Daniel DuBois retained the IBF Heavyweight Title with a stunning fifth round stoppage over former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in front of 96,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium in London.

Im round one, DuBois foreshadowed of things to come as he landed a perfect right to the jaw that put Joshua down. At the end of round three, DuBois landd a left hand that buckled Joshua bacly into the ropes. DuBois followed up with three more had punches that put Joshua on the deck just before the bell sounded to end the round. In the beginning of round four, DuBois sent Joshua down again when he landed the first right hand of the round that put Joshua down again.

In round five, Dubois landed a perfect right to the jaw that plummeted Joshua on the canvas and the fight was halted at 59 seconds.

DuBois is now 22-2 with 21 knockouts. Joshua is 28-4.

Sheeraz Stops Denny in 2

Hamzah Sheeraz took out Tyler Denny in round two of their 12-round middleweight fight.

In round two, Sheeraz landed a big shot to the temple that put Denny down. Denny got to his feet but the feet was waved off at 2:05

Sheeraz, 196.6 lbs is 21-0 with 17 knockouts. Denny, 159.9 lbs is 19-3.

Buatsi Drops Hutchinson Twice; wins Split Decision and Captures Interim Light Heavy Title

Joshua Buatsi won the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Title with a 12-round split decision over Willy Hutchinson.

In round five, Buatsi was cut around the right eye from a headbutt. At the end of round six, Buatsi hurt Hutchinson with a hard right that was followed up by a flurry and and then finished off by a right to the body that put Hutchinson on the deck.

Hutchinson had a good round seven, but it was marred by having a point deducted for leading with his head. Later in the round, he was cut over his left eye. In round nine, Buatsi dropped Hutchinson again with a little inside left to the body.

Buatsi landed 264 of 600 punches. Hutchinson was 209 of 556.

Buatsi won by scores of 117-110 and 115-110. A third card was out of wack and gave it to Hutchinson 113-112.

Buatsi, 174.7 lbs of London is now 19-0. Hutchinson, 174.9 lbs of Carstairs, Scotland is 18-2.

Anthony Cacace Decisions Josh Warrington

IBF Super Featherweight champion Anthony Cacace defended his crown in a non-title bout over former featherweight champion Josh Warrington via 12-round unanimous decision.

Cacace landed 127 of 452 punches. Warrington was 107 of 395.

Cacace, 129.8 lbs of Belfast, NI won by scofres of 118-110 and 117-111 twice and is now 23-1. Warrington, 129.8 lbs of Leeds, ENG is 31-4-1.

Josh Kelly Decisions Ishmael Davis

Josh Kelly won a 12-round majority decision over late-replacement Ishmael Davis in a middleweight fight.

Despite being cut over his eft eye in round 11, Kelly won by scores of 115-113, 115-114 and 114-114.

Kelly landed 97 of 331 punches. Davis was 84 of 338.

Kelly, 159.1 lbs of Sunderland, ENG is 16-1-1. Davis, 159.7 lbs of Leeds, ENG is 13-1.

“Conor Benn or a Eubank, get me one of them, 100%.  It might have to be next year, let me heal up.

“They want to box on cards like this, I’ve boxed on this card, let’s make the fight.  I believe I will beat both of them.”

Kalle Sauerland, Global Head of Boxing at Wasserman said: “Of course Liam Smith is still a big fight, so is Conor Benn, Chris Eubank and, potentially, Kell Brook.  

“The Conor Benn fight goes back six or seven years.  Kell Brook was talked about a lot before this fight and we had made the Smith fight, before he was forced out.”

Padley Decisions Chamberlain

Big underdog Josh Padley scored a big upset by scoring a 10-round unanimous decision over hot-prospect Mark Chamberlain in a super lightweight bout.

In round three, Chamberlain was cut around the right eye which was caused by an accidental headbutt. In round four, Chamberlain had another cut opened up around the same eye.

In round eight, Chamberlain landed a big uppercut that was followed by a left hook to the jaw that put Chamberlain on the canvas.

Padley landed 85 of 250 punches. Chamberlain was 80 of 351.

Padley, 139.6 lbs of Dorncaster, ENG won by scores of 96-92 twice and 95-93 and is now 15-0. Chamberlain, 139.9 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG is 16-1.

LONDON, UK (May 7, 2024) – Former British, Commonwealth and European Light Heavyweight Champion ‘Super’ Dan Azeez joins British boxing’s biggest event of the summer as the latest addition to BOXXER’s star-studded Selhurst Park stadium show on Saturday, June 15th, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Azeez returns to action after a thrilling twelve round clash with friend and fellow South Londoner Joshua Buatsi on February 3rd at the OVO Arena Wembley.

The Lewisham man lost a hard-fought points decision to Buatsi in a final eliminator for the WBA World Light Heavyweight Title.

Despite suffering his first career defeat, Azeez’s stock has risen following his ‘Fight Of The Year’ contender and the 34-year-old plans to waste no time in getting back into title contention and targeting the top names in the division.

Dan Azeez said: “I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. This is my job and I wear this sport on my chest like a badge of honour. I’m ready to put the graft in like I always do to prove I belong at the top of the sport. I always aim for the top and I’m excited to be a part of a huge stadium show in South London, where I am from! Selhurst Park is going to be rocking and I’m excited to put on a show for all the fans who turn out.”

BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s great to see Dan Azeez back in the ring so quickly. I know he will have learnt a lot from such a great fight with Joshua Buatsi. He has become one of the country’s most popular fighters and I now expect him to be well equipped to go right to the top of the division.”

Fans attending the huge GAME ON! show will be part of history as boxing returns to Selhurst Park in its centenary year.

The epic Chris Billam-Smith vs Richard Riakporhe clash tops a huge bill in South London and kick-offs a huge summer of world-class sport with a blockbuster night of world championship boxing and celebrations.

A stacked undercard features Brixton’s Isaac Chamberlain challenging the fierce punching Pole Michal Cieslak for the European Cruiserweight crown.

Ben Whittaker faces undefeated rival and press conference crasher Ezra Arenyeka for the WBA Gold Light Heavyweight belt, plus the return of 19-year-old bantamweight starlet Francesca Hennessy.

A percentage of every ticket sold will be donated to the Palace For Life Foundation, the official charity of Crystal Palace F.C, which has been working with the community for over 25 years, helping young people grow through the power of sport, inspiring them to find a better path in life and to lead a healthier life.

This event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Integritas Property Group and HELL Energy.

Tickets are on sale now via BOXXER.com

LONDON, UK (February 2, 2024) – Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez both made weight today ahead of Saturday’s hugely anticipated showdown between the unbeaten world ranked #1 and #2 light heavyweights at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS FROM LONDON

WBA World Light Heavyweight Title Final Eliminator and British & Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Championships – 12 Rounds

Joshua Buatsi – 12st 6lbs / 174lbs

Dan Azeez – 12st 4lbs 5oz / 172.3lbs

European Super Lightweight Championship – 12 Rounds

Adam Azim – 10st / 140lbs

Enock Poulsen – 9st 13lbs 5oz / 139.5lbs

Light Heavyweight Contest – 8 Rounds

Ben Whittaker – 12st 7lbs 5oz / 175.5lbs

Khalid Graidia – 12st 8lbs / 176lbs

IBO World Lightweight Championship – 10 (x2min) Rounds

Caroline Dubois – 9st 8lbs 5oz / 134.5lbs

Miranda Reyes – 9st 8lbs / 134lbs

Heavyweight Contest – 6 Rounds

Jeamie TKV – 18st 11lbs 5oz / 263lbs

Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko – 18st 3lbs / 255lbs

Bantamweight Contest – 6 (x2min) Rounds

Francesca Hennessy – 8st 10lbs 5oz / 125.5lbs

Lauren Belen Valdebenito – 8st 13lbs / 125lbs

A decade-long friendship will be put to one side when Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez meet in a mouth-watering clash at the OVO Arena Wembley in London on Saturday February 3rd. Although both fighters started their journey at the same South London amateur boxing club, two very different paths have set them on a collision course. Now in their prime, both men, ranked #1 and #2 in the world with the WBA, are ready to put it all on the line for bragging rights and a shot at world honours.

Watch live on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 8.30pm with undercard action available on Sky Sports Boxing YouTube channel from 6:30pm.

LONDON, UK (January 16, 2024) – Future boxing superstar Ben Whittaker will look to steal the show as he returns to action on the undercard of the huge all-British showdown between unbeaten #1 and #2 world ranked light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez on Saturday, February 3rd at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, live and exclusive on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA.

Whittaker closed the year in style with a highlight reel knockout of Stiven Leonetti Dredhaj in Bournemouth. Now 5-0, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Silver medallist is aiming to kick-start the New Year with another spectacular performance when he takes on Swiss-based French fighter Khalid Graidia over eight-rounds.

Graidia returns to British shores having previously shared the ring with Whittaker’s domestic rivals Zach Parker, Ezra Taylor and Karol Itauma in London. Graidia also took British and Commonwealth Champion Dan Azeez the distance when they squared off in Milan in July 2023.

“The Surgeon is back and ready to start 2024 with another clinical performance. I’m putting the whole light heavyweight division on notice. Another big year is on the way so don’t miss the start of it on February 3rd,” said Whittaker.

“This is the start to a huge year for Ben Whittaker,” said BOXXER CEO and Founder Ben Shalom. “He will bring his star power to an already massive night for the light heavyweight division on February 3rd in London. Ben is a special talent and we expect to see him headlining shows and fighting for major titles this year.”

Having dethroned Franck Petitjean in front of a capacity crowd in Wolverhampton last year, Adam Azim makes the first defence of his EBU European Super Lightweight Title against undefeated former champion Enock Poulsen.

Rising featherweight star Francesca Hennessy and heavyweight hope Jeamie TKV are also confirmed for action in the capital. Hennessy, who has wowed fans with her explosive style since joining the paid ranks last year, goes in search of her third professional victory, while TKV looks to get back to winning ways having suffered his first career defeat to Igor Macedo in September 2023.

This event is presented in association with official partners Bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Integritas Property Group and IFX Payments.

Tickets starting from £30 are available via BOXXER.com

LONDON, UK – December 5, 2023 – Adam Azim makes the first defence of his EBU European Super Lightweight Title against undefeated former champion Enock Poulsen on Saturday, February 3rd at The OVO Arena Wembley in London, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, and Peacock in the USA.

Azim and Poulsen’s European Title clash will provide star support for the hugely anticipated WBA World Title Final Eliminator bout between unbeaten #1 and #2 world ranked light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez that headlines a massive night of boxing in the capital.

Azim (10-0, 7 KOs) dethroned Franck Petitjean in front of a capacity crowd in Wolverhampton last month to be crowned European king. A spectacular feat for the 21-year-old, who became the quickest Englishman to win the European Title, surpassing the achievements of former champions Spencer Oliver and ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed, also making him the first British-Pakistani to lift the blue and gold belt.

Poulsen (14-0, 5 KOs) is no stranger to European success himself, having also defeated Petitjean to claim the title in April 2022. The undefeated Dane, who was ringside to watch Azim’s crowning moment, believes he is the rightful holder of the belt having never lost it in the ring and is eager to recapture his title and end Azim’s meteoric rise.

Adam Azim, defending EBU European Super Lightweight Champion, said: “I’m looking forward to defending my European Title on a big show. Enock Poulsen is a good opponent but I’m levels above him and I’m going to show that on February 3rd. He hasn’t faced anyone like me before.”

Enock Poulsen, said: “This title is mine and right now he’s only borrowing it. I will take it back and I will beat Azim in his own hometown. Azim has never faced a good opponent, yet he’s very hyped in the UK. In this fight against me, I’m sure he will lose. I want to be on the big stage. I want to prove to everyone that I’m the real EBU Champion. To win would mean everything.”

Ben Shalom, BOXXER Founder and CEO, said: “Adam Azim announced himself on the big stage by winning the European Title in just his tenth fight. Now he’s taking on an undefeated fighter. Someone who has held this belt himself, never lost it in the ring, and believes himself to be the rightful champion. This is a great addition to a stacked show at The OVO Arena Wembley on February 3rd. We believe we’ve got a future world champion on our hands with Adam, but he faces a huge acid test with Enock Poulsen which he needs to come through to keep himself in contention.”

