Lawrence Okolie is confident of winning his first World Title in style by stopping former World Champion Krzysztof Glowacki when they clash for the vacant WBO Title at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday March 20, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

The pair were due to clash on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s emphatic ninth round knockout win over Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev in December but Glowacki was forced to withdraw from their contest after he returned a positive COVID-19 test.

‘The Sauce’ (15-0, 12 KOs) made short work of late stand-in opponent Nikodem Jezewski to stay on course for a shot at the WBO crown, demolishing the Pole in two brutal rounds with an impressive show of explosive power.

Okolie hasn’t put a foot wrong since turning professional in 2017 following an impressive stint the amateurs that saw him represent Great Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the Hackney contender believes that March 20 will be the first step on his journey to unifying the Cruiserweight division before moving up to Heavyweight. 

“Five years ago I was in Hackney and had no real plan or idea,” said Okolie. “I was boxing but I wasn’t on the GB team and I’d never had an international fight. I was just boxing and working. Five years down the line I’ve become a Team GB boxer, gone to the Olympics, turned pro and won all of these Titles. Now I’m fighting for a World Title.

“It feels like it’s going to be a massive statement winning this fight, not just for me but for the area that I come from, the type of person that I am and people that have dealt with bullying. I’m not here to be a hero or anything like that but I’ve had to deal with a lot of stuff, and a lot of people can relate to those kinds of struggles. It’s nice to know that people are motivated by it. 

“It will be entertaining for fans because there’s going to be someone trying to really put it on me. I believe I’m going to win by stoppage. I’m just excited to watch the highlights of the fight afterwards to see what shot I did it with. This is his opportunity to win what he believes is his Title back. He can be as strong as he likes against whoever he’s boxed so far but there’s no physical chance he’s stronger than me.

“Although he’s got a lot of attributes, I can’t see any of them working against me. I think he’ll be confident. He’s a game guy and probably thinks it’s my first time at world level. One of my main attributes is my mental toughness. I have the ability to cope with any fight. I look forward to it. 

“This has been a long time coming. It’s been a year since I knew that I was mandatory for the World Title. I’ve been mentally preparing for this for a year. We’ve had to deal with lockdowns and now I’m excited to get it over and done with, get the victory and become a World Champion. Physically I’m getting into my prime now. Mentally, I’ve dealt with the excitement of the occasion. Now it’s just a formality. 

“If, god willing, I’m able to win here, I need a unification fight next. It’s about pushing on every time. I won the Commonwealth and pushed on, I won the British and pushed on, I won the European and I pushed on. After I win the World Title I want to unify and move up to Heavyweight. It’s all there, it just keeps me motivated in the gym and pushing for more.”

Okolie vs. Glowacki tops a huge night of action in London, Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler (13-1, 10 KOs) returns against Spain’s Jorge Fortea (21-2-1, 7 KOs) with the WBA International Title on the line, Welsh Super-Featherweight Joe Cordina (11-0, 7 KOs) meets Belgium’s Faroukh Kourbanov (17-2, 3 KOs) for the WBA Continental Title, Bournemouth Cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith (11-1, 10 KOs) looks to keep his KO streak going against Vasil Ducar (9-3-1, 8 KOs), Ramla Ali (1-0) has her second professional fight, Catford’s Ellie Scotney (1-0) meets Mailys Gangloff (4-1, 1 KO) and Stretford Middleweight Bradley Rea (9-0, 3 KOs) takes on Bournemouth’s Lee Cutler (7-0, 4 KOs).

Anthony Joshua retained the IBF/WBA?WBC Heavyweight titles with an emphatic 9th round knockout over mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev in front of 1,000 fans at the SSE Arena Webley in London, England.

After two rounds of boxing from distance, Joshua landed a huge right in round three that hurt Pulev. Joshua jumped on Pulev and landed a couple of bug uppercuts that sent Pulev into the corner. Pulev turned his back and the referee ruled a knockdown. Joshua seeked the knockout and landed a huge uppercut that sent Pulev down for a 2nd time.

Joshua continued to beat Pulev down, and in round nine, Joshua landed a huge uppercut down for a 3rd time. Joshua finished things up seconds later, and he landed a laser right hand to the end that sent Pulev down for the count of 10 at 2:58.

Joshua, 241 lbs of Walford, ENG is now 24-1 with 22 knockouts. Pulev, 239 lbs of Sofia, BUL is 28-2.

Joshua told Sky Sports afterwards: “I started this game in 2013. I’ve been chasing all the belts. I’ve been dealing with mandatories.

“Of course I want the challenge. It’s not about the opponent, it’s about the legacy and the belt. Whoever has got the belt, I would love to compete with them. If that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury. It’s no big deal.

“It’s one fight at a time, picking them off one by one. That’s all it’s about for me. I’ve got to stay focused.”

Okolie destroys Jezewski in 2

Lawrence Okolie destroyed Nikodem Jezewski in round two of their scheduled 10-round cruiserweight bout.

Okolie dropped Jezewski twice in the opening round, first with a body shot and then a with a right hand as Jezewski was wobbling all over the ring.

Okolie ended things in the next round as he sent Jezewski down again and the fight was stopped at 1:45.

Okolie, 200 lbs of Hackney, ENG is 15-0 with 12 knockouts. Jezewski, 200 lbs of Poland is 19-1.

Speaking to Matchroom afterwards Okolie said: “I’m really happy. I was in the back room thinking I’m really calm and chilled. I just went out there to try and execute what I do every day in the gym. I really came out of the cage. I’m happy to get the win. I’ll have to watch it back, but from the reaction ringside, it seems like it was good. It’s what we’ve been working on. I do it every day in training. It’s about taking it from training to the fight. If I’m able to do what I’m doing in training in my next fight, I’ll be a World Champion. I’m excited. 

“He was undefeated and he was in shape preparing to fight. It was a risk, he had the world at this feet. It felt like a normal show, even with everyone spread out. It felt good. I’m really excited to watch it all back. That’s five stoppages on the trot. I’m feeling good and I want to keep the KO run going. It was good to shake out and make the weight. I had a good training camp and we’ll just build off that for the next one.”

Fury Decisions Wach

In a battle of former world title challengers, Hughie Fury won a 10-round unanimous decision over Mariusz Wach in a heavyweight bour.

In round four, Fury was cut over his right eye from a clash of heads.

Fury was able to dominate the 2nd half of the fight with jabs and body shots, and won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91.

Fury, 247.5 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 25-3. Wach, 274.6 lbs of Krakow, POL is 36-7.

