Latest news with #superlightweight
The Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Eddie Hearn warns Richardson Hitchins over ‘snakes' in camp after free-agency claim
Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has hit out at the entourage of world champion Richardson Hitchins, after the fighter declared himself a free agent – just moments after retaining his IBF super-lightweight title. Hitchins made the announcement in the New York City ring following his eighth-round stoppage of George Kambosos Jr, drawing a sharp response from Hearn, who has promoted the American for the past two years. 'I was disappointed with Richardson Hitchins's comments,' Hearn told The Ring. 'On one hand, he says Matchroom have completely changed his life in two years. And then he wants to tell the world he's a free agent. 'It didn't sit well with me, so I pulled him to one side quietly in the dressing room and told him how I felt. It left a really bad taste after all the investment we've made in his career.' In a separate interview with Boxing Scene, Hearn directed his criticism not at Hitchins himself, but at those around him. 'I did feel disrespected – but it's not him,' he said. 'It's just dogs around him. There's no loyalty in boxing. You've got to look after yourself, but when someone's come in when you were on the floor… 'I remember when I first met Richardson Hitchins, the door of his car was falling off. I've spent a lot of money and invested in a young man I really respect and admire.' Hearn went on to list the financial backing Matchroom had provided to help Hitchins become a world champion. 'I've boxed him at Madison Square Garden,' he said. 'I headlined him in Orlando when we didn't sell any tickets and lost money. I kept with it. I headlined him in Las Vegas – same story – and then paid for the opportunity to fight Liam Paro for the world title. 'Then I paid up for a big opponent in George Kambosos, paid up again for the big homecoming in New York. But Richardson's a good kid, he's just got some snakes around him. 'Those snakes will make you feel like they're your guy, but the reality is, they're bloodsuckers. Certain individuals are taking a bigger percentage – or the same – as the promoter bankrolling your entire path.' Hearn's final remarks were among his strongest, warning Hitchins of potential consequences if he were to walk away from the promotion. 'Managers have zero risk,' he said. 'They just let the promoter do all the work. A good manager is good for your career, I just understand the game, so it doesn't infuriate me. I just go: 'You're a dog. You'll get what's f*****g coming to you.' That's all. That's boxing.' Despite the tension, Hearn said he remains hopeful of working with Hitchins again, thanks in part to a private call with Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi adviser behind Riyadh Season boxing events. 'I had a heartwarming call from Turki Alalshikh this morning,' Hearn told The Ring, which is owned by Alalshikh. 'He confirmed he will only deal with Matchroom moving forward on Richardson Hitchins, so we'll begin those discussions.' That stance could significantly limit Hitchins's options, potentially ruling out future fights in Saudi Arabia, including lucrative unification bouts with other world champions.
The Sun
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Adam Azim vs Eliot Chavez: Start time, live stream, TV channel, tickets and full card for super lightweight bout
ADAM AZIM puts his unbeaten streak on the line once again as he takes on Eliot Chavez in a thrilling super lightweight fight. The British-Pakistani star was last in action earlier this year when he stopped Sergey Lipinets to land the vacant IBF 140-pound belt. 1 And it was a victory that extended Azim's record to a staggering 13 wins from 13 fights, and ten of those victories came by a knockout. However, he could be in for a tricky test as Chavez bounced back from three straight defeats before landing a fifth-round KO on Hector Manuel Vargas last month. Furthermore, Azim should approach Chavez with caution as the Mexican is famously known for stopping world champion Mauricio Lara. Not to mention, Chavez was once disqualified in a bad-tempered battle with Harlem Eubank in 2022. This mouthwatering bout is a late addition to the undercard of Callum Simpson vs Ivan Zucco. When is Azim vs Chavez? Adam Azim vs Eliot Chavez will take place on Saturday, June 7. The ring-walks have not been confirmed but it will get underway before Simpson vs Zucco which starts at approximately 10:15pm BST. Oakwell Stadium - home of Barnsley FC is the chosen venue for this mega title fight and it can host around 15,000 spectators. Tickets for this event are still available on Ticketmaster Please note that StubHub and similar secondary ticket resale sites may list tickets above