This event is presented in association with official partners Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Integritas Property Group and IFX Payments.

Tickets start from £30. Sign up now for pre-sale tickets at BOXXER.com. Pre-sale begins on Wednesday, December 6th at 12pm and general sale tickets are available from Thursday, December 7th at 12pm.

Existing ticket holders will be contacted by their ticket provider within the next 7 days to arrange the transfer of their tickets from The O2 to The OVO Arena Wembley. Any customers unable to make the rescheduled date will receive a full refund.

LONDON, UK (November 14, 2023) – The WBA World Title Final Eliminator clash between #1 and #2 world ranked light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 3 and will be broadcast live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Peacock in the USA. 

Buatsi (17-0, 3 KOs) and Azeez (20-0, 13 KOs) were set to meet on October 21st at The O2 but a back injury suffered by Azeez in his final training session forced the postponement of their all-British showdown. The rescheduled contest will now take place at The OVO Arena Wembley due to a lack of available dates at The O2. 

January 13th was held by BOXXER as the targeted date at The O2 but a clash with the Light Heavyweight World Title contest between Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith meant Azeez’s coach Buddy McGirt, who also trains  Smith, would be unavailable.  

With a new date set, the friends turned rivals are now back in full training ahead of one of the most anticipated fights in British boxing as the undefeated Londoners prepare to go toe-to-toe with bragging rights and a shot at the WBA World Light Heavyweight Title on the line. 

BOXXER Founder and CEO, Ben Shalom, said: “We’re delighted to be back in the capital on February 3rd for Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez. It’s a fight everyone is looking forward to following the disappointment of the postponement in October. We wanted to get the fight back on as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the only available date at The O2 was January 13th, which would leave Dan Azeez without his coach for his biggest fight, so we’ve secured the next available date, which is February 3rd at The OVO Arena Wembley. It’s another fantastic addition to our 2024 schedule. We’re starting the year with a bang. Both men are hungrier than ever and can’t wait to get in the ring. With London bragging rights and a world title opportunity up for grabs, it’s a fight you do not want to miss.” 

Joshua Buatsi said: “I’m excited to get a new date locked in. There’s definitely some unfinished business. The delay has only made me more determined. It’s a very important fight. There is too much on the line for me to contemplate anything other than victory. On February 3rd, I’m going to show why I am the number one in the division. It’s my time to shine!”

Dan Azeez said: “I’m really glad to have recovered. My back feels better than ever and I can’t wait for February 3rd. I’m thankful for BOXXER and Ben Shalom for moving the show for me. The initial date was meant to be January 13th but obviously my trainer will be in the corner for Callum Smith vs Artur Beterbiev so I’m really pleased everyone has been able to accommodate this for what is essentially my world title fight.” 

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

Full refunds are available for any customers unable to attend the rescheduled date. Existing ticket holders will be contacted regarding the transfer of their ticket to the new date in the coming days. Fans wanting to purchase tickets for February 3rd, can sign up for presale at BOXXER.com. 

LONDON, ENGLAND – (October 18th, 2023) – The highly-anticipated showdown between Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez will be rescheduled to a new date at The O2 in London. 

The bout between the #1 and #2 ranked light-heavyweights had been due to take place this Saturday but is now being postponed due to an injury suffered by Azeez in his final training session. 

A date for the rescheduled world title final eliminator will be announced shortly. All tickets for this Saturday’s event at The O2 will remain valid for the new date. Once announced, any customers unable to attend the new date will be able to obtain a full refund.

This Saturday’s chief support bout and undercard bouts will now relocate to the iconic York Hall in London, headlined by Mikael Lawal defending his British Cruiserweight Championship against bitter rival Isaac Chamberlain in one of the most keenly-anticipated domestic clashes of the year.

The Commonwealth Super Welterweight Championship is also on the line when Louis Greene defends his title against Sam Gilley in another highly-anticipated 50/50 domestic clash which will also send the winner forward for a shot at the British title.

The card will also feature Olympic bronze medallist Karriss Artingstall against former world title challenger ‘Vicious’ Vanessa Bradford as she takes an important step in her professional career, and top young prospect Michael Hennessy Jr taking on fan favourite Joe Laws in what will be a very entertaining fight. 

“We’re still bitterly disappointed about having to postpone the main event due to the injury sustained by Dan Azeez,” said BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom. “It’s clear from the widespread upset and frustration, just how big of a fight this is. We’ve spoken to both teams and everyone is committed to rescheduling the world title final eliminator. We’re working on announcing a new date at The O2 as soon as possible. 

“For the remaining fights, the easiest option would have been to cancel the whole card, but that wouldn’t have been fair to the fighters or to the fans hoping to see them. I’m extremely proud of our team’s hard work in ensuring these fights get to go ahead. Not only can we look forward to a rescheduled Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez at the O2 in the near future, but also four incredible fights live on Sky Sports on Saturday night in what will be a hugely atmospheric York Hall.” 

Buatsi vs Azeez ticket holders who wish to attend Saturday’s event at York Hall on will be given exclusive access to a priority window ahead of the general sale. This will be between 4pm today and 4pm tomorrow. You will be emailed a direct link to purchase your tickets. 

Tickets will be available for general sale from 4pm on Thursday October 19th at BOXXER.com 

For breaking news and further information, please visit BOXXER.com and follow the official BOXXER social media channels.

Saturday October 21st event is presented in association with official partners bet365, Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Village Hotels and Integritas Property Group

The undefeated all-British clash between #1 and #2 world ranked light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez has been postponed after Azeez suffered an injury in his final training session.

The friends turned rivals were set to meet this Saturday October 21 in a hugely anticipated bout at The O2 with London bragging rights and a shot at world honours on the line.

Doctors have ruled Azeez unable to compete due to a back injury. Further details on Saturday’s event, including ticket information, and a revised date for Buatsi-Azeez will be communicated shortly. All tickets will automatically remain valid for the rescheduled main event and a full refund will be made available for anyone not able to attend.

“I’m devastated for this to happen on fight week,” said Azeez.  “It still hasn’t sunk in. I’ve never had to withdraw from a fight in my career before. I want to apologise to all the fans, especially those travelling to the fight. I am also extremely sorry to my opponent Joshua Buatsi, to my promoter and to everyone involved who has worked so hard on this date. I hope this fight can be rescheduled as soon as possible.”

BOXXER founder and CEO Ben Shalom said, “This is a big shock but everyone at BOXXER is working very hard to ensure we provide clarity for all fighters, teams and most importantly the fans as soon as we can.

“I know that Dan would do anything to be in the ring on Saturday night and for this to happen at this stage is devastating. This is a huge fight for British Boxing, but the health and safety of our fighters must come first. My heart goes out to Dan and Joshua, who have both completed tough camps, and to the fans, with more than 10,000 having made arrangements to come on Saturday. 

“We will provide an update on the rest of the card and communicate a revised date for Buatsi-Azeez as soon as possible.”

London, England – (October 13, 2023) – For the millions who will be watching around the world – and the ten thousand fans inside The O2 – the wait is almost over:  #1-ranked light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi and #2-ranked Dan Azeez will do battle just X days from now.

And fans now know the exact time the two light-heavyweight heroes will be in the ring, as ringwalk times have today been confirmed for the Saturday, October 21st showdown which will see a new world title contender emerge.

Dan Azeez will make his ringwalk at 9.45pm, followed by Buatsi, with the final eliminator showdown between them expected to start around 10pm. The winner will emerge in pole position for a shot at the WBA World Light-Heavyweight Championship held by Dmitry Bivol.

Ringwalk times have also been confirmed for the highly-anticipated chief support bout, a bad blood British Cruiserweight Championship clash between bitter rivals Mikael Lawal and Isaac Chamberlain. 

Chamberlain will walk to the ring at 8.45pm to await defending champion Lawal, setting up a seismic clash expected to commence at 9pm. 

All the action is available live and exclusively on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Showcase from 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 10pm. 

The full card is as follows:

12 x 3 mins – WBA World Light Heavyweight Final Eliminator, British Light Heavyweight Championship, Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Championship @ 12st 7lbs

JOSHUA BUATSI vs DAN AZEEZ

(Croydon). (Lewisham)

12 x 3 mins – British & vacant Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championship @ 14st 4lbs 

MIKAEL LAWAL. V. ISAAC CHAMBERLAIN

(Shepherd’s Bush) (Brixton)

12 x 3 mins – Commonwealth Super Welterweight Championship & Bri?sh Super Welterweight Final eliminator @ 11st

LOUIS GREENE. V. SAM GILLEY

(Strood). (Walthamstow)

8 x 2 mins – Featherweight contest @ 9st

KARRISS ARTINGSTALL. V. VANESSA BRADFORD 

(Macclesfield). (Canada)

8 x 3 mins – Super Welterweight contest @11st 6lbs

MICHAEL HENNESSY JR. V. JOE LAWS 

(Sevenoaks). (Benwell)

LONDON, ENGLAND – (September 12, 2023) – Commonwealth super-welterweight champion Louis ‘The Medway Mauler’ Greene (16-3, 10 KO’s) will make a third defence of his title when he meets Sam ‘Magic Man’ Gilley (16-1, 8 KO’s) in a highly-anticipated clash on the undercard of BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE on Saturday, October 21 at The O2 in London which will also send the winner forward for a shot at the British title.

Greene scored a fifth-round knockout victory to win the Commonwealth title in November last year and defended it in May with another thunderous stoppage victory, travelling from Kent to challenger Paul Kean’s home city of Dundee and leaving nothing to the judges as he ended the Scotsman’s night in the sixth round.

English super-welterweight champion Gilley, fighting out of Walthamstow, booked this shot at Greene’s Commonwealth title in June, when he landed a blistering body-shot knockout of Ellis Corrie at London’s historic York Hall in what was the third stoppage victory of his last four outings.

2020 Olympics bronze medallist Karriss Artingstall (4-0) is also confirmed for the card, heading to The O2 in London for what will be her fifth professional outing and her second time competing over eight rounds as she works her way up the rankings and towards title contention. Her opponent will be revealed in the near future.

And sparks are set to fly in a ten-round super-welterweight encounter when Michael Hennessy (11-1, 2 KO’s) – son of veteran British boxing manager Mick Hennessy and brother to recent BOXXER signing Fran Hennessy – meets an opponent with an equally deep British boxing heritage: Harley Benn (9-2, 1 KO), son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn.

BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE takes place Saturday, October 21st at The O2, London and airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports.

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

The main event sees a decade-long friendship put to one side when top light-heavyweights Joshua Buatsi (17-0, 13 KO’s) and ‘Super’ Dan Azeez (19-0, 13 KO’s) put their unbeaten records on the line in all-domestic clash with world-level implications.

And the British cruiserweight championship is on the line when defending champion Mikael Lawal meets bitter rival Isaac Chamberlain at last, with the pair aiming to settle their differences in explosive fashion when they finally meet in the ring.

Tickets are on sale now and available via BOXXER.com 

London, England – (August 2, 2023) – A decade-long friendship will be put to one side on Saturday, October 21st when top light-heavyweights Joshua Buatsi (17-0, 13 KO’s) and ‘Super’ Dan Azeez (19-0, 13 KO’s) meet in storied London arena The O2 in an unbeaten all-domestic clash.

Airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports, the BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE main event sees two friends turn rivals for a mouth-watering all-business clash between two top fighters in their prime and ready to lay it all in the line. 

Although both fighters started their journey in the same South London amateur boxing club, two very different paths have set them on a collision course next month.

Buatsi turned professional bathed in the glow of a bronze medal won for Team GB at the 2016 Olympics, while Azeez – having chosen to focus on first completing his finance degree – eventually entered the professional ranks at the bottom of small-hall cards. 

Azeez’s hard road to the top has made him a record-setter: he is the only light-heavyweight in British boxing history to have won every British Boxing Board of Control domestic title in the hierarchy, from area title through to national, British and Commonwealth.

