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Matchroom Announce Action-Packed
Start To UK 2021 Schedule
Eddie Hearn and Matchroom are delighted to announce details
of their upcoming UK schedule following the British Boxing
Board of Control’s confirmation earlier this week that
Boxing tournaments under its jurisdiction will resume in the
middle of February. All of the action will be shown live on
Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than
200 countries and territories, with Alexander Povetkin vs.
Dillian Whyte 2 shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the
UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and
Ireland.
Matchroom’s 2021 schedule launches with a bang on Saturday
February 13 as Josh Warrington (30-0, 7 KOs) faces Mexico’s
Mauricio Lara (21-2, 14 KOs) as he waits for a huge fight
later in the year, Manchester Super-Featherweight contender
Zelfa Barrett (24-1, 15 KOs) defends his IBF
Intercontinental Title against Spain’s former
Super-Bantamweight World Champion Kiko Martinez (41-9-2, 29
KOs) in the chief support bout, Nottingham’s Leigh Wood
(23-2, 13 KOs) clashes with unbeaten Doncaster man Reece
Mould (13-0, 6 KOs) for the vacant British Featherweight
Title, fast-rising Sheffield Super-Lightweight talent Dalton
Smith (6-0, 5 KOs) takes on Rotherham’s Lee Appleyard
(16-5-1, 5 KOs) and Leeds Featherweight Hopey Price (3-0, 1
KO) looks to build on his win over Jonny Phillips at Fight
Camp last summer.
Russia’s European Welterweight Champion David Avanesyan
(26-3-1, 14 KOs) makes his long-awaited Title defence
against Josh Kelly (10-0-1, 6 KOs) at the top of the bill
the following week on Saturday February 20, undefeated
Welterweights Florian Marku (7-0-1, 5 KOs) and Rylan
Charlton (6-0-1, 3 KOs) meet in what promises to be an
explosive ten-round battle, Liverpool Super-Welterweight
Anthony Fowler (13-1, 10 KOs) returns against Spain's Jorge
Fortea (21-2-1, 7 KOs) following his win over Adam Harper at
Fight Camp, Amy Timlin (4-0-1) and Carly Skelly (3-0-1)
rematch for the vacant Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight Title
after their split draw on the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Derek
Chisora undercard last October and explosive Romford
Heavyweight Johnny Fisher makes his highly anticipated
professional debut.
Alexander Povetkin’s (36-2-1, 25 KOs) blockbuster
Heavyweight rematch with Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) lands
on Saturday March 6, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in
the UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and
Ireland, with details of the chief support bout to be
announced shortly, Bermondsey's Ted Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9
KOs) meets Liverpool's James Metcalf (21-0, 13 KOs) for the
vacant British Super-Welterweight Title, Ipswich Heavyweight
talent Fabio Wardley (10-0, 9 KOs) steps-up again against
USA’s former World Title challenger Eric Molina (27-6, 19
KOs), Manchester Super-Featherweight Campbell Hatton – son
of British fight legend Ricky Hatton – makes his
professional debut and Wembley Super-Featherweight Youssef
Khoumari ( 11-0-1, 4 KOs) faces Birmingham’s Kane Baker
(14-7).
Hackney Cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie (15-0, 12 KOs)
attempts to become Britain’s next World Champion in just his
sixteenth fight when he clashes with Krzysztof Glowacki for
the vacant WBO crown on Saturday March 20, Northampton’s
Chantelle Cameron (13-0, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of
her WBC Super-Lightweight Word Title against Puerto Rico’s
Melissa Hernandez (23-7-3, 7 KOs), Bournemouth’s
Commonwealth Cruiserweight Champion Chris Billam-Smith
(11-1, 10 KOs) takes on Chelsea’s English Champion Deion
Jumah (13-0, 7 KOs) for the vacant British Title,
Somali-British prospect Ramla Ali (1-0) steps through the
ropes for a second time as a pro and Birmingham's former
Team GB standout Solomon Dacres makes his professional
debut.
On Saturday April 10 rising Welterweight star Conor Benn
(17-0, 11 KOs) defends his WBA Continental Title against
Samuel Vargas (31-6-2, 14 KOs) following his career-best
performance last time out against Sebastian Formella. ‘The
Destroyer’ dominated Germany’s Formella over ten rounds,
impressively outfighting and outboxing the former IBO World
Champion to remain undefeated in the red hot 147lbs
division. Vargas has shared the ring with current WBC and
IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol Spence Jr, two-weight
World Champion Danny Garcia and former Unified
Super-Lightweight World Champion Amir Khan. Also on the
card, Aldridge's Rachel Ball (7-1) and Watford's Shannon
Courtenay (6-1, 3 KOs) rematch with the vacant WBA
Bantamweight World Title on the line, Hartlepool's Savannah
Marshall (9-0, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of her WBO
Middleweight World Title after her emphatic win over Hannah
Rankin in October, Commonwealth Middleweight Champion Felix
Cash (13-0, 9 KOs) fights for the first time since his win
over Jason Welborn and Glasgow Bantamweight Kash Farooq
(14-1, 6 KOs) returns after his masterclass win over Angel
Aviles.
Matchroom Sport Managing Director Eddie Hearn said: "Even in
a pandemic I feel like this is the strongest start to a year
Matchroom have had in a long time. It's going to be a rough
ride over the next couple of months but with plenty of drama
and excitement along the way. We have some thrilling main
events and stacked cards that feature some of the biggest
names in British boxing returning to action as we look to
make a real statement in 2021."
Adam Smith, Head of Boxing Development for Sky Sports, said:
“We’re absolutely thrilled with our strongest start to a New
Year as we bring you more of the biggest names in British
boxing. The hugely popular Josh Warrington kicks off our
first live show on Sky Sports against Mauricio Lara, with a
unification clash in touching distance.
“Josh Kelly settles his long-running rivalry with David
Avanesyan, while Amy Timlin and Carly Skelly share the ring
again on the same bill after battling to a draw. Dillian
Whyte and Alexander Povetkin delivered one of the most
dramatic Heavyweight fights of last year and we’re expecting
more fireworks in their rematch, with Campbell Hatton also
making his pro debut, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
“Lawrence Okolie finally receives his World Title fight
against Krzysztof Glowacki on another exciting night that
features Ramla Ali’s return and Chantelle Cameron’s first
defence of her WBC belt. It’s then Conor Benn’s turn to take
centre stage in a crucial showdown with Samuel Vargas.
Boxing is back in 2021, so get ready for more epic fights on
Sky Sports.”
DAZN EVP Joseph Markowski said: “From a Heavyweight rematch
to championship fights to a highly anticipated pro debut,
the early 2021 schedule from Matchroom has a little bit of
everything and we look forward to delivering these events to
fans around the world on DAZN."
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