“Everything is moving in the right direction,” Fury told Matchroom afterwards. “I did rush my work a little bit. I was hurting Wach with the right hand. I was getting to him. As I threw the right hand in the fourth there was a clash of the heads as he came in. I couldn’t see out of the eye at all. I went back into the corner and my dad told me to get back to my boxing. Wach is a tough man. We just relaxed and flowed back into it, and picked him off. 

“I don’t have any doubt in Kerry Kayes. He’s a guardian angel. As soon as I got back to my corner he got to work. He deserves all of the credit in the world. I’ve been in with everyone, and to be honest with you, I was like a boy against men. Now I’m a man people can see a big difference, and I’m coming. This is just the start. People will see a lot more to come from me.”

Bakole Decisions Kuzmin

Martin Bakole won a 10-round unanimous decision over Sergey Kuzmin in a heavyweight bout.

Bakole, 251.6 lbs of Kananga, CON won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 and is now 16-1. Kuzmin, 258.7 lbs of Saint Petersburg, RUS is 15-2.

“I want to thank god for this big victory,” Bakole told Matchroom. “To be honest, I’m not happy. I didn’t work the way I was supposed to work. I did three weeks in the gym. We kept that a secret. I was not 100% fit. I won the belt and I’m now WBC International Champion. It was a tough fight. if you look at round 2, I was close to knocking him. He survived because he’s a big guy. I needed to win this belt for my baby. I’m ready now. I’m in the top 10. I’m ready to face anybody. I’m going to see my family and then come back quickly to get in the gym to prepare for next year. 

“I want anyone. I’m ready to face anyone. I’m not in this business to play around. I’m in this business to win and I have a belt now. I told Michael Hunter to watch this fight. My next one is going to be him! Michael Hunter, look at my eyes; let’s do it again. This time I will beat him, believe me. I made a mistake, and now I’ve fixed my mistakes. I’m improving, and he can see that himself. Anthony Joshua is going to beat Kubrat Pulev, believe me!”

Conway Decisions McGowan

Kieron Conway won a 10-round unanimous decision over Macaulay McGowan in a super welterweight contest.

In round eight, Conway dropped McGowan with a left hook to the jaw.

Conway, 160 lbs of Northampton, ENG won by scores of 100-90, 100-89 twice and is now 16-1-1. McGowan, 158.7 lbs of Longton, ENG is 14-2-1.

“I’m content with the performance to be fair,” Conway told Matchroom afterwards. “I just did what I had to do. He was tough as anything. I hit him with everything that I possibly could have. I thank him a lot for stepping in at such short notice. He gave it everything and made it a good fight. As soon as these sharp, accurate and hard punches land, people go on the defensive. It make it a hell of a hard night for them. They just don’t want to keep taking them all night. I was really frustrated about the Cissokho fight, but I’m happy I still got to fight in the end on such a big stage. Job done now and we move on.

“I’m very grateful to get out twice this year. I feel like I’m one of the privileged ones. Especially this kind of opportunity on the big stage. Hopefully there was a good bit of exposure there for me. It was actually quite refreshing having people there shouting. It was nice to have them back. I’m very confident. People underestimate me. As soon as they take one or two stiff shots they just want to make it a hard night and survive. Hopefully I get the winner of Ted Cheeseman vs. James Metcalf. We’re all shouting for that though. I guess we’ll all have to wait our turn. I’m coming, and I’m not going anywhere. I want anyone who wants it. I’m not ducking or avoiding anyone.”

Marku and Stewart to very controversial draw

In a battle of undefeated welterweights Florian Marku and Jamie Stewart fought to a very controversial draw

Marku dropped Stewart with a left to the body, and dominated the fight yet somehow referee Marcus McDonnell ruled the fight 76-76.

Marku, 147 lbs of Lushnje, ALB is now 7-0-1. Stewart, 146 lbs of Longton, ENG is 2-0-1.

A disappointed Marku told Matchroom: “This is my life. They give a draw on my record. I didn’t deserve it. I was beating this guy every round. Congratulations to him, he accepted the fight on four days’ notice. He had a tough head. This wasn’t a draw. I put him down in the second or third round. I was outboxing him. He was running sometimes and he was making the jab. What else did he do? He punched me in my guard, nothing else.

“He can take many punches. He is a tough opponent. This is a shame, a shame for the referee that gave me this draw. I don’t know what I can say. It’s a shame for the sport. They are trying to ruin my career. I feel so disappointed with this decision. The referee doesn’t like me. That is the only justification for this. Maybe because I am from Albania and my opponent was from England? This is my life. He couldn’t handle the pressure and he took many shots to the head. This wasn’t my best performance. I wasn’t as powerful as usual but I was beating him.”

Follow all the action as Anthony Joshua defends the IBF/WBA/WBO Heavyweight Titles against Mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev.  The action begins at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT /6 PM in England  and 8 PM in Bulgaria.  Undercard fights will feature Lawrence Okolie, Hughie Fury and Martin Bakole

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Jab from Joshua…

Round 2 Jab from Joshua…Combination…Long Jab…

Round 3 Long right from Joshua…Joshua boxing from Distance..Huge counter right from Joshua, Hurts Pulev..2 big uppercuts…PULEV TURNS HIS BACK AND RULED A KNOCKDOWN….Right and left from Joshua…UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES PULEV..Uppercut on the inside

Round 4  Sharp jab and right hand from Joshua…Pulev lands a jab and right hand

Round 5 Jab and hard right from Joshua…Right from Pulev..

Round 6 Good jab from Pulev..2 jabs from Joshua..Good jab from Joshua..

Round 7 3 Uppercuts in a row from Joshua..Uppercut from Pulev…Joshua Jabbing to the body..Nice right from Pulev

Round 8 Good right from Pulev

Round 9 Stiff jab from Joshua…4 uppercuts land..2 big uppercuts AN DOWN GOES PULEV…Pulev wobbling…HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES PULEV…PULEV DOES NOT BEAT THE COUNT…FIGHT OVER

Round 1 RIGHT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES JEZEWSKI…JEZEWSKI IS WOBBLING AND GOES DOWN AGAIN

Round 2  Left hook from Jezewski…BODY SHOT AND DOWN GEZ JEZEWSKI…FIGHT STOPPED

Round 1: Body shot from Wach..Fury lands a right..Jab and right..Right…body combination from Fury
Round 2 Right from Fury…Good uppercut from Wach…Fury pressuring Wach…Good right from Wach
Round 3 Right from Fury
Round 4 Big right from Fury..Right..Fury cut over his right eye (clash of heads)
Round 5 Wach lands a hook and right…Left from Fury…Right at the bell from Wach
Round 6 Ringside doctor looks at the cut…Good right from Fury…
Round 7 Jab from Fury…
Round 8 2 Jabs from Fury..Right
Round 9 Body shot from Fury…Nice Jab
Round 10 Good right from Fury…Jab..Clubbing Right