Buatsi – himself a former British light-heavyweight championship holder – returned to the ring earlier this year to dominate the previously undefeated Pawel Stepien, while Azeez went on the road to defeat French champion Thomas Fauré in Paris for the European Light-Heavyweight Championship.

Also confirmed for the October 21st card today is a British cruiserweight championship clash as Mikael Lawal defends his title against Isaac Chamberlain. The rivalry between the two Londoners has simmered for some time but ignited at a press conference earlier this year and looks set to be settled in explosive fashion when they finally meet in the ring.

“This is a huge fight for British boxing and it has ‘Fight of the Year’ potential. Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez are standouts in a very deep division and they are two of the most talented and hungry fighters I’ve ever seen,” said Ben Shalom, BOXXER CEO. 

“Buatsi’s right to compete at this level has never been questioned but Azeez has had to fight every step of the way here and you have to give credit to Buatsi for taking a risk like this. It’s been an incredible journey and with both of them now potentially just one win away from challenging for the world title in a huge-money fight, I think we’re going to see something special in The 02 on October 21st. These are the fights British boxing fans want to see.”

“We’ve been friends for years but there’s too much on the line here for either of us to say no to this fight. We can be friends again afterwards but on October 21st it’s all business. I’m preparing to beat the best version of Dan Azeez and I’m doing everything I need to do to achieve that, whether that’s by decision or knockout,” said Buatsi.

Azeez said, “I’ve earned my way to get to this stage of my career and there’s still more to earn and prove. This fight is another step closer to the top and it means a lot to me so I’m preparing like I always do for everything and anything in order to be victorious come October 21st.”

BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE takes place Saturday, October 21st at The O2, London and airs live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports.

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

U.K. June 21, 2023. — The World Boxing Association (WBA) has made it official that the WBA No. 1 world ranked light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi will face the WBA No. 2 world ranked light heavyweight Dan “Super” Azeez in the “WBA Light Heavyweight Final Eliminator.”

Buatsi and Azeez have been ranked No. 1 & No. 2 since November 2022.

Boxxer, the promoter of both fighters, will promote the bout set to take place in England, on August 19, 2023.

The winner will become mandatory challenger to the WBA Super Champion Dmitry Bivol.

Buatsi (17-0, 13 KOs), who was born in Accra, Ghana, now resides in Croydon, London. He entered contender status after scoring ten consecutive wins by knockout. Buatsi followed that steak with a big unanimous decision win over former world title challenger and then WBA No. 10 ranked Craig Richards on May 21, 2022. In Buatsi’s most recent bout on May 6, he dominated against former Polish Champion and IBF Inter Continental Champion and undefeated Pawel Stepien, winning by unanimous decision.

Azeez (19-0, 13 KOs) from Lewisham, London made his way up the WBA rankings with big wins in the past year. On March 26, 2022, a knockout win over once beaten Reece Cartwright earned Azeez a top ten ranking at No. 6. By his next fight, September 3, 2022 against Shaken Pitters, Azeez was ranked No. 4. He beat Pitters handily which vaulted him to his current ranking of No. 2.

For more info on BOXXER, click HERE

Birmingham, England – 6th May 2023 – Olympic medalist Joshua Buatsi cruised to a commanding Unanimous Decision victory at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham and live on Sky Sports. The undefeated Light Heavyweight earned scorecards of 97-94, 98-92, and 100-90 from the judges, impressively shutting down a determined and heavy-handed opponent in Pawel Stepien. 

Buatsi was measured and economical in the first half of the fight, feeling Stepien out as he shook off the cobwebs from over a year out of the ring and stopped Stepien from having any opportunity to land his dynamite right hand. 

The Olympic medalist grew into the fight as the rounds went on, loosening up his offense and coming into range to trade punches more often, confident he could come out of any exchange the victor.

Stepien gave everything across the 10 rounds and did not come to lose, taking any chance he got to land shots across the rounds, stepping up the intensity in the second half of the fight and giving Buatsi plenty to think about. This offense from Stepien did give Buatsi chances to land some crunching shots to Stepien’s body that forced him to back away and shell up.

Despite 12 months out of the ring, Joshua Buatsi controlled the fight, and won every single round on one judge’s scorecard, on the way to an intelligent, dominant victory where he didn’t take any unnecessary risks that could have left any talk of challenging for a world championship in future in tatters. 

Shrewd performances like this one are crucial for winning and retaining world championships, and that’s what Joshua Buatsi wants to do.

“I’ve been out of the ring for almost a year, so I needed the 10 rounds. I wanted to knock him out, and I’m disappointed I didn’t, but we got the win. If I had lost it, everything would have changed, so I had to be smart,” Buatsi told Sky Sports after the fight.

Having removed the ring-rust from his extensive layoff and beaten a tough, previously-undefeated opponent, Buatsi is now in position for options ranging from huge domestic clashes to world title contention.

Televised Card Results:

Joshua Buatsi def. Pavel Stepian – UD (98-92, 97-94, 100-90)

Lauren Price def. Kirstie Bavington – UD (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Ben Whittaker def. Jordan Grant – KO Rd 3 (0:13)

Tyler Denny def. Macaulay McGowan – SD (96-94, 96-94, 93-97)

Sean McComb def. Kaisee Benjamin – UD (97-94, 97-93, 96-95)

Full Undercard Results

Lauren Price def. Kirstie Bavington – UD (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Olympic Gold Medalist Lauren Price was able to add the first ever Womens’ British Championship to her collection in a whitewash, dominating victory over Kirstie Bavington. Price managed the distance of the fight perfectly as Bavington came forward and put her under pressure in every single round. Despite the pressure, Lauren Price was able to fire off brutal combinations as Bavington approached that left her bloodied and badly hurt.

Price looked somewhat close to a stoppage a few times in the later rounds of the fight, but stayed regimented in her approach and took no risks in a fight she was walking away with, making her first 10 round fight look like something she’d done a thousand times before.

Lauren Price made history again, after having done so before in Tokyo, with this victory, and went the Championship distance in only her 4th professional fight. She now looks certain to win World Championships in the professional ranks, with the only question being what could possibly slow her down.

Lauren Price said to Sky Sports after the fight: “I can’t put into words what this means. The olympics was a dream of mine, then I had to start all over again in the professional ranks. Now this was my 4th fight, first 10 rounder, and now I’m British champion. Kirstie made me work for it, she’s extremely fit and kept me on my toes all fight long.”

Ben Whittaker def. Jordan Grant – KO Rd 3 (0:13)

Olympic silver medalist and future boxing superstar Ben Whittaker took another stunning stoppage in the third professional fight of his career, sending a resilient opponent in Jordan Grant tumbling to the canvas and unable to answer the referee’s count just seconds into the 3rd round with a savage left hook to the temple.

Whittaker totally outclassed Grant across the short amount of time the fight lasted, intelligently forcing him into the corner of the ring with footwork and firing off crisp, fast shots to the head and body without allowing Grant to return fire for even a second, minimising all risk. This culminated with a perfect 1-2 from Whittaker straight through the middle of Grant’s guard at the end of the 2nd round that almost ended the fight, but Grant battled on for the start of the 3rd, where he was then beaten into submission.

With his unquestionable self-confidence, brash style in and out the ring, and a penchant for showboating to his opponents, Ben Whittaker has already become a marmite figure in boxing. But everyone, whether they love him or hate him, can’t deny he is one of the world’s finest boxing talents and looks destined for greatness in professional boxing.

Ben Whittaker said to Sky Sports after the fight: “I came out here just to have fun. All these people paid their hard-earned money, I wanted to give them a show. I could have got it done in 20 seconds but I thought we’ll go a bit longer. I’ve done the rounds in camp, it’s only right.”

Tyler Denny def. Macaulay McGowan – SD (96-94, 96-94, 93-97)

Tyler Denny took another impressive win on a BOXXER show to continue his recent career run of success. However, Macaulay McGowan made him work extremely hard for his win and had one judge giving the fight to him.

Denny dominated the first half of the fight, outworking and outjabbing McGowan, who looked unsure about how to break out of this losing situation. But as the rounds went on, and McGowan kept the pace high, he started to close Denny down and land big shots. This culminated in a blistering 8th round where Macauley McGowan unloaded everything he had, battering Denny from pillar to post and leaving him on the verge of being knocked down at multiple points across the round.

Tyler Denny did successfully survive this assault, showing true grit to do so, leaving McGowan with little left in the tank to put the same level of pressure on a slowed Denny for the final two rounds.

In the end the fight was razor close, and the division in the opinion of the judges reflected this, and while Tyler Denny ended the fight with his hand raised, both men showed they deserved their place fighting for a title.

Tyler Denny said to Sky Sports after the fight: “I knew this would be my toughest fight. He came for it tonight. I thought I was cruising through the fight after six rounds, but then he came on strong from there to the end. Listen to that hometown crowd backing me as well.”

Sean McComb def. Kaisee Benjamin – UD (97-94, 97-93, 96-95)

Sean McComb retained his WBO European Super Lightweight fight in an epic 10-round war with the massively talented Kaisee Benjamin, in a fight that had action from the first bell to the very last.

McComb took control of the fight from the first round, using his longer reach to pepper Benjamin with big shots across the first three rounds that left Benjamin reeling and with a seriously damaged nose. But Kaisee Benjamin showed tremendous grit to grow into the fight as it went on, trading in the middle rounds and then taking control in the final rounds after slowing McComb down with savage bodyshots. However, McComb hung on well and had done enough to take a unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.

Both men showed they deserved their spot at the top of British boxing in this fight, and both will have earned anyone watching this fight’s respect and adoration from now on.

Sean McComb said to Sky Sports after the fight: “Thanks to all my fans who have came over with me from Belfast. I knew I’d take this massive opportunity and take the victory here. I would love to fight on Sky Sports again.”

Shakan Pitters def. Joel McIntyre – PTS (80-72)

6 foot 6 inch tall Light Heavyweight giant Shakan Pitters gave an astute performance to win every single round against a tough opponent in Joel McIntyre who came to win. Pitters used his piston-like jab to great effect across the fight, keeping McIntyre at bay and unable to land any shots, no matter how hard he tried to close the distance.

Pitters used his height and reach advantages very well throughout the fight, controlling the distance smartly and choosing his moments to move forward and inflict damage on McIntyre to perfection. Multiple times throughout the fight, most prominently in the 4th and 6th rounds, Pitters hurt McIntyre with big right hands, but again returned to his highly successful jab rather than become reckless.

Pitters will now be hungry to fight for a British title once again, and mix it up with some of the best Light Heavyweights in the country, as he has done in the past.

Cori Gibbs def. Jimmy First – PTS (78-74)

BOXXER Series winner and Lightweight prospect Cori Gibbs avenged the bizarre first loss of his otherwise perfect career to move to 18-1 as a professional by beating the highly talented Jimmy First. Gibbs suffered the first loss of his career to First in December 2022 in a fight that saw Gibbs deducted three points across the course of the fight for losing his gumshield.

These circumstances make Gibbs’s calm, collected performance, where he used skilled footwork to consistently land shots on Jimmy First without taking any in return. First charged forward doggedly in the second half of the fight, and was able to do some damage when he moved into range, but Gibbs stayed composed and saw out the fight for a points victory.

Danny Quartermaine def. Christian Lopez Flores – TKO Rd 4 (2:58)

Exciting young prospect Danny Quartermaine earned the third stoppage victory of his career to move to 9-0 in a fight that introduced him to boxing fans across the UK in impressive style. Quartermaine, heartily cheered on by hundreds of passionate fans, totally outclassed a 40-fight veteran in Christian Lopez Flores, knocking him down twice before the referee felt Flores couldn’t continue in the final seconds, much to Flores’s protestations.

Quartermaine looks set to rise quickly through the ranks of British boxing. With solid boxing skill, genuine knockout punch power, and a large number of impassioned fans, there could be no limit to how far he could go.

