in a row over Delfine Persoon to retain the Undisputed Lightweight Title.

In round two, Persoon’s right eye began to swell. It was a grueling fight that saw Taylor win by scores of 98-93 and 96-94 twice.

Interesting enough it was Persoon who landed 107 of 735 punches while Taylor was 95 of 308.

Taylor, 134.3 lbs of Ireland is 16-0. Persoon, 132.7 lbs of Belgium is 44-3.

Katie Taylor 

On if she thought she did enough to win: “I think so. I knew it was going to be a tough battle going into this fight. It’s never going to be an easy fight against Delfine. I knew I had to dig deep at some stage during the fight but I thought I boxed a lot better than last time. I still could’ve boxed a bit more.”

On facing a relentless opponent like Delfine Persoon: It’s always going to be tough. You can’t relax at all in there against someone like that. She’s going to come and come and come. Even though I am hitting her with clean shots, she is just on the attack all the time. That’s why it is such a tough fight against someone like Delfine. But congratulations on two fantastic fights. They were an amazing two fights for women’s boxing.” 

On if she silenced the critics of the first fight’s decision: “yeah, I think it was a lot more convincing tonight even though it was a tough fight. But as I said, it’s always going to be a tough fight against someone like that and you’re going to have to dig deep and show a lot of heart at some stage during the fight. But I think I did that well, I boxed well.”  

On a trilogy: “C’mon, give me a break!”

Delfine Persoon

On accepting the result: “Yes, this time I respect the result. For me this time, the weight was a little too much. I didn’t feel like I had enough power to hurt her this time. I tried to get my weight up but I could not hurt her this time. And if you don’t hurt her, it’s technical and she’s good at moving around. You have to hurt her otherwise she gets away. The power was not enough. I’ve got no problem with this decision and my respect she deserves. 

On a trilogy: “In the second round, I think I broke my nose so it was eight rounds boxing with my nose broken. First I must repair my nose and then I think super featherweight is better for me than lightweight. My trainer pushes me to eat, eat, eat but when you train a lot, it’s too much to gain the weight. My respect to her. She deserved to win today.

Chris Kongo remained undefeated with a 9th round stoppage over Luther Clay in a welterweight bout.

Kongo hurt Clay in round five, and then dropped him with a left hook in the 9th. Clay’s corner stopped the bout at 2:44.

Kongo, 145.5 lbs of Bermondsey is now 12-0 with seven knockouts. Clay, 145.8 lbs of Bracknell is 13-2.

“First of all I want to thank god for this victory,” said Kongo afterwards. “It has been 16 months since I last boxed. I’ve waited for the opportunity and here I am. There was no way I was leaving that ring without this belt around my waist. I was willing to die in there, I’m telling you. There was no way I was leaving that ring without the belt. 

“100%. I knew I had the speed, I had the power, I just had to go in there and pace myself. Like I said, it has been 16 months since I last got in the ring so it felt kind of new to me. In the first rounds I was trying to feel him out but then when it got into the middle rounds I hurt him. I knew before the fight ended I was going to get him out of there and that’s what I did. 

“We’e been working on a lot of things. Power was one of the attributes I have been working closely on. I’ve been working closely with my strength and conditioning coaches Nathan and Tyrone, but also when we’re in the boxing gym it is all boxing based with Jim. I want to defend the belt next. Look what I did there with 16 months out of the ring. Imagine when I’m fighting regularly what I’m going to do to these guys. I have full confidence in myself. I believe that I can be one of the best contenders in the world at Welterweight. I believe that I am the best Welterweight in the division in the UK.”

Alen Babic stopped Shawndell Wintera in round two of a scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout.

In round one, Babic dropped Winters with a left hook to the jaw. In round two, Babic kept up the onslaught by dropping Winters with a right that was follwed by a left hook that sent Winters don in the corner, and the fight was stopped at 2:20.

Babic, 205 lbs of Croatia is now 4-0 with all wins coming early. Winters, 194 lbs is 13-3.

“That was ‘The Savage’, be afraid of him,” said Babic afterwards. “That’s my alter-ego, when I go into that mental state I can do damage. I will fight these giants. Give me the biggest one you have. I knew it in the locker room. I know when I land. Every coach told me I have bombs in my hands. It is natural. This is my approach. One or two rounds. My fights won’t go past three rounds. I am different. I have a guy in mind, he’s from my country. Filip Hrgovic! He was calling me out. I don’t like him. I want to fight him.

“I’m a different breed of fighter. Old school, I don’t care about touching. I go in there and I finish people. I finished him in the second round. Parker took five rounds, I don’t need that. They say I’m small. I’m bigger than Jack Dempsey, and Jack Dempsey was a killer! Nobody can box like me. I had almost 60 knockouts in the amateurs, that’s rare. I go all in. I’m bringing something new. I’m going to go in there and I’m going to get it finished as quickly as I can.