100-90 twice and 99-91 for FURY

Round 1 Good right from Bakole..Jab…Body and head shots…2 jabs from Juzmin..right
Round 2 Good hard right from Kuzmin..Good uppercut…Good uppercut from Bakole…Right and exchanging of good hook…Good right from Bakole..Uppercut..Right from Kuzmin..Jab snaps Bakole’s head back..Right from Kuzmin
Round 3 Long jab from Bakole to body and head..Double jab…
Round 4 1-2 from Kuzmin…
Round 5 Hard hook from Kuzmin…Combinatiom…Good right and another..Hook to the head…Combunation and jab from Bakole
Round 6 Jab from Bakole..Hook from Kuzmin
Round 7 Good jab from Bakole…Body shot
Round 8 Kuzmin lands a hook…Good uppercut…Body shot from Bakole..Good work on the inside from Bakole
Round 9 Good hook from Kuzmin
Round 10  Nice snapping right hand from Kuzmin…Combination…

98-92, 97-93, 96-94 BAKOLE

Round 1: Right from Conway
Round 2 Conway landing a jab…Good right..Jab..
Round 3 Sharp jab from Conway…Sharp right…Hook to the body
Round 4 1-2 From Cinway..Uppercut..Good body work from McGowan..Right from Conwat,,Hard right
Round 5 Good work from Conway…Right to the head..3 punch combination..Good body shots from McGowan,..Hard jab from Conway
Round 6 Jab from Conway..Good combination..Body shot from McGowan..Counter right from Conway…
Round 7 Hook and jab from Conway
Round 8 LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES MCGOWAN..Conway landing body shots…Snapping right hand..Body shot..Right to body and head..Nice Combination
Round 9 Good uppercut from Conway…Jab..McGowan face is bleeding..Hook from McGowan..jab and right hand from Conway..Body and head combination McGowan
Round 10 Double uppercut from Conway..Bosy work..Jab…Combination

100-89; 99-90 TWICE FOR CONWAY

Round 1 Hook to body from Marku…Combination..Hard left and left to body
Round 2 Jab from Stewart..Body shots from Marku..Nice Uppercut…Uppercut and hook from Southpaw stance..LEFT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES STEWART…
Round 3
Round 4 Good Body shot from Stewart…Left to body from Marku..Combination..Right to the body…Uppercut..Stewart lands a body shot…Jab…
Round 5 Nice body shot to head and body from Stewart…Body shot from Marku..Leaping left hook…
Round 6 Left from Marku…Right hand lands..
Round 7 Marku landing on the ropes…Combination from Stewart..Good body shot
Round 8 Good body work from Marku..Stiff left..Stewart fighting out of the corner..Right knockouts out Stewart’s mouthpiece

SCORE WAS RULED 76-76 …TERRIBLE DECISION

Lawrence Okolie will take on Krzysztof Glowacki for the vacant WBO Cruiserweight World Title on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev at The O2 in London on Saturday December 12, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories including Poland. 

 Okolie (14-0, 11 KOs) claimed the EBU European Cruiserweight Title with a seventh-round stoppage of the previously unbeaten Yves Ngabu in October last year, capping a successful 2019 which saw four knockouts in as many fights for the Hackney man. 
 
Glowacki (31-2, 19 KOs) knocked out Germany’s Marco Huck in eleven rounds to win the WBO World Title in 2015 before widely outpointing Steve Cunningham in his first defence. He suffered the first defeat of his career against Ukrainian pound-for-pound star Oleksandr Usyk in his next fight.
 
The Polish southpaw earned the interim WBO Title by decisioning Maxim Vlasov at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago in November 2018 but was stopped in three rounds by Latvia’s Mairis Briedis last year in a challenge for the full title. 
 
“It has been a long and hard road to get here,” said Okolie. “I’m very excited and blessed to have this opportunity; I’ll be grabbing it with both hands. I will become Britain’s next World Champion on December 12. 
 
“Glowacki is a great fighter and he is someone that I looked up to when I first started boxing. I believe he won the World Title the same year I was pushing to try and get on the Olympic team when I’d had 15 amateur fights. 
 
“He’s a former two-time World Champion and has only lost twice to two elite opponents. He’s going to be my biggest test on paper as a professional. He is a consummate professional and will do everything in his power to win.
 
“I have to be on my A game, and I will be. I’m happy that throughout my career I have faced the best opposition that I could have at every stage. This is just another one of those.”
 
“I will retrieve my belt and I will bring it back to Poland,” said Glowacki. “I will become WBO World Champion for the third time in my career, there is no other option. I am prepared for a hard battle because Lawrence Okolie is big, strong and awkward, but the belt is mine and I will bring it back home.”

“In just 14 fights Lawrence Okolie has done it all and now it’s the moment of truth,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Britain has the chance to crown another World Champion but Lawrence has it all to do against a great fighter and former World Champ in Krysztof Glowacki and someone who has mixed consistently at the top level. This is going to be a huge night and a huge moment for Lawrence – we can’t wait.”

“The time has come for Lawrence,” said 258 Athlete Advisor Anthony Joshua. “This is a huge opportunity, one I know he will rise to. He is about to fight at the most elite level possible. He will prepare diligently and be ready. 

“The whole team at 258 MGT are behind him. We are proud to have helped guide him inside and out of the ring since his professional debut to his first World Title opportunity in under 4 years.”
 
Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) defends his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles against Mandatory Challenger Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) on a huge night of action, with more fights to be announced soon.

Richard Riakporhe believes he is the “perfect man” to end London rival Lawrence Okolie’s unbeaten streak and hopes that a World Title will be on the line if they ever meet in the future. 

The unbeaten Walworth powerhouse will battle Chapel-en-le-Frith’s Jack Massey for the vacant British Cruiserweight title on tomorrow night’s JD NXTGEN show at York Hall, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

‘The Sauce’ has cleaned up on the domestic scene, earning the British and Cruiserweight titles, and will now take a big step up in class to fight Krzysztof Glowacki for the vacant WBO belt, making a potential showdown with Riakporhe even bigger. 

“Things are heating up,” said Riakporhe. “If he wins that fight, that’s a World Champion, and there’s definitely going to be a domestic dust-up for that title.

“When I come in the ring, I’m not coming to play around, let’s put it that way. I feel like they wouldn’t want to take that fight with me, it’s too risky and too dangerous, but we’ll see. I’ll be surprised.

“The public want to see someone knock out Okolie and I am the perfect man for the job. The rest of the cruiserweights are not strong enough, they are not big enough, and they can’t punch.