Full Card Results: 

Joshua Buatsi def. Pavel Stepian –

Lauren Price def. Kirstie Bavington – UD (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Ben Whittaker def. Jordan Grant – KO Rd 3 (0:13)

Tyler Denny def. Macaulay McGowan – SD (96-94, 96-94, 93-97)

Sean McComb def. Kaisee Benjamin – UD (97-94, 97-93, 96-95)

Shakan Pitters def. Joel McIntyre – PTS (80-72)

Cori Gibbs def. Jimmy First – PTS (78-74)

Danny Quartermaine def. Christian Lopez Flores – TKO Rd 4 (2:58)

Joshua Buatsi has Artur Beterbiev’s collection of world titles in his sights next – provided he first gets past Poland’s undefeated Pawel Stepien tomorrow night atop the BOXXER card airing live on Sky Sports Showcase and Sky Sports Action from 7pm.

“[A win] gives me a shot at three belts. If it’s offered to me, I’m not going to turn it down,” Buatsi said today.

“You can never override Beterbiev. That’s a long reigning champion for a reason. Not by chance, not by anything. 

“I think there’s things he does well as a champion but I also bet on myself and say there’s things that I do well as a fighter. But let me get in the ring [tomorrow night] and show something.”

Buatsi weighed in today in Birmingham along with the rest of the fighters taking part in tomorrow night’s event, including history-making Lauren Price MBE and her opponent Kirstie Bavington, who will compete for the inaugural women’s British Championship, the first such championship sanctioned in Britain in the nation’s 114-year history of professional boxing championship titles.

Also on the card, rising star Ben ‘The Surgeon’ Whittaker – a 2020 Olympic silver medalist – hit the scales to make the light-heavyweight limit for what will be his third professional bout tomorrow night.

Today’s weights were as follows:

12 x 3 mins  Light-Heavyweight Contest @ 12st 7lbs 

Joshua Buatsi – 12st 6lbs

Pawel Stepien – 12st 7lbs

10 x 2 mins  Welterweight Contest @10st 7lbs      

Lauren Price – 10st 6lbs 5oz

Kirstie Bavington – 10st 6lbs

6 x 3 mins  Light-Heavyweight Contest @ 12st 10lbs

Ben Whittaker – 12st 6lbs 5oz 

Jordan “the Game” Grant – 12st 7lbs

10 x 3 mins Middleweight Contest @ 11st  6llbs

Macaulay McGowan – 11st 5lbs

Tyler Denny – 11st 5lbs 5oz

10 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight Contest @ 10st 2lbs

Sean McComb – 9st 13lbs 5oz

Kaisee Benjamin – 10st

8 x 3 mins Light-Heavyweight Contest @ 12st 10lbs

Shakan Pitters – 12st 11lbs

Joel McIntyre – 12st 10lbs 5oz

6/8 x 3 mins  Lightweight Contest @ 9st 12lbs

Cori Gibbs – 9st 11lbs

Jimmy “The Fist” First – 9st 10lbs 5oz

4 x 3 mins Lightweight @9st 11lbs

Danny Quartermaine – 9st 5lbs 

Christian Lopez Flores – 9st 8lbs 5oz

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – (May 4, 2023) -World championship belts: that’s the goal for Joshua Buatsi in 2023 as he returns to the ring aiming to put the light-heavyweight division on notice and resume his world title campaign in the main event of the BOXXER: CROWNING GLORY event taking place this Saturday night at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena.

Unified world champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol are both on Buatsi’s radar – but world title opportunities depend on Buatsi successfully handling Poland’s undefeated Pawel Stepien this weekend atop a main card airing live from 7pm on Sky Sports Action and Sky Showcase.

“When you win an amateur tournament you come back with something tangible, a medal to show people,” the 2016 Olympic bronze medal winner told a busy pre-fight press conference today.

“In the professional ranks the equivalent is a world title belt and that’s what I want: something tangible to show people that I am the world champion. So the aim this year is to have something tangible to show the people.”

Buatsi is determined to force his way to a world shot, while Poland’s Stepien is looking for an upset that would see him seize the Londoner’s place at the top of the WBA rankings and position himself for a championship fight.

The two unbeaten boxers are putting their future plans on the line in Saturday’s fight.

“Buatsi is a very good fighter. I have watched and studied his fights and I’m happy that I can step in the ring with him on Saturday night and test my skills,” said Stepien.

“This is the height of my career. I’m even more happy that I’m in the main event.”

“He’s a good boxer, represented his country, which I must give credit to,” he said of Stepien. “I’m sure he’ll be strong and tough. But I’m here to win – there’s no other language, there’s no other thinking process, there’s no other thought. The aim is to win, and look good doing it.”

PRICE vs BAVINGTON

The bill also features a history-making event when Lauren Price and Kirstie Bavington fight for the first professional women’s British championship.

British championship belts for male boxers were inaugurated 114 years ago, but no female equivalent existed – until now.

Price is a trail-blazer who won Wales’ first Olympic boxing gold medal in 2021. But it is early in her pro career and Bavington is a seasoned fighter and a former European champion herself.

“It’s a beautiful looking belt as well. It’s great just to add more history to my name,” Price said. “I believe in myself and I’ll come out victorious. I know she’s game, she’s tough, she’s a pressure fighter, I believe I’m a level above.”

Bavington however will make sure the fight is no coronation for Price, who’s only had three professional fights so far in her career.

“She’s fighting me for 10 rounds. I’m here to win and that’s it. Come May 6 (Saturday), this is me, I’m going to bring that British title home.”

Price’s team-mate from Tokyo Games, Olympic silver medallist Ben Whittaker returns to action against Jordan “The Game” Grant.

Grant has taken exception to Whittaker’s comments and acknowledges there’s “needle” between them.

“It’ll be good when I beat him,” the Scotsman said. “I wouldn’t have taken this fight if I wasn’t confident. But obviously if you’re an Olympian and you’re getting medals you’re right up there in the boxing world. I’m under no illusions – it’s a mountain to climb, but it’ll be sweeter when I beat him. It’ll change my life. I’m ready for a war, so let’s go.”

Ben Whittaker and Jordan Grant continued to exchange words during the face-off ahead of their fight on Saturday night.

Whittaker however is certain that with his injury woes behind him, he is on course for another victory.

“‘The Surgeon’ is back. They call [my style] flash because they can’t do it. Saturday you’ll see more flash, more performances and why I’m special.”

Local men Kaisee Benjamin and Tyler Denny are relishing their bouts that will kick off the televised card, live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Showcase from 7pm on Saturday.

Benjamin fights Sean McComb, the skilled operator from Belfast, while Denny is boxing Macaulay McGowan, who like Denny is in good form.

“In front of the home crowd I’m looking to put on a dominant performance… I’m looking to come, win and do the business, and look good doing it as well.

“It’s a good fight, he’s a game fighter, I’m a game fighter and it’s going to match up really well. I can’t see it not being a great fight.

“It’s going to be fireworks.”

Saturday’s event begins with a live stream airing free on the Sky Sports Boxing YouTube channel at 5pm, followed by the main card which can be watched live from 7pm on Sky Showcase (for non-Sky Sports subscribers) and Sky Sports Action (for Sky Sports subscribers). 

LONDON, England – Wednesday, March 22 – BOXXER, the next generation boxing promotion, will warm up British boxing fans before the summer with three sizzling shows, stacked with some of the UK’s leading prize fighters – including its first-ever stadium show on home soil.

The headline news begins with BOXXER’s first-ever UK stadium show on Bank Holiday Weekend in May, as BOXXER heads back to Bournemouth for another blistering battle on the beach on Saturday, May 27, headlined by hometown hero Chris Billam-Smith (17-1, 12 KO’s). 

It takes place at the 15,000-capacity Vitality Stadium – home of Premier League football team AFC Bournemouth. An opponent for diehard Cherries supporter Billam-Smith will be revealed next Monday at a press conference in London (details to media will follow this week) in a main event that promises to be one of the fights of the year. 

“I think it will be an amazing event and an amazing show. To become number one in my division by winning at my team’s ground would be a dream. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. There’s been a lot of special moments there. Hopefully I can create another one,” said Billam-Smith.

And domestic cruiserweight quality will occupy the chief support slot on the South Coast with Mikael Lawal (17-0, 11 KO’s) making his first defence of the British Cruiserweight Championship he won by stopping David Jamieson in November.

Standing opposite him will be Isaac Chamberlain (14-2, 8 KO’s), making his second trip to Bournemouth following his unsuccessful attempt to take the Commonwealth and European cruiserweight belts from Billam-Smith in July last year.

Further fights will be announced in due course, along with ticket news for fight fans.

BOXXER’s terrific trio of electrifying events kicks off with ‘Crowning Glory’ on Saturday, May 6th at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham when newly-announced BOXXER signing Joshua Buatsi (16-0, 13 KO’s) makes his eagerly-anticipated promotional debut. 

On the day King Charles III is coronated, the former British light-heavyweight champion – who is ranked No.1 in the world by the WBA – faces Pawel Stepien (18-0-1, 12 KO’s) in the headline bout and looks to end his Polish rival’s undefeated record in emphatic fashion as he kicks off his conquest for a world title.

In big news, generational prodigy Ben Whittaker (2-0, 1 KO’s) will make his long-awaited return to the ring in home city of Birmingham.The enigmatic 2020 Olympic silver medallist has already captured fans’ hearts and imaginations with his stunning skills, entertaining showboating style and inhuman reflexes – and he’ll be looking to come back with a bang for what will be his third professional outing.

BOXXER’s first visit to the UK’s second city will also feature Birmingham man Tyler Denny (16-2-3) defending his English middleweight championship in his home city. Denny won the belt in Coventry in June last year and will be making his third defence in this May bout with an opponent to be confirmed.

And Team GB golden girl Lauren Price MBE (3-0, 1 KO) – the nation’s most decorated amateur fighter of all-time – will return, fresh from her impressive victory away from home in Paris where she outclassed Naomi Mannes.

On Saturday, June 10 we head to London where new school meets old school as the incredible Adam Azim (8-0, 6 KOs) competes at the historic York Hall which holds a special place in British boxing folklore.

Azim, 20, has been heralded as a future world champion and last month overcame Santos Reyes at Wembley’s OVO Arena to extend his incredible, unbeaten start to life as a professional fighter.

BOXXER Founder and CEO, Ben Shalom, said: “We are excited to announce phase one of what is a huge schedule coming up for BOXXER and Sky Sports.

“It’s amazing to see new headliners get to the top, new marquee signings start with us and the return of fighters from injury. It really is going to be a groundbreaking few months with career-defining fights and huge nights.

“A special thanks to Joe Ashford-Ellis and AFC Bournemouth for making everything possible for us to stage our first-ever UK stadium show – and a first for the Premier League club too.”

For further details on tickets and event news, head to BOXXER.com

These events will be presented in association with official partners Everlast, WOW HYDRATE and Village Hotels.

Lyndon Arthur will catapult himself above his domestic light heavyweight rivals by winning the vacant IBO world title, declared promoter Kalle Sauerland. 

The Manchester fighter tackles the heavy-handed Braian Suarez at the University of Bolton Stadium on Friday night, live and free-to-air on Channel 5 from 10pm, in association with Ladbrokes, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment. 

Arthur is part of a thriving UK scene at light heavyweight and Wasserman Head of Global Boxing, Sauerland, says defeating the dangerous Suarez would put the ‘King of the North’ at the top of the pile. 

The 31-year-old is refusing to look at potential mega-fights with Joshua Buatsi, Dan Azeez and Anthony Yarde just yet, but taking home the prestigious IBO belt on Friday night, will put Arthur in the driving seat to land those huge domestic clashes. 

Wasserman Head of Global Boxing, Kalle Sauerland said: “The light heavyweight division is a talking point in this country and there are some massive fights out there, internationally.  

“And on Friday night, the King of the North, Lyndon Arthur, can put himself above Buatsi, above Yarde, above Azeez by winning the IBO world title. Those fights can come, and they will come. 