“I just want people to love me. I don’t care about money. I was working as a doorman for nothing, for scraps. I’ve broken my hands thousands of times. Fighting on the big stage means everything to me. Hrgovic insulted me, he really insulted me. I’ll never forget that. That’s a fight I definitely want in the future and I will win.”

Zak Chelli and Jack Cullen fought to a 10-round split draw in a super middleweight fight.

In round four, Chelli had swelling under her left eye.

In round seven. Cullen was cut under the left eye.

Chelli won a card 97-93; Cullen took a card 96-95 and a 3rd judge saw the fight even at 95-95.

Cullen, 164.6 lbs of Little Lever is 18-2-1. Chelli, 164.8 lbs of Fulham is 7-1-1.

“I’m disappointed with two of the judges,” said Chelli afterwards. “The first judge said it was 97-93, that was fair, and that’s how the fight should have gone. I’m very disappointed. It was my first fight after 11 months, so I’m happy with my performance. There was a little bit of ring rust at the start but I dominated the last half of the fight and I believe I won it.

“I’m very disappointed with the draw. I definitely deserved the win. I put all of it into it but we move on. I’m 22, as I always say. Hopefully I’ll get a Title fight in my next fight. I’m not going to lie, with 11 months out of the ring I felt the ring rust at the start, but I worked through it and I ripped him to the body, got him to the head, cut him and made him bleed.

“At least the fans enjoyed the fight, I hope they did. He took the punches, he did well. I rate him for his durability but I still believe I beat him. My dad knows the truth, he knows I won that fight. I’m not going to lose hope. I’m going to keep going and train hard. I look forward to the next fight. Hopefully it won’t be another 11 month wait. There’s a lot more to come from me.”

Chris Kongo is planning on announcing himself as one of the best Welterweights in the country when he takes on Luther Clay for the WBO Global Title on the undercard of Dillian Whyte vs. Alexander Povetkin on the final week of Matchroom Fight Camp this Saturday August 22, live on Sky Sports Box Office. 

Bermondsey’s Kongo (11-0, 6 KOs), a former Team GB amateur, has found opportunities hard to come by since turning professional in August 2016, facing mostly foreign journeymen on the small hall scene, but ‘2Slick’ was finally handed a golden ticket after teaming up with Heavyweight contender Whyte earlier this year. 

Not short on confidence, the 27-year-old immediately targeted fights with Matchroom men Conor Benn and Josh Kelly, looking to propel his name to the top of the 147lbs domestic scene. Kongo is determined to avenge the hotly disputed defeat he suffered to Rio Olympian Kelly in the ABA finals in 2013, but must first deal with the in-form Clay if he is to attract the attention of the division’s bigger names. 

“I took the fight straight away,” said Kongo. “I didn’t even have to think about it. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity and it’s here now, so I’m going to take it with both hands. It has been a long time coming. I’ve come up the hard way in the sport of boxing and there’s fire in my belly. I’m going to rip the belt from him. I’m not taking any chances. I’m not leaving it to the judges. We’re going to rip the belt off the champion. Guaranteed. 

“I believe I’m coming to take the title regardless of what Luther does. I believe this is my time. When it is someone’s time, it doesn’t matter what happens, you can’t stop it. I believe this is the moment Chris Kongo is going to be announced as one of the top Welterweights in the division. I need to prove that I am the number one Welterweight in the country. I know my level. That’s why I believe I can be at the top table.

“He’s going to try and bring the pressure because he thinks I’ll be rusty due to my time out of the ring. They’re going to be in for a big shock. They will try to put pressure on me and wait until the later rounds. It’s probably the worst thing they can do. We all know what kind of shape Jim McDonnell is going to have me in. 

“We know he’s not going to try and out skill me or outbox me because he can’t do that. His greatest attributes are always coming from the front foot. If he wants to bring the pressure, trust me, we’re going to meet head on. I’m a big Welterweight. I’ll be ready for that.”

Clay vs. Kongo lands on a huge night of action that sees Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) defend his Interim WBC Heavyweight World Title against Russia’s Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1, 24 KOs), Irish legend Katie Taylor (15-0, 6 KOs) puts her WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine Lightweight crowns on the line against Belgium’s Delfine Persoon (44-2, 18 KOs) in the biggest rematch in women’s boxing, Super-Middleweights Jack Cullen (18-2, 9 KOs) and Zak Chelli (7-1, 3 KOs) meet over eight rounds and Croatian Heavyweight contender Alen Babic (3-0, 3 KOs) steps up to face Shawndell Winters (13-3, 12 KOs) over eight rounds.