“Let’s just say, if that fight got made, I’m turning off my phone and I’m going to live in the gym. My bed, my pillow in the gym. I believe, with me giving everything I’ve got, is enough to secure that win.”

Big wins over domestic rivals Sam Hyde, Tommy McCarthy and Chris Billam-Smith in 2018 and 2019 have pushed Riakporhe’s name up the rankings, but he is fully aware of the threat posed by Massey, who is also undefeated in 16 fights. 

“I think it’s going to be very explosive. Jack Massey is undefeated, you have to take that into consideration. He calls himself ‘One Smack’ Massey, so apparently he can punch.

“We’re going to see. I’m a puncher myself, so what more could we want? Two undefeated fighters in the York Hall, a nice iconic location, we’re going to go for it.

“He hasn’t experienced a fighter like me, the type of will and determination I have, and the type of power, so I think he’s going to be in for a real shock once he jumps in. It’s going to take a lot mentally to be able to stick in there with me, if he doesn’t get knocked out.”

Riakporhe vs. Massey tops a big night of action in the East End, Crystal Palace Light-Heavyweight Craig Richards (15-1, 8 KOs) takes on Newark’s Chad Sugden (11-1, 4 KOs), Luther Clay (12-1, 5 KOs) defends his WBO Global Welterweight title against Freddy Kiwitt (17-2, 10 KOs), Northampton’s Kieron Conway (13-1-1, 3 KOs) meets Dublin’s Craig O’Brien (11-1, 1 KO) in a 10 round Super-Welterweight contest, Watford Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (4-0, 1 KO) looks to end the year in style, Sheffield Lightweight Donte Dixon aims to go 2-0, Light-Heavyweight Malik Kareem makes his pro debut alongside Dagenham Heavyweight Franklin Ignatius and Keighley Super-Bantamweight Ibrahim Nadim.

Reigning EBU European Cruiserweight Champion Yves Ngabu believes that he will have too much in his arsenal for his latest challenger Lawrence Okolie as they prepare to clash on the huge Regis Prograis vs. Josh Taylor card at The O2 in London this Saturday, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Hailing from the suburbs of Roeselare in the Flemish province of West Flanders, Belgium, but fighting out of the world-famous Wincobank gym in Sheffield under the guidance of Dominic Ingle, Ngabu is primed to make the third defence of his European crown against British and Commonwealth champ Okolie.

Ngabu captured the coveted European title in 2017 as he sent opponent Tamas Lodi of Hungary to the canvas in round four, and moments later scored a stoppage in what would become a momentous night in the history of Belgian boxing.

In his maiden defence Ngabu halted Geoffrey Battelo in three rounds in January 2018 but was forced to travel the full 12 rounds by Micki Nielsen in his last defence in February this year.

The 30-year-old arrives in London sporting an impressive looking 20-0 record, with 14 of those wins coming via KO or stoppage, and he plans to inflict the first defeat on the record of rising star Okolie.

“He has good power and a long reach but I feel like I have much more than him in my arsenal”, said Ngabu. “I know how Lawrence fights. People say he holds a lot but I know that and I have prepared for him on the inside. This is my time.

“I can adapt to every style. I can fight, I can punch and I can take punches too. I’m ready and I have done everything that I could have done to prepare for this fight. I have a great trainer in Dominic Ingle and I’m going to win this fight no matter what.

“I have fought guys with a bigger punch than him, I’ve fought guys who are more experienced than him so I am more than ready for Lawrence Okolie. He’s the best in his weight in the UK but he hasn’t made the jump to European level yet. This is his test.

“When I first came to this country my mission was to get a top trainer and then to win my fights,” added Ngabu. “I come from a small country where the sport is not famous, not big. So these are the things I need to do to show me to the world and what I can do.

“The British fans are the best in the world but I’m focused only on my job. I want to reach the top and to do that I need to beat Lawerence Okolie. I know he is the best Cruiserweight in the U.K, that is why I have to fight him to get him out of my way. I’m ready to go!”

Okolie vs. Ngabu is part of a huge night of action in London.

Main event sees WBA Super-Lightweight Champion Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 KOs) and IBF Super-Lightweight Champion Josh Taylor (15-0, 13 KOs) square off for the World Boxing Super Series Ali Trophy, Liverpool Heavyweight fan favourite David Price (25-6, 20 KOs) steps in to face Derek Chisora (31-9, 22 KOs) in a huge all-British clash, three weight World Champion Ricky Burns (43-7-1, 16 KOs) tackles former IBF Lightweight ruler Lee Selby (27-2, 9 KOs) in an intriguing match-up at 135lbs, Conor Benn (15-0, 10 KOs) defends his WBA Continental Welterweight title against Steve Jamoye (26-7-2, 5 KOs), German Super-Middleweight talent Denis Radovan (12-0-1, 5 KOs) meets former Commonwealth Champion Luke Blackledge (26-8-2, 9 KOs), Watford Bantamweight prospect Shannon Courtenay (3-0, 1 KO) aims to go 4-0, Houston Middleweight talent Austin Williams (3-0, 3 KOs) fights in the UK for the first time and Berlin’s Abass Baraou (7-0, 4 KOs) takes on John O’Donnell (33-2, 11 KOs) for the WBC International Super-Welterweight title.

Lawrence Okolie can take another step towards a World title when he challenges dangerous EBU European Champion Yves Ngabu at The O2 in London this Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in the US. 

The unbeaten 26-year-old Londoner has proved himself the dominant force on the domestic Cruiserweight scene in the last two years and now he plans to reign supreme in Europe when he meets the toughest test of his career in Belgium’s Ngabu.

Ngabu, trained by Dominic Ingle at the world-famous Wincobank gym in Sheffield, could be considered a big step up in class for Okolie, however, the 6’5” British and Commonwealth Champion is supremely confident of ripping the belt from the undefeated visitor in impressive style.

“I’ll stop him,” said Okolie without hesitation when asked about his thoughts on the fight. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good fighter with good footwork and he believes in his power. He will come to have a fight but I’ll take his title away from him.

“It’s more about the belt. I don’t know him or care about him as a person. He’s got something that I want in the European title. I want to have won the British, Commonwealth and European titles within 14 fights. He’s highly-ranked and undefeated too so it’ll be a good string to my bow. 

“He’s 20-0 with 14 knockouts, he’s a solid opponent. He hasn’t really boxed too many top level opponents. This is a good step-up and I’d like one more before I start challenging for World titles. It’s an interesting time in the Cruiserweight division where belts are free and there’s new guys coming through.”

Okolie vs. Ngabu is part of a huge night of action in London. 