“But it is a tough mission in front of Lyndon on Friday night. Suarez has close to a 90% knockout ratio and I don’t think the judges will be needed. I am confident in our man. He has been overlooked but on Friday night, Lyndon will have more viewers than Yarde, Buatsi and Azeez did in their last two fights, put together. 

“And no-one else in the UK light heavyweight division will have one of these world titles, if we are successful. A win puts us ahead in the race. Yarde put in a strong performance against Beterbiev but, at the end of the day, he was still well short.” 

Manchester hero Lyndon Arthur said: “Suarez is a good fighter who has good power and I’m excited to see what he brings. 

“My focus is only on Suarez and winning the IBO title. After Friday night, I will speak about those other fights that have been mentioned.”

The dangerous Braian Suarez said: “I am so thankful for this opportunity, and I will do everything in my hands to bring the victory home to Argentina. 

“I hope to win by KO, but the priority is just to win. Like every boxer, Arthur has weaknesses. I am not going to tell you what they are, but I am going to take advantage of them.” 

Arthur and Suarez headline a stunning first show of 2023 for Wasserman Boxing, with the 12 fight card delivering 50-50 contests, a title eliminator and a host of local, national and international stars. 

The future of female boxing in the flyweight division, the formidable Chloe Watson, has her fifth pro contest, while Kane Garnder and Conah Walker clash in a tasty looking super lightweight meeting. 

Lyndon Arthur vs Braian Suarez, for the IBO World Light Heavyweight Title is live and free-to-air on Channel 5 at 10pm on Friday.

Tickets are available from Wassermanboxing.com 

London, UK – (March 15, 2023) – The incredible Great British world title prospect Joshua Buatsi (16-0, 13 KOs) has a new home: BOXXER.

The undefeated light-heavyweight contender was today unveiled as the latest star-name addition to the BOXXER and Sky Sports stable at a press conference in his hometown of Croydon, London. 

The former British light-heavyweight champion, who celebrated his 30th birthday yesterday, has signed an exclusive multi-fight, multi-year agreement with BOXXER which will see his forthcoming world title quest air live and exclusively in the UK on the nation’s biggest sports broadcast platform. 

His first fight under the BOXXER banner will be live and exclusive on Sky Sports, in the UK & Republic of Ireland, on May 6 at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.

A bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, Buatsi joins a roster packed with fellow Olympians, including Lauren Price, Ben Whittaker, Frazer Clarke, Natasha Jonas, Karriss Artingstall and Caroline Dubois.

With sixteen professional wins and a two-year stint as WBA International light-heavyweight champion to his credit, Buatsi is now set on winning major world titles in one of boxing’s most competitive weight divisions.

BOXXER CEO & Founder, Ben Shalom said: “We’re incredibly proud and excited to welcome Joshua Buatsi to the BOXXER stable. He is an exemplary role model and one of the most talented fighters we have in this country. 

“Buatsi wants the biggest fights possible in front of the largest possible audience to achieve his unlimited potential.  He feels he wants to make up for lost time and we’re looking forward to sharing this journey with him, as he sets out to bring major nights and titles to Britain.”

Joshua Buatsi said: “I want to get the biggest fights on the biggest, most accessible platform for sports fans, so that’s why I’ve signed with BOXXER and Sky Sports.”

News of Buatsi’s first fight under the BOXXER banner will be announced in the near future. His last outing – a clash with Craig Richards in May last year – was widely considered one of British boxing’s fights of the year for 2022.

Prior to commencing his professional career, Buatsi graduated with a 2:1 degree in Management with Sports Science from St Mary’s University, Twickenham, studying alongside an amateur boxing career which saw him net two English national championships in addition to his Olympic bronze.

Joshua Buatsi remained undefeated with a 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Craig Richards at The O2 Arena in London.

Buatsi, 174.75 lbs of Croydon, ENG won by scores of 116-112 and 115-113 twice and is now 16-0. Richards, 174.25 lbs of Crystal Palace, ENG is 17-3-1.

Cameron Decisions Bustos; Retains Unified 140 lb. Titles

Chantelle Cameron defended the WBC/IBG Super Lightweight titles with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Victoria Bustos.

Cameron, 140 lbs of Northamptonm ENG won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 16-0. Bustos, 137.3 lbs of Rosario, ARG is now 23-.

Babic Decisions Balski

Alen Babic went the distance for the first time and won a 10-round unanimous decision over Adam Balski in a bridgerweight fight.

In round one, Balski dropped Babic with a left hook to the top of the head.

Balski was deducted a point for clocking and hurting Babic after hitting after the ninth round bell.

Babic, 208.4 lbs of Zagreb, CRO won by scores of 97-91 twice and 95-93 and is now 11-0. Balski, 210.2 lbs of Warsaw, POL is 16-2.

Scotney Decisions Roman

Ellie Scotney won a 10-round unanimous decision over former world champion Cecilla Roman in a super bantamweight bout.

Scotney, 121.7 lbs of Catford, ENG won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 5-0. Roman, 121.7 lbs of San Juan, ARG is 16-7-1.

Davies Jr. Decisions Javier Molina

Robbie Davies Jr. won a 10-round split-decision over former United States Olympian Javier Molina in a super lightweight fight.

Davies Jr., 139.75 lbs of Liverpool, ENG won by scores of 96-94 twice while Molina took a card 97-94.

Davies Jr. is 23-3. Molina, 139.75 lbs of Norwalk, CA is 22-5.

Cheavon Clarke remained undefeated with a third round stoppage over Paweil Martyniuk in a scheduled six-round cruiserweight bout.

In round three, Clarke dropped Martyniuk with a body shot. Seconds later, it was another body shot that put Martyniyuk down and the fight was stopped at 1:10.

Clarke, 199 lbs of Gravesend, ENG is 2-0 with two knockouts.

Cyrus Pattinson remained undefeated with a third-round stoppage over Dimitri Trenel in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

In round three, Pattinson dropped Trenel with a left to the body. Seconds later, a flurry of shots that were mostly to the body had the corner throw in the towel at 2:21

Pattinson, 150 lbs of Alnwick, ENG is 4-0 with two knockouts. Trenel, 149.9 lbs of Dainville, FRA is 8-1.

John Hedges stopped Robert Baltrau in round three of a six-round light heavyweight contest.

In round three, Hedges landed a perfect left that sent Baltaru to the canvas. Baltaru got to his feet but the fight was stopped at 2:24.

Hedges, 182.7 lbs of Talkaley, ENG is now 6-0 with two knockouts. Baltaru, 181.2 lbs of Braga, PR is 2-1-1.

Shiloh DeFreitas remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Iliyan Markov in a super lightweight contest.

In round three, Markov began to bleed from his mouth. In round six, DeFreitas with a right to the body.

DeFreitas, 146.75 lbs of London won by a score of 60-54 and is now 4-0. Markov, 146 lbs of Sofia, Bulgaria is 6-20-2.

16:45 BST FIRST FIGHT LIVE ON BEFORE THE BELL 

6 x 3 mins International Super-Lightweight contest
SHILOH DEFREITAS 146lbs 12oz v ILIYAN MARKOV 146lbs  
(London, England)                             (Sofia, Bulgaria)

followed by

6 x 3 mins International Light-Heavyweight contest
JOHN HEDGES 182lbs 11oz v ROBERT BALTARU 181lbs 3oz
(Takeley, England)                     (Braga, Portugal)

followed by

8 x 3 mins International Welterweight contest
CYRUS PATTINSON 150lbs v DIMITRI TRENEL 149lbs 15oz
(Alnwick, England)                  (Dainville, France)

followed by

6 x 3 mins International Cruiserweight contest
CHEAVON CLARKE 199lbs 1oz v PAWEIL MARTYNIUK 196lbs
(Gravesend, England)                    (Warsaw, Poland)

followed by

19:00 BST LIVE ON DAZN

10 x 3 mins WBA Continental Super-Lightweight Title 
ROBBIE DAVIES JR 139lbs 12oz v JAVIER MOLINA 139lbs 12oz      
(Liverpool, England)                         (Norwalk, USA)

followed by

10 x 2 mins WBA Intercontinental Super-Bantamweight Title
ELLIE SCOTNEY 121lbs 8oz v CECILLA ROMAN 121lbs 8oz
(Catford, England)                      (San Juan, Argentina)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBC Silver Bridgerweight Title 
ALEN BABIC 208lbs 6oz v ADAM BALSKI 210lbs 3oz      
(Zagreb, Croatia)                 (Warsaw, Poland)

followed by

10 x 2 mins WBC and IBF Super-Lightweight World Titles
CHANTELLE CAMERON 140lbs v VICTORIA NOELLA BUSTOS 137lbs 5oz
(Northampton, England)                 (Rosario, Argentina)

followed by
 
12 x 3 mins WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title Eliminator
JOSHUA BUATSI 174lbs 12oz v CRAIG RICHARDS 174lbs 4oz         
(Croydon, England)                     (Crystal Palace, England)

Joshua Buatsi:

“I think there’s always people to prove wrong Eddie… The talking is nearly done. We’re going to find out on Saturday. The switch hasn’t flicked yet. I don’t think it personally flicked during that face off but we are two or three days away and the switch will definitely flick.

“The struggle from camp, I’ve got that in me. And I know how I want to perform on Saturday. And it’s time to show it because camp was very hard. And I’ve paid the price but someone else has got to pay it now.

“The way that life is now, I go anywhere I need to go to improve. It happened to be in the States. It happened to be in Cali and that’s where I’m at. We all have one career. So wherever I have to be, that’s where I have to be. My family my friends understand that when it’s all over we can party and we can celebrate. But for now Saturday is what’s next.

“Every boxer has got an ego. Everyone sitting on this table has an ego and wants to win. Who here wants to go into a fight and lose? No hands. See what I’m saying. 

“I win by being myself. You can look at the stats and say ‘oh this is how he usually wins, this is the style that he fights’, but I’m going to bring it and I’m in it to win it. There’s no other way.”

Craig Richards:

“100% Eddie, I do believe that I’ll be victorious otherwise I would it be here today. I believe all the fights that I’ve taken have put me in good stead.

“I just say what I want to say. If I feel something I say it.

“It’s not personal to Josh, I just believe that I’m the best in the division. I’m very good at adapting to fighters. I’ve got a very good IQ and it just depends on what I want to bring and what I’ve got in the toolbox that night. And I believe I’ve got the tools to get the job done on Saturday night. It’s not personal to him it’s just that I believe I have the ability to beat anyone. 

“I’ve got to keep proving the doubters wrong.”

Chantelle Cameron:

“I know this is gonna be a tough fight, but that’s what I want. I want the tough fights. I want to prove that I’m a worthy World champion.

 “If the stoppage comes, it’ll be nice… I’m hitting harder and I’m fitter. We’ve been working on a few tactics and I think that my punches are going to be a bit more hurtful yeah.”

Victoria Bustos:

“Whenever I prepare for any fight I prepare really really well… we have prepared excellently.

“I think the fight is going to be a fantastic one on Saturday. I think it’s going to be quite strategic and tactical you know. 

“Whenever I’ve been called upon for an opportunity, I never say no… I step up. And this is the same case on Saturday. 

“In terms of Saturday night, it’s all about not missing the opportunity… but you never know, fights can be great and they can turn out brilliantly but let’s see how this one’s going to go.”

Alen Babic:

“I’m fulfilling my dream every time I come here. I’m in the best shape of my life. 

“I expect this to be another knockout, a crazy knockout. I’m not just going there to box. I’m back to my old self. I’m just going to try to knockout this guy. I respect him and he respects me. It’s all good.

“Let’s all just end careers by The Savage! 

“I don’t have opinions. I just do stuff and that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Adam Balksi:

“As long as I can remember my friends from Poland lost when they came here, but I’m here to win.

“First of all I do respect my opponent, but he might not have too much experience in boxing. We will see on Saturday in the ring.”

Robbie Davies Jr:

“Every fight that gets offered now, I just accept them all and leave them all to the team. They will sort it out and I’ll fight them all.”

Javier Molina:

“I know Robbie is a tough fighter and I’m coming off of two losses against two tough fighters. 