Main event sees WBA Super-Lightweight Champion Regis Prograis (24-0, 20 KOs) and IBF Super-Lightweight Champion Josh Taylor (15-0, 13 KOs) square off for the World Boxing Super Series Ali Trophy, Liverpool Heavyweight fan favourite David Price (25-6, 20 KOs) steps in to face Derek Chisora (31-9, 22 KOs) in a huge all-British clash, three weight World Champion Ricky Burns (43-7-1, 16 KOs) tackles former IBF Lightweight ruler Lee Selby (27-2, 9 KOs) in an intriguing match-up at 135lbs, Conor Benn (15-0, 10 KOs) defends his WBA Continental Welterweight title against Laszlo Toth (28-5-1, 19 KOs), German Super-Middleweight talent Denis Radovan (12-0-1, 5 KOs) meets former Commonwealth Champion Luke Blackledge (26-8-2, 9 KOs), Watford Bantamweight prospect Shannon Courtenay (3-0, 1 KO) aims to go 4-0, Houston Middleweight talent Austin Williams (3-0, 3 KOs) fights in the UK for the first time and Berlin’s Abass Baraou (7-0, 4 KOs) takes on John O’Donnell (33-2, 11 KOs) for the WBC International Super-Welterweight title.

Matchroom Boxing received news today that an arm injury has ruled Jack Massey out of his July 6 clash with Lawrence Okolie.

Consequently, a decision has been made to postpone the event.

The pair were due to meet at Manchester Arena next weekend, with Okolie’s British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight titles on the line, but the Hackney man will now defend his titles against an opponent to be confirmed soon on the undercard of Dillian Whyte vs. Oscar Rivas at The O2 in London on July 20, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Anthony Fowler will take on Blackpool’s former World title challenger Brian Rose on a new show later this summer, with further details to be announced early next week.

Refunds for tickets purchased for the July 6 show are available from the original point of purchase.

Jack Massey has questioned Lawrence Okolie’s hunger ahead of their British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight title showdown at Manchester Arena on Saturday July 6, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. 

Okolie had previously admitted that his heart was telling him to take a leap up in levels to fight WBA World Champion Dennis Lebedev in his next fight, but talk of the shock World title fight fell away after the Hackney man teamed up with new trainer Shane McGuigan. 

Massey has been vocal in his pursuit of 2016 Olympian Okolie and the undefeated 26-year-old from Chapel-en-le-Frith is promising to shine after finally landing his first major title opportunity on the big stage. A win over Okolie would propel him to the top of the domestic Cruiserweight pile and ‘One Smack’ believes his title shot has come at the perfect time.

“We’ve wanted this fight for a long time so when I got my opportunity, I grabbed it with both f****** hands,” said Massey. “I’ve seen a few people knocking me for getting a shot at the belts but it’s time to let everyone know who I am. If they don’t know who I am now, then they definitely will after this fight. This is my time to shine. 

“I’ve been in the gym since my last fight in March so we’ve had great preparation for this. I’m always in the gym grinding away, you’ve got to be ready for these opportunities when they present themselves. You never know what’s going to come up and I’ve got my chance on July 6. 

“There’s no doubt that he’s had better opposition than me. This is a big step up for me but I’m ready for it. We’ve had a bit of back and forth on social media but it’s just banter isn’t it. He says that I’ve been giving him sh*t on Twitter but it’s important to remember he was the first one to do it. He was calling me out after his third fight.

“I’ve got it all to gain here. To me, it seems like he doesn’t like getting hit and he won’t like it when I connect with him. I don’t think he’s ever has been hit as hard as I hit in a fight. They’re looking past me a bit definitely. I’m hungry and I’m on my way up. He’s had the big fights and got a bit of money in his pocket and I’m still driving a Fiat Punto about. He had his eyes on other fights but I’m hungry for this and I’m ready to go.

“I’ve only gone eight rounds once and that’s it. I’ve done six rounds a few times. I don’t think it’s going to go the distance though. I’m looking to put it on him. I think I’ll be too explosive for him when I let them hands go. There’ll be punches in bunches and I’ll let them hands fly. I’m going to be smart about it and take my time to find those little pockets and openings. As the rounds go by I’ll get on the inside and work him.”

Okolie vs. Massey is part of a huge night of boxing in Manchester where Scott Fitzgerald (13-0, 9 KOs) defends his WBA International Super-Welterweight title against former World title challenger Brian Rose (31-5-1, 8 KOs) in a huge Preston vs. Blackpool Lancashire derby, Felix Cash (11-0, 7 KOs) defends his Commonwealth Middleweight crown against Bolton’s Jack Cullen (16-1, 7 KOs) and Anthony Fowler (9-1, 8 KOs) returns after his first pro defeat and Sheffield amateur star Dalton Smith looks to improve to 2-0 , with more exciting additions to the card to follow.

Tickets priced £40, £60, £100 and £200 (VIP) are available to purchase now via StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), Manchester Arena via ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).

Lawrence Okolie will defend his British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight titles against Jack Massey on the same night that Scott Fitzgerald defends his WBA International Super-Welterweight title against Brian Rose in a huge Preston vs. Blackpool derby at Manchester Arena on Saturday July 6, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Full details of the bumper summer bill in the North West, including main event confirmation and ticket details, will be formally announced next week.

Okolie (12-0, 9 KOs) added the Commonwealth title to his British belt with a fourth-round TKO of London rival Wadi Camacho at the Copper Box Arena last time out in March and the Rio 2016 Olympian puts both belts on the line once more against unbeaten Chapel-en-le-Frith man Massey.

‘One Smack’ (16-0, 8 KOs) has been chasing a fight with Hackney banger Okolie for the past year and the 26-year-old juggernaut says he is ready to propel his name to the top of the domestic 200lbs division in his first major title opportunity.

“Jack Massey is a fighter with pedigree,” said Okolie. “He has a lot of strength, a lot of ability and a lot of hunger. I’m going to enjoy beating him in front of all of his fans. He’s another undefeated fighter that I will inflict a first career defeat on.

“He has criticised me publicly and openly and I want to use my frustration to beat him in the most convincing way possible.”

“I’m over the moon to be getting this shot at the British and Commonwealth titles,” said Massey. “I have been waiting for my chance to test myself and I cannot wait until July 6th.

“I have the utmost respect for Lawrence Okolie, he boxed in the Olympics, won the British in just his 10th fight and is ranked in the top 10 by the WBA. I know it’s a huge step up for me but I’m ready.

“I’ll be bringing a big crowd on the night and promise to put on a show. I have heard some of the other fights that will be on the night and it’s going to be an amazing show to be on.”

Fitzgerald (13-0, 9 KOs) secured a thrilling victory over bitter rival Anthony Fowler to land the WBA ranking title at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool in March, settling their feud after dropping his former Great Britain teammate in the final round to claim a split decision win and hand Fowler a first defeat in the pros.

The ‘Mad Man’ puts his belt on the line for the first time against former World title challenger Rose (35-1-1, 8 KOs) in a massive Lancashire showdown that will see the former British champion move back down to 154lbs in an attempt to fire his name back into to the mix in the latter stages of his career.

“It’s going to be a mad atmosphere with all of the Preston and Blackpool fans packed into Manchester Arena,” said Fitzgerald. “I’m confident of doing a good job on him. I’ll outjab him all night and get the win. This could be his last night in the sport so he’ll want to go out with a bang.

“He’s number two at Middleweight at the moment on BoxRec. He’s a good opponent. He’s a little older than me but experience is on his side. Before I ever even had an amateur fight, I knew who he was. He was the top boy around Lancashire, where we’re from. It’s a fight that I thought about before I even turned pro and now it’s happening.

“I wanted to fight Ted Cheeseman for the British title but this one was next on my list. It’s a big local rivalry and one that all of the Preston lads will get behind massively. The Cheeseman fight will still be there after I beat Rose, I want to take that belt off a champion.

“I made my debut at Manchester Arena. Preston is about the same distance from Liverpool as it is Manchester so there’ll be a lot in there again, probably more this time because there’s a lot of people buzzing off me right around Britain.”

“I’ve worked really hard at getting a big fight again so I’m made up that we’ve got this fight live on Sky Sports and DAZN,” said Rose. “I’ve had two wins since coming back and I’ve felt really good, so I can’t wait to step into the ring with Fitzgerald.

“I have a lot of respect for Fitzgerald for giving me the opportunity, and I don’t think people realise how big this fight for Blackpool and Preston. This is a huge fight for Lancashire and it’s going to be a great night for the fans, so may the best man win.

“I’ve worked really hard getting back to where I am and by moving back down to Super-Welterweight, which is where I achieved everything, I’m giving myself the best chance of making an impact. I won the British title and challenged for a World title at that weight, so I’ve already done what Fitzgerald is hoping to achieve in his career.

“It was only up at Middleweight where I came unstuck, but at this weight I know what I’m capable of, so this fight makes so much sense. It’s going to be a great fight, and I promise that I’ll be the best I’ve ever been. When I win this fight I can hopefully get a top ten ranking and then who knows what can happen.”

Charlie Edwards retained the WBC Flyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Angel Moreno at The Copper Box Arena in London.

Edwards won by scores of 120-107 on all cards and is now 15-1. Moreno is 19-3-2.

Joshua Buatsi remained undefeated by stopping Liam Conroy in round three of a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight bout.

In round three, Buatsi landed a big right hook and then a left as Conroy was falling to the canvas. Conroy was hurt, and then ate a huge right hand that put him down for a 2nd time. Conroy was able to beat the count, but the fight was stopped at 1:53.

Buatsi, 173.4 lbs is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Conroy, 173.6 lbs is 16-4-1.

Lewis Ritson won a 10-round unanimous decision pver German Argentino Benitez in a junior welterweight bout.

Benitez was bleeding from his nose in round four.

Ritson, 139.4 lbs of New Castle, UK won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice, and is now 18-1. Benitez, 139.4 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 21-4.

Lawrence Okolie stopped Wadi Camacho in round four of their scheduled 10-round cruiserweight bout.

Okolie dropped Camacho in round four with a three-punch combination. Seconds later, Okolie landed a big shot, and the fight was stopped at 2:00.

Okolie is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Camacho is 21-8.

Canning Town’s Wadi Camacho will start as a sizeable underdog when he faces the unbeaten British Cruiserweight king Lawrence Okolie on Saturday in an intriguing trade fight, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US, but the reigning Commonwealth boss says he will surprise his many doubters by becoming the first man to inflict a defeat on ‘The Sauce’.

“People have said I was finished many times but I proved them wrong and I’ll prove them wrong again by beating Okolie,” said the 33-year-old southpaw.

“Sometimes my mindset outside the ring wasn’t the best it could be but look at my last few performances and you will see that I’m in the form of my career. I’ve had many trainers in the past and I’ve trained myself but I’m so happy to have this team around me now in a big fight. They all really put the work in behind the scenes and all the hard work is now paying off.”

In 2017 Camacho was stopped in four rounds by the then 11-0 Arfan Iqbal in a challenge for the English title but since that loss he has recaptured the Southern Area title with a points win over Ossie Jervier and successful defences against Jose Lopes and Danny Couzens.

And in November he gained revenge over the unbeaten Iqbal with a seventh round technical decision win in a contest where he captured the Commonwealth title he defends for the first time this evening.

Camacho was present at ringside when Okolie halted Tamas Lodi at The O2 in February and the pair ended up face to face in the ring as the double championship fight between the feuding fighters was announced live on Sky Sports.

There has been some choice words exchanged between the two fighters in the build-up and Camacho says he will make Okolie pay for his lack of respect towards him when they exchange punches rather than barbs.

“Lots of people don’t like him,” said Camacho. “He said I was a joke and he was gonna take all the belts off me. I don’t really get into all that sort of stuff I just let my fists do the talking. I think he’s shocked that the fights happening and I’ve turned up.

“I’m a big Cruiserweight and a southpaw which I can use to my advantage in the fight. He has an awkward style that his last few opponents have had trouble dealing with but I’m gonna take the fight to him and lets see what happens when a real Cruiserweight puncher hits him on the chin.”

Okolie vs. Camacho is part of a huge night of action at the Copper Box Arena.

Main event sees Charlie Edwards make the first defence of his WBC Flyweight World title against Spain’s Angel Moreno.

Rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi takes on Barrow-in-Furness man Liam Conroy for the vacant British title in his tenth fight.

Geordie ace Lewis Ritson makes his debut at 140lbs as he takes on Argentina’s German Argentino Benitez for the WBA Inter-Continental title.

Undefeated Irish Middleweight talent Jason Quigley fights for the first time as a pro in the UK, Watford Bantamweight talent Shannon Courtenay makes her highly-anticipated professional debut and Newport Bantamweight talent Sean McGoldrick fights for the first time under new trainer Jamie Moore.

Lawrence Okolie believes that a KO win against Wadi Camacho is a ‘formality’ when the fierce London Cruiserweight rivals clash at the Copper Box Arena this Saturday with the British and Commonwealth titles on the line, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

‘The Sauce’ returned to his destructive form with a third-round stoppage win over Tamas Lodi last time out at The O2 and the Hackney man, who took criticism from some for messy performances against Isaac Chamberlain and Matty Askin last year, is promising another big KO win to reclaim his Commonwealth crown in East London.