“I’m coming back down to my natural weight and I’ve been training hard. After two losses I never questioned my ability or what I could do in the sport. The only thing I questioned was what I need to adjust.”

Ellie Scotney:

“I’ve stepped up every fight and I’m winning too so Saturday night is another step and I really got a step up so I’ll make sure that I do.”

Cecilia Roman:

“When you except a defeat, it’s not something that holds you back forever. It brings more will to come back and perseverance. I’ve got a huge desire to perform well this weekend.”

Cheavon Clarke:

“Yeah fight number two! I’m looking forward to it just to correct things that I didn’t do right in fight number one.

“I don’t think many people can say they’ve had back to back fights at The O2 at the start of their careers. So I’m excited for that! And also we’re in London, my home city so lots of people can come and watch. Looking forward to putting on a performance.”

Cyrus Pattinson:

“You’ve just got to dust yourself off and carry-on. 

“When you cannot control what happens in a situation, you have to control how you respond and that’s all I’ve been trying to do, staying positive.

 “I definitely feel like I’m transitioning to the pros now. I want to have one more fight at eight rounds and then I think I’m ready.”

John Hedges:

“This is my third one on the spin at The O2 so can’t complain at all. I’m getting spoiled here! 

 “I want to show development and keep on improving … and hopefully just keep the ball rolling so that performances get better.

Shiloh Defreitas:

“For this fight I’ve learned something different about myself. This fight you’re going to see a different side to me, a spiteful side.

“I chose the harder route on purpose because it makes me develop and it makes me try harder and push harder.”

Craig Richards believes he will prove he is the best Light-Heavyweight in Britain – and book himself a well-earned second shot at World title honours with a London derby win over Joshua Buatsi at The O2 this Saturday May 21, shown live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).

Richards (17-2-1, 10 KOs) is hunting down another crack at the WBA belt that he’s already boxed for, and he bounced back from a slender defeat to champion Dmitry Bivol a year ago by stopping Marek Matyja in this arena in October to land the vacant WBA International belt.

‘Spider’ knows that while he’s boxed for a World title, this could be as big a night as that event, with his fellow South Londoner touted as a World Champion in waiting since turning pro with Eddie Hearn after landing Olympic bronze in 2016.

Richards concedes that his opposite number has the pedigree, but he feels he’s done the harder yards in the paid ranks to date, and that will be the difference on the night.

“It’s an exciting fight,” said Richards. “He’s been talked about as being ‘the guy’ in the division but I believe I’ve earned my place as ‘the guy’ in the division. People base that for him off speculation and for me off my wins, the talking is over now, and we’ll see who is number one.

“He did well as an amateur around the world and in the Olympics, you can’t argue with that. Are those skills transferable to the pros? He was tipped to be one of the fighters from that crop of Olympians to do big things. As a professional I’ve jumped into deep waters and proved myself, I’ve been the underdog time and time again. 

“We’re yet to see that from Josh, there hasn’t been a fight he’s been in that anyone has said, ‘this is a 50-50 fight, I think Josh could lose this fight’. Talking about who has the better CV, he’s unbeaten but I’ve had the hard fights. He’s had that amateur pedigree and has been guided into a safer journey. He’s earned that right of course, but with me I have had to jump in, sink or swim, and he’s played it safe, but the safety cap is off now.”

Wins over domestic foes Shakan Pitters and Jake Ball shine on Richards’ resume, but recent events make his loss against Bivol stand out for different reasons. The Crystal Palace man gave the long reigning champion the stiffest examination of his tenure at the top when they met in Manchester, with the champion retaining the belt on points, but only by one and two rounds on two of the cards.

Bivol is now a major player on the world stage having successfully defended his title earlier this month in a stunning display against Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas – a performance that has shone a new light on Richards’ own effort against the unbeaten WBA ruler.

“If you see the performance I put in against Bivol against the performance Canelo put in, our fight was closer,” said Richards. “If I had started a bit quicker, I could have won the fight and I gave him problems. I had to go through negative commentary, people pushing this agenda that ‘Bivol had an off-night’. Every time I beat someone, they have an off night. How come it can’t be that I am good, and I am making these fighters look not as good as people say because of my skill? 

“Bivol said of me, that my IQ was good, it was a thinking fight and that I was setting traps for him and was reading what I was going to do. He even said to Eddie afterwards backstage, ‘where the f*** did you find this guy?’ He was impressed with me and said I was good. We both knew the fight was close and he got the nod, but he knew I did well. 

“Saturday is what matters – getting credit now or then it doesn’t really change anything. If I don’t go and perform, everything I’ve done is dead and buried. I’ve dealt with a lot of negatives around my performances and my career, I think that the my Bivol performance and then his win over Canelo is going to increase the attention and that people will see I gave him a harder fight and that might change people’s opinions of May 21. 

“Joshua believes in himself, and he just wants to execute the plan in his head, he won’t be thinking of me, and Bivol won’t change that. I’ve been the underdog many times and it never bothers me; it doesn’t change the outcome for me – you still have to do the work in there.”

Buatsi vs. Richards tops a huge night of action in London, Northampton’s WBC and IBF Super-Lightweight World Champion Chantelle Cameron (15-0, 8 KOs) defends her crowns against Argentina’s former World Champion Victoria Noelia Bustos (23-6) as she waits for a date for her huge Undisputed clash with WBA and WBO ruler Kali Reis.

Big hitting Croat Alen ‘The Savage’ Babic (10-0, 10 KOs) will look to keep his destructive knockout streak going when he takes on Poland’s Adam Balski (16-1, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBC Silver Bridgerweight Title.

Liverpool’s Robbie Davies Jr (22-3, 15 KOs) aims to build on his impressive stoppage win over Henry Lundy back in December when he puts his WBA Continental Super-Lightweight Title on the line against another American Javier Molina (22-4, 9 KOs).

Catford’s Ellie Scotney (4-0) was made to work hard as she battled past Jorgelina Guanini to earn the WBA Intercontinental Super-Bantamweight crown at the famous Alexandra Palace in February – she puts that belt on the line against Argentina’s former World Champion Maria Roman (16-6-1).

Elsewhere on the card there’s action for Takeley Light-Heavyweight youngster ‘The Gentleman’ John Hedges (5-0, 1 KO), former Team GB Olympian turned Cruiserweight prospect Cheavon Clarke (1-0, 1 KO), Alnwick Welterweight Cyrus Pattinson (3-0, 1 KO) and London Super-Lightweight talent Shiloh ‘Sugar Shy’ Defreitas (3-0, 2 KOs).

Remaining tickets for Buatsi vs. Richards are available to purchase from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk).

Joshua Buatsi wants to leave no doubt that he’s the leading Light-Heavyweight in the country when he faces South London rival Craig Richards in a huge clash at The O2 this Saturday May 21, shown live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).

Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) finally gets his hands on one of his fellow high-flying domestic rivals at 175lbs, with Richards hunting down a second World title shot after rising to the occasion in a tight loss to Dmitry Bivol last May in Manchester. 

Richards’ performance against the WBA champion looks more impressive after Bivol produced a masterclass to defeat Mexican pound for pound king Canelo Alvarez earlier in the month, and the Crystal Palace man has been bullish in the build-up, saying that he is Buatsi’s first real test in the paid ranks.

The Olympic bronze medal man has adopted the mantra ‘Just Business’ in and out of the ring for the clinical way he goes about his work, and while there’s local bragging rights up for grabs against Richards, Buatsi knows that victory would lay the foundation to both claim the number one spot in the country and underline the need for a World title shot to be next.

“I am the best in the country,” said Buatsi. “The truth is though; we haven’t fought each other. Spider is the first Light-Heavyweight in Britain that I am boxing, so from there I can make a point of it. Everyone can say they are the best, but until someone gets a World title to separate themselves, then everyone has a point to make, and we are the first to really fight. 

“He is saying I haven’t proved myself, but I don’t think that’s true. We were both amateurs, he fought, I fought, we entered the same tournaments, and I went on and did what I did. So, he cannot say that I’ve had an easier route, just because I went to the Olympics and did well. I killed myself for that medal, gave everything for it, so the narrative people have said and that he’s said too, I don’t think it’s true. 

“I think I had that 50-50 fight against Ricards Bolotniks. A few of the governing bodies had him in their top five. I didn’t rank him, they ranked him. He was a very good opponent and I stopped him. His management team said that they rated me for taking the fight, because all the other Light-Heavyweights in the country didn’t want to fight him. We didn’t think twice. 

“Craig had a good scrap with Bivol, but people have forgotten about it. I beat Bolotniks and people have forgotten about that too, that’s just what happens, but we’re here now. There wasn’t a lot of options out there, it was a fight that was being pushed and I said, ‘cool let’s take it’. It’s a good fight, he’s a good opponent, it’s in London. I have the same mindset and I’ll handle business as usual.

“I’m unbeaten but that means nothing to me. I haven’t got time to listen to the masses. He’s in front of me and that’s all that matters, not who is one or two, just the fight that’s happening and that’s what is in front of me. We’re not talking, we’re not making assumptions, we’re not predicting – we know that May 21 this is the guy I have got.

“I am better than him 100 per cent. Come on. I’ve looked at him in the eyes and he knows who I am. You don’t need to explain. I don’t need to talk smack and I don’t need the media. I love my private life. I’ve got opinions, but I don’t care about social media or any of that. Forget the image, when I fight, it’s straight violence. I carry myself in a certain way, but when I get in the ring, it’s straight violence. In professional boxing we’re all carrying ourselves in a certain way, but the brakes are off when I’m in the ring. The talking doesn’t do it, the fighting does.

“The reality is we’re going to fight. I have a self-belief, not everyone thinks I’m good or the next big thing, and that’s ok, I don’t care what the masses say. Whatever I must do, I will do and in that ring, I know in myself that I will find a way to win and do what I have to do. Winning by any formula.  I’ve looked at him, I’ve seen him, I know what is going to happen to him and he knows too.”

Remaining tickets for Buatsi vs. Richards are available to purchase from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk).

Alen Babic will look to keep his destructive knockout streak going when he takes on Adam Balski for the vacant WBC Silver Bridgerweight Title on the undercard of Joshua Buatsi’s huge domestic Light-Heavyweight clash with Craig Richards at The O2 in London on Saturday May 21, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).
 
The big-hitting Croat took six rounds to take out Frenchman David Spilmont on the undercard of Joseph Parker’s rematch with Derek Chisora last time out in December – taking ‘The Savage’s’ record to ten knockouts from ten fights since turning pro in July 2019.
 
Northampton’s WBC and IBF Super-Lightweight World Champion Chantelle Cameron (15-0, 8 KOs) defends her crowns against Argentina’s former World Champion Victoria Noelia Bustos (23-6) as she waits for a date for her huge Undisputed clash with WBA and WBO ruler Kali Reis.
 
Liverpool’s Robbie Davies Jr (22-3, 15 KOs) looks to build on his impressive stoppage win over Henry Lundy back in December when he puts his WBA Continental Super-Lightweight Title on the line against another American Javier Molina (22-4, 9 KOs).
 
Catford’s Ellie Scotney (4-0) was made to work hard as she battled past Jorgelina Guanini to earn the WBA Intercontinental Super-Bantamweight crown at the famous Alexandra Palace in February – she puts that belt on the line against Argentina’s former World Champion Maria Cecilia Roman (16-6-1).
 
Elsewhere on the card there’s action for Takeley Light-Heavyweight youngster ‘The Gentleman’ John Hedges (5-0, 1 KO), former Team GB Olympian turned Cruiserweight prospect Cheavon Clarke (1-0, 1 KO) and London Super-Lightweight talent Shiloh ‘Sugar Shy’ Defreitas (3-0, 2 KOs).

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:

“Welcome to London, a huge press conference for a fantastic fight. I say Domestic fight, but also a fight that has such huge ramifications for the world 175lbs scene.

“Joshua Buatsi, Olympic bronze medallist against Craig Richards, a man who’s won British Titles, challenged for the World Title as well. This is a kind of fight that gets me excited, this is the kind of fight that seems so obvious. Two brilliant Domestic fighters but also two world class fighters as well.