“I think stopping Wadi is a formality for me,” said Okolie. “He’s got the sort of style that will leave him open to me knocking him out. When it comes down to his skill against my skill, Wadi isn’t on my level, or on the level of the people that I’ve already beaten in the amateurs or the pros. I’m taller than him and I hit harder than him. If you break Wadi down as a fighter, I can see many different ways in which I beat him. This fight will definitely end in a knockout.

“He’s a southpaw but he’s also aggressive. An aggressive southpaw in against someone that is taller than them won’t end well. If he goes on the backfoot, he’s not as athletic as me with his footwork, so I’ll be able to get in and out of range a lot quicker than him. He likes to throw a lot of punches which gives opportunities for counterpunching. If I hit him with a shot that he doesn’t see coming, that’ll be a big problem for him.

“With Wadi being a southpaw, it’s very good practice for stepping up to the Lebedevs and other World level guys. I’m not overlooking Wadi, I’ve trained extremely hard for him and I’ll deal with him accordingly. On Saturday I’ll show him and all of the other Cruiserweights in Britain what I’m about. I want to finish Wadi in a more systematic way – maybe go in southpaw and practice different pattern movements. I want to go in there and show him that he’s a practice fight for me as opposed to a 50-50 fight.”

Okolie vs. Camacho is a part of a huge night of action at the Copper Box Arena.

Main even sees Croydon’s WBC Flyweight World Champion Charlie Edwards make the first defence of his crown against Spain’s Angel Moreno.

Rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi takes on former English Champion Liam Conroy for the vacant British title in his tenth fight.

Geordie ace Lewis Ritson makes his debut at 140lbs as he takes on Argentina’s German Argentino Benitez for the WBA Inter-Continental title.

Undefeated Irish Middleweight talent Jason Quigley fights for the first time as a pro in the UK, Watford Bantamweight talent Shannon Courtenay makes her highly-anticipated professional debut and Newport Bantamweight talent Sean McGoldrick fights for the first time under new trainer Jamie Moore.

Charlie Edwards will make the first defence of his WBC Flyweight World title against Angel Moreno on a huge night of boxing in the capital at the Copper Box Arena on March 23, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

Edwards ripped the famous green belt from Cristofer Rosales on an emotional night at The O2 in London in December, outclassing the Nicaraguan with a masterful display to take a well-earned unanimous decision.

The Croydon man, having lost out in his first bid for World honours against John Riel Casimero in 2016, was overcome with joy after fulfilling his childhood dream, and is excited to begin life as a World Champion against Spain’s Moreno.

“Moreno is a very tough and game fighter,” said Edwards. “He’s a mature man and he doesn’t shy away from any opportunities, he’s going to come to try and steal my title from me. This is a fight that I’m very confident of winning and a fight that I can look really good in. I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring with him, I sparred him ahead of the Casimero fight but I’m a completely different animal now.

“This is only the beginning, this is a new chapter in my career and this is where the real hard work starts. I want to be an active World Champion, I want to be in the ring fighting and getting better and pushing myself. I’m not in this game to take part, I want to be a multi-weight World Champion. I look forward to taking my first steps as a World Champion and defending my belt on March 23.”

Croydon’s fast-rising Light-Heavyweight star Joshua Buatsi takes a significant step up when he takes on the inform Liam Conroy for the vacant British title in just his tenth fight. Buatsi blasted out Renold Quinlan at The O2 in December to bring up his third successive stoppage win inside the opening round, but ‘JB’ expects a tougher night against former English Champion Conroy.

“This is a good benchmark to see where I’m at,” said Buatsi. “My team see me day in day out in the gym and this is the title they feel I’m ready for. Liam has won his last five fights by knockout and he’ll be heading into the fight full of confidence.

“There’s a good title at stake and he knows there’s a big reward if he beats me. For me, it’s a big stepping stone and another box to tick on my way to the top. This is an important fight for my career and I need to get the belt to move on.”

“I believe I can overpower him,” said Conroy. “I don’t believe he’s been in a situation as a professional in which someone can overpower him. I also don’t think he’s been in with anyone who can take what he’s got to give, which I will be able to.

“There’s plenty of hype around him but he deserves it because he trains hard and has already proved himself at the Olympics. I haven’t got the name he’s got but I’m looking to change that come fight night.

Cruiserweight rivals Lawrence Okolie and Wadi Camacho finally get it on in an all London affair, with the British and Commonwealth titles on the line. ‘The Sauce’ picked up the Lonsdale belt against Matty Askin at Wembley Stadium and puts his title on the line for the first time against the Canning Town ‘Machoman’.

Lewis Ritson defends his British Lightweight title against ‘The KO Kid’ Andy Townend in a guaranteed barnburner. The Geordie favourite is determined to return to winning ways after suffering the first loss of his career at the hands of Francesco Patera in October.

“This is a great show,” said Eddie Hearn. “A new hero of British boxing defending his World title in Charlie Edwards, with three brilliant British title clashes on the undercard. Everybody resonated with the story of Charlie Edwards after his memorable performance at The O2 in December. He makes his first defence of his title against seasoned pro Angel Moreno.

“Joshua Buatsi fights for the British title against the inform Liam Conroy, which is a significant step up. Lawrence Okolie finally gets the chance to fight Wadi Camacho for the British and Commonwealth titles after the all of the bad blood. Lewis Ritson returns from his disappointing defeat to defend his British title against big-punching Andy Townsend in what will be a brutal shootout, and there’s plenty more to be added to this stacked card.”

Ticket details will be announced soon.

Sergio Garcia won a 12-round unanimous decision over Ted Cheesman to retain the European Super Welterweight title at the O2 Arena in London

It was a high contact fight with Garcia getting much better of the exchanges. His worked showed as Cheesman was bleeding from his nose throughout the fight.

Garcia, 153.4 lbs of Spain won by scores of 119-109 twice and 115-114. Cheesman, 153.3 lbs of England is 15-1.

Craig Richards stopped Jake Ball in round three of a scheduled 10-round light heabyweight bout.

In round one, Richards sent Ball to the canvas with a right hand. In round two, it was a right to the body that sent Ball to a knee. In round three, it was a hook to the head that sent Ball down for a 3rd time. Ball was still hurt, and Richards jumped on him by landing several more hard blows before the fight was stopped at 2:27.

Richards, 174.8 lbs of 14-1 with eight knockouts. Richards, 174.5 lbs of Lightwater is 12-2.

Lawrecnce Okolie remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Tamas Lodi in a cruiserweight fight.

In round two, Okolie dropped Lodi with a perfect left hook.. At the end of the round, Okolie landed a flush right hand that put Lodi down for a second time. In the opening seconds of round three, Okolie sent Lodi down again with a right hand. Lodi went down for a fourth and final time with a short right to the chin, and the fight was stopped at 1:13.

Okolie, 199.8 lbs of Hackney, and is now 11-0 with eight knockouts. Lodi, 199.5 lbs of Hungary is 20-12-2.

It was announced after the fight that Okolie would fight Wadi Camacho on March 23rd.

Felix Cash demolished Rasheed Abolaji in round one of a scheduled 12-round middleweight bout.

In round one, Cash dropped Abolaji with a hard jab. Moments later, Cash dropped Abolaji with a perfect overhand right that sent him on his stomach. Abolaji got to his feet, but stumbled back, and the bout was stopped at 2:45.

Cash, 159.6 lbs of Workingham is 11-0 with seven knockouts. Abolaji, 157.8 lbs of Nigeria is 11-5-1.

Fabio Wardley destroyed Morgan Dessaux in the 1st round of their scheduled six-round heavyweight tilt.

Wardley landed a booming right uppercut that was followed up with a short left that dropped Dessaux, and the fight was stopped at 1:43.

Wardley, 229 lbs of Ipswich is 6-0 with five knockouts. Dessaux, 215 lbs of France is 5-5

Scott Fitzgerald remained undefeated by stopping Radoslav Mitev in round two of their scheduled six-round middleweight bout.

In round one, Fitzgerald dropped Miev with a right to the head. In round two, Fitzgerald had an all-out assault until he dropped Mitev with an uppercut. The fight was stopped upon a bloodied Mitev getting to his fight at 1:27.

Fiztgerald, 159.9 lbs of Preston is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Mitev, 156.9 lbs of Bulgaria is 12-46-2.

John Docherty stopped Przemyslaw Binienda in the 1st round of their scheduled four-round light heavyweight bout.

In round one, Binienda began to bleed from his nose. Docherty landed a hard combination that was punctuated by a straight left that plummeted Binienda into the ropes and the bout was stopped at 1:59.

Docherty, 170.4 lbs of Montrose is 3-0 with three knockouts. Binienda, 173.4 lbs of Poland is 2-23.

Ted Cheeseman clashes with undefeated Spaniard Sergio Garcia for the EBU European Super-Welterweight crown at The O2 in London on February 2, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

‘The Big Cheese’ gets his European title shot after outpointing Asinia Byfield in an all-action battle for the Lonsdale belt at the Copper Box Arena in October, and the Bermondsey favourite knows a win over Garcia could secure a mouth-watering fight with Liverpool’s Anthony Fowler.

Bitter Light-Heavyweight rivals Jake Ball and Craig Richards finally get in on after Ball pulled out of their October meeting at short notice due to injury, and there is no love lost between the pair who have been trading insults over Twitter ever since.

Felix Cash won his first professional title in October and now he gets the chance to add a second when he takes on Nigeria’s Abolaji Rasheed for the vacant Commonwealth Middleweight title, with the Wokingham man determined to make up for lost time.

Undefeated British and Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion Lawrence Okolie returns to action after wrestling the Lonsdale belt from Matty Askin at Wembley Stadium, and the Hackney powerhouse is aiming to add more belts to his collection in 2019.

Further exciting additions to the card will be announced soon.

Tickets for February 2 are on sale from midday today (21/12) and available to purchase from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com)

Tickets are priced at £30, £50, £80 and £150 (VIP)

JACK MASSEY BELIEVES that a couple of recent high profile fights in his weight division have potentially given the cruiserweights a bad name.

The 14-0 Massey, who goes by the name of ‘One Smack’, is keen to propel himself into the thick of things and returns to action on the mammoth Manchester Arena card on December 22 as one of the support acts to Josh Warrington defending his IBF world featherweight title against two-weight world champion Carl Frampton.

Fights that have been given the big build up, such as Lawrence Okolie-Isaac Chamberlain and Matty Askin-Okolie, have failed to live up to their billing and Massey fears the boxing public could be turned off from the 200 pounders.

“Yeah, a little bit, I definitely think so myself,” considered the 25-year-old. “You don’t want people to watch fights like that and think it is what boxing is about. Matty Askin is a talent, so is Chamberlain, but Okolie is just awkward and holds a lot.

“He made them look mediocre as well as himself,” added Jack, who says the hype around these fights was not justified in the ring.

“No, not really, but there is a lot of talent in the cruiserweight division at the moment with a lot of good up and coming young fighters.

“If you saw the Okolie-Askin fight it was a bit of a stinker and you don’t want people to watch that and think that is what the cruiserweights are about. You want people to be interested in the cruiserweight division and see some good fights.”

Massey views himself as the man to restore the sparkle to the division and would willingly put himself forward to challenge Okolie. However, he suspects he is not viewed as an ideal candidate for a voluntary defence of a title and he will have to force the issue by earning mandatory status.

“I definitely think it is time to step up and obviously fight for some titles – we need a big title fight now. I feel like I am ready for that.

“My last fight – against Ian Tims – was a bit of a step up and, from what I am hearing from my management, a lot of people don’t want to fight me now and are ducking and diving a little bit.

“It seems like it will be harder to get a title shot unless I get into a mandatory position. So I just need to crack on and get some good fights, starting on December 22. I need to get cracking up the rankings then see what we can get.

“It is a great show to be on with some top fights on it and I think my tickets are going to fly out for it.

“We’d like the Okolie fight and he’s now got the target on his back, hasn’t he? Obviously styles make fights and it would be an awkward fight, but we have had a look at him and seen a few things.

“He has won the British and Commonwealth so he is the one you are going to target and we would like that fight. If not, we will go back to the drawing board and see what is best for us in getting up the rankings.

“It doesn’t sound like Okolie will take the fight so I can’t see it happening any time soon.”

IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington takes on former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton at the Manchester Arena on December 22nd live on BT Sport Box Office. JJ Metcalf will defend his WBC International super-welterweight title against Liam Williams in support of the main event, while Mark Heffron will challenge for the British middleweight title.

Belfast’s blue chip featherweight prospect Michael Conlan (9-0) also features on the bill along with world flyweight title challenger Paddy Barnes (5-1) and unbeaten Light Heavyweight contender Steven Ward (9-0).

Tickets are priced at £50 Upper Tier, £80 Tier, £100 Tier, £150 Tier, £200 Floor/Tier, £300 Floor, £400 Floor, £600 Inner Ring VIP Hospitality and are available.

Tickets available via Eventim.