“A World Title challenger in Craig Richards and a man that many believe is destined for greatness at 175lbs. I want to thank to teams of both fighters; you need to understand these guys know each other. One from Croydon and one from Crystal Palace, a stone’s throw from each other and they’ve known each other for many years.

“Sometimes in boxing they don’t want to make these fights, trainers, managers, advisors, fighters – ‘we’ll wait for our World Title shot’. You need to stop waiting, fighters out there that are queuing up for a World Title shot that is not imminent, don’t stall your career when you could be involved in brilliant fights, fights that could take your career to another level. That’s what we’ve got May 21 in London.”

Joshua Buatsi:

“A few months ago, I sat in your [Eddie’s] office and said get me these fights, there’s good Light-Heavyweights in the country so it’s good to mix it with one of them. As fighters you go to shows and watch, when there’s a main event with a buzz you think I wish I was in there. I’ve got mine now, for me it’s’ now just preparing for May 21, Spider will bring his A game but I’m ready.

“I wouldn’t dub it as the hardest test, for me, it’s just the most important fight in my career right now. It’s the next fight, the fight I must win, last time with Bolotniks but this time it’s Spider. I’ll prepared as diligently as I do, come May 21 I’ll be ready.

“I have to thank Matchroom and Spider’s team, also my team, for making this fight happen. Fighters can tend to wait for the opportunity, for me currently it’s looking a bit tricky, but I’ve got a good fight and that’s what I’m concentrating on.

“I think that [Canelo] makes this a big fight for me, makes it even more important. I know what is at stake, what the reward is and that’s what I said when I was in Arizona. I’ll fight these guys as long as I know what’s next. This may lead to a World Title fight next so for me, I’m easy, no matter who it is I’m prepared.

“I’m at the point where I want to fight these guys, I want to get into these big fights. May 21 is the first stop and when we handle that, we deal with whoever is next.” 

“This is nothing new, outside I’m cool and calm probably like a lot of boxers but when I’m in that ring I know what time it is. I know what I need to do, and the situation is, nice guys come last and that’s what it is in the ring. Outside the ring be how you want to be, but in that ring, I know what I have to do. In May I’ll be ready.”

Craig Richards:

“I think this was a fight that was always going to be in the pipeline, I believed I was going to get to world level, I believed he [Buatsi] was obviously destined for world level as well so we knew our paths would cross at some point. It’s a good clash.

“For myself, I want to get back into the mix, challenge and win a World Title. I think this is the bridge to cross to make that happen today.

“Obviously I’ve been thrown in the deep end a few times and I’ve just been swimming and swimming. I have no regrets because that’s what has put me in this position today, I’ve had a lot of domestic clashes, grudge matches and cross path fights. That’s all built my experience and ability to be confident enough to go in to win and win on May 21.

“I believe if I didn’t have those fights, it would be a harder fight, if this fight was scheduled without the experience. I’m ready to go, that’s what’s made me confident, I’m seeing the growth in myself every fight and every week, every day in gym. I’m just looking forward to going out and perform, showing that experience of the hard route.

“If you look at the titles I’ve won at Light-Heavyweight, I think three of the fights I was the underdog in those. When I beat Jake Ball, I was a massive underdog, they wrote me off and I went out there, delivered and got the knockout. My last title fight I was the favourite, but it didn’t mean anything different, I went out and delivered. If the bookies want to sleep on me that’s up to them. The same person is in front of me, I’m not interested in the bookies or what people say, I’ve got a job to do, and I’ll deliver.

“Josh is going to the gym to iron out all of his flaws fight by fight, what I have seen is that he showed heart and grit. I know he’s got the will to win, and he will come to win. Like the other unbeaten fighters I’ve faced, more importantly, they’ve more will to win. I know he isn’t going to come out and lie down, that’s for me to go and prepare to make sure I get the task done.

“He’s not a stupid guy, he’s very intelligent, he’s not silly enough to just gas himself up saying yeah, I’m going to walk over Richards. I know he’s going to be preparing very hard, he’s going to invest in his camp and preparing diligently for me.

“I’m not going to be looking at him thinking this is a walk over, I’ll be preparing just as hard if not harder for him. We both know we’re in for a solid fight May 21 and I don’t anyone’s sleeping in each other. I believe we’ll both be well prepared and bringing out A games May 21.

“I think I’ve got the capabilities to win in any way, the most important thing is to prepare all-round the board. I’ve got to be prepared for everything, at this level you can’t just say I’m going to win it by a jab or closing him down. You’ve got prepare for Plan A, B, C or D, you might have to get rough and ready or box and be clever. It all depends on the night, you’ve just got to make sure you’ve prepared, have all your game plans and be fit, ready and strong. On the night just make it happen, listen to your team most importantly and execute what you need to win the fight.”

Joshua Buatsi will face former World Title challenger Craig Richards in a huge all London Light-Heavyweight clash on Saturday May 21, live worldwide on DAZN (excluding New Zealand and Australia).

Croydon’s Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) scored his tenth knockout in a row when he stopped Latvia’s Ricards Bolotniks in the eleventh round of their WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title Eliminator on the third and final week of Matchroom Fight Camp in August. 

The 29-year-old was set to face Russia’s former World Title challenger Maxim Vlasov on the undercard of Joseph Parker’s rematch with Derek Chisora at the AO Arena in Manchester in December before suffering a hand injury. 

Crystal Palace’s former British Light-Heavyweight Champion Richards (17-2-1, 10 KOs) put in a spirited display as he pushed WBA Light-Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol all the way in his first World Title attempt in May 2021.

‘Spider’ returned to winning ways at The O2 last October on the Cameron vs. McGee undercard, impressively stopping Poland’s Marek Matyja in six rounds to earn the vacant WBA International Light-Heavyweight Title. 

“Two London boys coming together, it’s going to be a huge night,” said Buatsi. “The Light-Heavyweight scene in this country is thriving and I’m glad that we are able to get one of the biggest fights made. The crowd are going to be in for a treat. I am coming to win and nothing else, I am sure Richards is doing the same. He had a close fight with Bivol so will want to make things straight, but I have other plans. Win well and then push onto the World Title by any means necessary.”

“We’re two top tier fighters from the UK,” said Richards. “This is one of the biggest London domestic clashes for a long time. This is a very exciting fight for us both, but also one the fans will enjoy. Buatsi has got his plans and I’m sure he be well prepared, but nobody is going to stop me from fulfilling my destiny of becoming a World Champion! He is a solid competitor and will be coming to win, but I am confident and believe I have the tools to get the job done. I proved myself at world level and I’m eager to prove that’s where I belong.”

“A big well done and thank you to Joshua and Craig for taking this fight, it’s exactly the kind of fight boxing should be making,” said Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman. “Two domestic Light-Heavyweights on the verge of a World Title shot decide to put it on the line rather than wait in a queue, giving us a fantastic battle of London that can only be a thriller.”

“Who doesn’t love a big domestic dust up? And this certainly fits that description, what a fantastic fight this is set to be,” said Ed Breeze, EVP Rights at DAZN. “With an electric Light-Heavyweight scene in the UK, Joshua Buatsi will face a big test on May 21 against former World Title challenger Craig Richards. This will be all out action from start to finish, all live and exclusively on DAZN.”

*Venue to be confirmed tomorrow at launch press conference

Joshua Buatsi will face former World Title challenger Maxim Vlasov on the undercard of Joseph Parker’s huge rematch with Derek Chisora at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday December 18, live worldwide on DAZN (with the exception of New Zealand and Samoa).

Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) scored his tenth knockout in a row when he stopped Latvia’s Ricards Bolotniks in the eleventh round of their WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title Eliminator on the third and final week of Matchroom Fight Camp in August. 

That win followed on from his brutal fourth-round stoppage of undefeated Frenchman Daniel Blenda Dos Santos in May and the 28-year-old contender returns to the famous arena next month to take on his toughest challenge yet in the professional ranks. 

Russia’s Vlasov (45-4, 26 KOs) dropped a controversial twelve-round majority decision to the USA’s Joe Smith in a challenge for the vacant WBO Light-Heavyweight World Title earlier this year and the former Interim Cruiserweight World Title challenger is determined to bounce back by becoming the first man to defeat Buatsi.  

Also on the card, undefeated New Malden Super-Middleweight talent Lerrone Richards (15-0, 3 KOs) looks to build on his impressive EBU European Title win against Giovanni De Carolis in May when he takes on unbeaten IBO 168lbs World Champion Carlos Gongora (20-0, 15 KOs).

Gongora created history by becoming Ecuador’s first ever World Champion when he scored a spectacular twelfth-round knockout win over Kazakhstan’s Ali Akhmedov last December before stopping Christopher Pearson in his maiden defence of the title on the Andrade vs. Williams undercard. 

‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ Jack Cullen (20-2-1, 9 KOs) returns to the scene of his Fight of the Year contender with Felix Cash back in 2019 as he clashes with Germany’s Emre Cukur (17-1, 3 KOs) for the vacant EBU European Super-Middleweight crown following his win over Avni Yildirim in July. 

Manchester Super-Featherweight contender Zelfa Barrett (26-1, 16 KOs) hopes to make it three wins from three fights in 2021 as he meets Australia’s Bruno ‘The Terminator’ Tarimo (26-2-2, 5 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the IBF World Title. 

Derby Super-Lightweight prospect Sandy Ryan (2-0, 1 KO) is out to impress again after her vicious body shot knockout win over Aleksandra Vujovic last month in Italy, unbeaten Cruiserweight Jordan ‘Troublesome’ Thompson (11-0, 9 KOs) looks for another big KO in his home city, New Zealand Cruiserweight David Nyika (1-0, 1 KO) fights in the UK for the first time and Anthony Crolla-trained Lightweight Rhiannon Dixon (3-0) returns to action. 

Tickets are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200 and £400 (VIP).

Matchroom Fight Pass members will be able to purchase tickets from 10am on Thursday November 4. Priority ticket info will be emailed directly to eligible members.

General Sale tickets can be purchased via StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk) from 10am on Friday November 5.

Joshua Buatsi stopped Ricards Bolotniks in round 11 of a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight bout at the Matchroom HQ in Essex, England

In round six, Buatsi dropped Bolotniks with a vicious left hook.

In round eight, Buatsi was deducted a point for a low blow. In round 11, Buatsi landed a booming right that sent Bolotniks to the deck and the fight was stopped at 2:08.

Buatsi, 174 3/4 lbs of Croydon, ENG is 15-0 with 13 knockouts. Bolotniks, 174 1/2 lbs of Riga, LAT is 18-6-1.

“Most importantly I have to thank God for the victory, different fighters have different things that work for them, I made it clear to you lot that that’s what works for me,” Buatsi told DAZN. “In my changing room I don’t need to hear anything, don’t tell me what I did in camp, tell me Josh is written in the bible. That’s what gears me up when I walk down there, what’s written in the bible.
 
“I’m grateful man, Bolotniks big credit to him he pushed me. I think he said Josh hasn’t been past seven rounds before so after seven we’ll see. I was there until 11 and landed a good shot. I worked every round, but I want to congratulate him – he’s a good champion.
 
“When I sat down, I said, ‘Buatsi who told you to empty the tank, you’ve got six left?’ but I’ve worked hard. You see in camp the sparring is hard man, big credit to my sparring partners they know who they are. I do a hard six run then a fresh one gets in so into the second half I said I’ve been here: I’ve done it before I’ve been here many times in camp.
 
“I’ve got a great team, I’ve got a promoter that believes in me, he’s been pushing for fights like this because he knows I can do it. Tonight, I went out there and showed people I can do it, we just build from here.
 
“We all make sacrifices, I don’t want to single myself out, everyone sacrifices to be where they want to be in life. For me, yeah, I sacrificed, I’m always away from my family and I truly miss them but most importantly I want to get to the top. I feel like I’m in the right team with the right people, I’ve got a great promoter who gives me the opportunities I need. I’ll keep sacrificing.”

Cordina Destroys Hernandez in 1st

Joe Cordina needed just 53 seconds to dispose of Joshua Hernandez in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.

Cordina landed a blistering 1-2 that sent Hernandez down for the 10-count.

Cordina, 134 lbs of Cardiff, WAL is 13-0 with eight knockouts. Hernandez, 132 3/4 lbs of Chicago, IL is 10-4.

“Chris Colbert went eight rounds with Hernandez and what I watched of it, it was quite a tough fight for him,” Cordina told Matchroom. “I watched that fight and a couple others of Hernadez and me and Tony came up with a game plan. We were going through in the changing rooms, and it came off a peach.
 
“I had to prove a point, I said in an interview earlier in the week that I don’t take criticism from people I wouldn’t go to for advice. I don’t really value many people’s opinions so yeah, it’s one of those things, you’re going to get people criticizing and it’s whether you take it onboard or not. A lot of people didn’t take into consideration that I’d been out the ring for 16 months, had an operation of my hand, we proved the point tonight and got him out of there early on.
 
“I always look to just get the win, box, if the knockout is there, I’ll take it. As soon as he threw his first jab, I knew he wasn’t going to catch me with that, my sharpness of feet and head movement would get me out of trouble. I started putting my lead hand downstairs and whipping the right hand over the top and I caught him the first time, I knew he was a little bit wobbly. I didn’t want to rush in and try and get him out of there straight away, I knew if I could catch him twice with it there’s going to be a third time and I did exactly that. We got him out of there in great fashion.
 
“I was watching Fight Camp last year and there was no crowd, but even when there wasn’t a crowd it felt like there was a massive atmosphere. When I saw the first Fight Camp week at home, I thought, ‘oh my god I’m fighting there in two weeks, it’s going to be amazing’. I’m glad that I’m able to tick it of my list now. 
 
“Eddie watched me in York Hall in 2009 and said, ‘you’re going to be a World Champion’. It’s nice to hear that but I’ve got to keep improving, keep pushing on and proving him right. I know I’ve got the ability to be a World Champion very soon, but I’ve just got to keep winning. I’ve got the ability to mix it with any of them, it’s just about taking those steps up the ladder to become a World Champion and that’s what I plan on doing. Maybe have two weeks at home, go back to the gym and see what I want to do with Tony.
 
“I know people say it but if you speak to my S&C coach and Tony this was probably one of the best camps I’ve ever had. That’s with the boxing, plus my S&C, everything just came together. Don’t get me wrong I had to be at home for my new-born son but everything’s coming together now. I’m glad I got the win tonight in great fashion and now it’s time to build on it.” 

World-Rated welterweight Michael McKinson remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Przemyslaw Runowki.

McKinson, 146 1/2 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 21-0. Runowski, 146 1/4 lbs of Shupsk, POL is 19-2.

“I’m happy, that was easier than I thought it would be, I didn’t really get out of first gear,” McKinson told Matchroom. “I visibly hurt him a few times, but I boxed to instructions and got the win. To be fair I didn’t think he won a round against me, but he was a tough guy. Him and his team were very confident beforehand, I liked the energy they brought all week, but I just had to show I was a level above, and I was a few levels above – I’m happy.

“They keep giving me harder opposition, they keep telling me it’s a step up and I’m making it look easier and easier. What people forget is I’m learning every day on the job as well; I’m developing and who knows where I can be in a year or twos time. I’m in a position where a lot of boxers dream of being in, all I can do it stay focused, keep learning and keep working my way to the top.

“First time on the A side you know, not many people can say they’ve boxed in Gibraltar and not many people can say they’ve boxed in Eddie’s back garden and done both this year. I can’t moan or complain, I’m really happy and blessed.

“2021 and my career has just started, 21-0 and making it look easy. I really want to keep stepping up, keep challenging myself, keep having more and more tests. I’m still learning but I’m learning quick and finding it easy now. I want opponents that will make me step through the gears, a few times I hurt him there like I can punch, I don’t need to, I boxed to instructions. I didn’t really get out of first gear.

“I believe I’m the best 147 pounder in the country. I like Conor, I get on well with him, but if he can’t get them two guys the Brooks or the Khans, I’m always here. I’ll fight whoever they give me, I’ve never turned down a fight and that’s a fact – I don’t plan on turning down fights. I really do believe in myself, and I believe in my development as well. I’m going to be going to the top I promise you.

“I’m really happy for Liam Taylor because he never really gets a fair ranking and he’s a good fighter so I’m happy he’s got that opportunity. I’m not far behind, I’d like the winner, but I’ll fight whoever makes sense and whoever my management team want to get me next – the answer is always yes. That guy there I just beat took Josh Taylor to points on short notice, he had a full camp against me, his team were so confident talking to me in the hotel.

“Like I said, I make their confidence fade round by round, they don’t call me ‘The Problem’ for no reason. I will carry on being a problem as I step through the levels as the opposition gets better, trust me.

“Josh Kelly has got a lot of ability, he’s a skilful fighter, I like Josh – even after the Avanesyan defeat I still think he’s a top fighter. Florian Marku talks a lot doesn’t he, he didn’t know who I was a few months ago on social media on an interview, he said he didn’t know who I was. At least they’re talking about me now, let him prove himself because I don’t think he’s proved himself at a decent level yet, not saying he’s not a good fighter, but he does need to prove himself as a fighter to be respected. Good luck to all of them, I wish nothing but the best for all my rivals, you know I’m here and I’ll fight anybody.

“Even when we go back to proper arenas and stuff, wait till we get hundreds and hundreds of Portsmouth fans loud and proud. I’ve got great support and it’s always growing; I know there’s a lot of people that didn’t come today but when they’re allowed everyone will see the Portsmouth fans.”

In a battle of undefeated super bantamweights, Hopey Price won a six-round decision over Claudio Grande.

In the closing seconds of the fight, Price dropped Grande with a straight left.

Price, 123 1/4 lbs of Leeds, ENG won by a 58-55 score and is now 5-0. Grande, 121 1/2 lbs of Massa, ITA is now 5-1.

“It was a good performance, considering I had six months outside the ring, which for a young prospect like me isn’t ideal,” Price told Matchroom. “You can spar as much as you want but it’s not the same feeling as when you’re under the lights. Now looking forward, I’ve got Leeds in three weeks, that’s put me in very good stead – you’ll see the best of me in three weeks’ time.

“I remember Dave [Coldwell] shouting at me finish strong, finish strong, and he was just coming in – what we’ve been working on in the gym – I felt like I was catching him with that shot all fight and he just walked onto it lovely at the end and he was gone.

“I’m not fighting these journeyman and people with losing records, that’s a proper fight, he’s 5-0, three knockouts, I’m sure he wanted to be a star over there in Italy. He was coming to win and was defeated, I put a stop to that and gave him his first loss.

“You began to see it, it’s been coming slowly but surely, now over the next year or so you’ll see the best of me.

“I feel like I’m developing more as a fighter under Dave and more as a man – big thanks to Danny Wilson at Boxing Science, he’s making me a lot stronger, and I think you saw it there in the last ten seconds. I’m not just a young kid that people can walk through.

“I want to go right to the top. I don’t want to be a World Champion; I want to be a pound-for-pound star and Dave’s the man to take me there. I’ll keep listening, learning, developing and I promise you I will get there one day.

“I think fighting in Leeds on September 4 shows the confidence and ability – and the confidence my team has in me – to take a fight like that three weeks before and coming through with flying colours, no injuries. I’m ready to go in my hometown in front of 20,00 fans, I’ll steal the show there 100%.

“I’m ready for Zahid Hussain, 100%, I was ready for it back in September and the magic man didn’t turn up. So, we’ll see this time if he comes and if he does, I promise Hopey Price will come out the victor.

“I said it from my second pro fight, I believe there are levels to boxing and my boxing brain is one of the best in Britain. I believe I’m levels above Zahid Hussain.”

Kash Farooq won a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Gerardo Castillo in a bantamweight bout.

In round five, Farooq was cut under his right eye and Castillo had swelling under his right eye from a headbutt.

Farooq, 117 1/2 lbs of Glasgow, SCO won by scores of 100-90 twice and 100-91 and is now 16-1. Castillo, 116 1/4 lbs of Mexico is 28-3.

“I boxed to the game plan, that was it, you want to get in there and always entertain but I followed the game plan that was it,” Farooq told Matchroom. “I listened to my trainer, and he just told me to box, you couldn’t get any footage of him, so I didn’t know what he was about, I adapted on the night and did what I had to do.

“I showed tonight the other side of me that can box as well. He’s not world class but it’s a different side of my boxing that I showed, he was tough and game. We didn’t know what we were up against.

“If you let anybody hit you, they can punch, he had a bit of sting to his punches, but the name of the game is hit and don’t get hit and that’s what I did in this fight.

“He [Gerardo] can’t speak and can’t hear so it’s something different, people were saying he’s come to win, and this was going to change his life, these types of boys want to win but he was up against me so – I wanted to win as much as he did.

“These boys are coming from nothing, some of them grew up in poverty and it’s a different lifestyle in Mexico – they fight for a living to make their lives better. It’s either me or him and it wasn’t going to be me today.

“It was another learning fight for me, and I’ll progress again, it’s something I picked up – for me it’s just about developing and getting better. This is just another clinical performance by me.

“My job is just to fight, and they tell me what route they’re going to go through. If I had a choice I’d fight [McGregor] but it’s down to them and they’ll make the right decision for me.

“He wants to fight just like I do but he’s got managers telling him what the best options are like I do as well. The next few weeks my managers are going to sit down with Eddie and discuss what the best options are and what route to go down – if it’s that one next then I’m more than happy to take it.

“It is a big fight for Scotland, me and Lee can sell out the SSE Hydro, if it’s the right time and it has a good build me, we can do it. It’s just me and him boxing each other.

“For me I’ll take a few days off but it’s back to training. When I’ll really take some time off is when I call it a day and retire. Now I’ve still got levels to progress, go back to the gym and work on things, it’s a lifestyle in boxing and it a short career, you don’t know when retirement is coming. For me I’m going to put everything into boxing for the next few years of my life.”

Raymond Ford remained undefeated as he stopped Reece Bellotti in round three of a scheduled 10-round featherweight bout.

In round three, Ford landed a right hook that staggered Bellotti. Ford was all over Bellotti and landed a bout 15 unanswered shots and the fight was stopped at 39 seconds.

Ford, 126 lbs of Camden, NJ is 9-0-1 with five knockouts. Bellotti, 125 1/4 lbs of Watford, ENG is 14-5.

“In the third round I was going to start to box and slow it down because I was throwing too many fast, hard shots to hurt him early,” Ford told Matchroom. “My team told me to settle down because we had ten rounds to go and then he came on and ran into the shot. I knew if I didn’t get him out of there when I had him hurt, he was just going to be a tough guy and keep coming forward. When I hit my shot, I had to get him out of there.

“It feels great, one of my dreams that came true, the real dream and goal is to get to these World Championship titles.

“I knew that he [Bellotti] was kind of the bully and everything so I wanted to beat the bully in the fight. I heard a lot about his power, guys saying his power was up there at the top, I just wanted to show I can be a bigger bully and that’s what I did.

“I said yesterday that I was going to handle the pressure. I was just starting to warm up and settle in but the more the fight would have went, the more you would have seen me relaxed and be sharper. I was getting hit by some dumb shots but that was because I was warming up and getting a feel of everything – being back after five months.

“I love it in the UK, all week people have been showing me love so I want to come back and fight here again. I want to be one the greatest to ever do it, not just in my division, I just want to be the best and go down as a legend.

“It’s important to be patient but I feel like I have the skills and I was blessed with the talents I have where I can fight these top guys at a young age. I want to keep stepping up and get these tougher fights.”

Zelfa Barrett stopped Viorel Simion after round five of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Barrett dropped Simion with a body shot. Barrett continued to punish Simion and the fight was stopped after round five.

Barrett, 136 1/4 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 26-1 with 16 knockouts. Simion, 139 3/4 lbs of Romania is 22-7.