face value What TV channel is Simpson vs Zucco on and can it be live streamed? Adam Azim vs Eliot Chavez will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports Action. Fans can also stream the entire action through NOW TV via any compatible mobile device or tablet. Alternatively, SunSport will have round-by-round coverage through our live blog. What is the full card? Callum Simpson vs Ivan Zucco - for European super-middleweight title Mark Jeffers vs Sean Hemphill Ryhs Edwards vs Thomas Essomba Frankie Stringer vs Kane Baker Ellis Price vs Jake Price Red Johnson vs Harley Collison Sam Hickey vs Harley Hodgetts Mauro Silva vs Omir Rodriguez Adam Azim vs Eliot Chavez What has been said? Adam Azim revealed that he was ready to seize upon the opportunity to fight on this big card. Azim said: "I'm already training hard for a big fight, so when the opportunity came up to get on this card, I jumped at it. 'I discussed it with my team and [promoter] Ben Shalom, and we felt it was the right time to get in some solid competitive rounds against a tough opponent. 'I'm also excited to go up there to fight in front of a capacity-crowd stadium in Barnsley. Callum's told me all about the incredible noise from the stands and I plan to put on a show for them. "It's going to be a huge night in front of a packed crowd at Oakwell and I can't wait to be part of it. 'There's a big British Asian community in South Yorkshire too, and I hope they take the chance to grab the remaining tickets and get behind me. Let's make it a night to remember.'
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Who is Josh Taylor? Fight record, stats, next bout and more
Josh Taylor returns to action this weekend when he faces Ekow Essuman at the OVO Hydro arena in Glasgow this Saturday. A former undisputed champion at super lightweight, Taylor will make his welterweight debut after losses to Teofimo Lopez and Jack Catterall. As Britain's only undisputed champion during the four-belt era, Taylor is a well-known name in the British boxing scene. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN But just in case you are not familiar with the man they call the 'Tartan Tornado', DAZN News profiles the Scot, covering his fight record, career history, personal stats, and details of his next bout. Who is Josh Taylor? Josh Taylor is a Scottish boxer who has fought the entirety of his professional career to date as a super lightweight, winning the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF titles between 2019 and 2023. Born in Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland in 1991, the 34-year-old is stepping up a weight class for the first time to compete at welterweight. Prior to making his professional debut in 2015, Taylor was a talented amateur, qualifying for the 2012 Olympic games and twice reaching the final of the Commonwealth games, winning gold in 2014. Nationality: British Age: 34 Height: 5' 10" Reach: 69 ½" What is Josh Taylor's record? First trained by Shane McGuigan, Josh Taylor enjoyed a rapid rise in the professional ranks after a successful amateur career. By his seventh fight, he was competing for the Commonwealth super lightweight title, defeating Dave Ryan by fifth-round stoppage. Taylor began his career with a streak of seven knockouts, a run that ended with a unanimous decision victory over Alfonso Olvera in Las Vegas. The Scot's unbeaten streak continued, building towards his first title shot after 15 fights. In front of a home crowd at the OVO Hydro Arena, Taylor won the IBF super lightweight title via a unanimous decision over Ivan Baranchyk, his dominance clear by the two knockdowns he dealt his opponent in the sixth round. One world title quickly became two, when Taylor defeated WBA belt holder Regis Prograis via majority decision to unify. Taylor would defend his titles against Apinun Khongsong, before unifying all four belts with WBO and WBC title holder Jose Carlos Ramirez in 2021. In Las Vegas, Taylor proved he was the man to beat in the super lightweight division by knocking down Ramirez in rounds six and seven en route to a unanimous decision victory. A controversial win over fellow Brit Jack Catterall saw Taylor defend his undisputed status, but the southpaw would relinquish three of his belts in order to make a rematch with Catterall. In the interim, he fought American Teofimo Lopez in 2023, losing for the first time in his career via unanimous decision. That meant when Taylor finally rematched Catterall in 2024, he had lost his final world title, the WBO belt. Catterall enacted revenge on Taylor, inflicting the second loss of his career to leave the Scot with a record of 19-2 (13). When is Josh Taylor's next fight? Josh Taylor is in action this weekend, when he welcomes Ekow Essuman, 21-1 (8), to the OVO Hydro Arena. Taylor is unbeaten in five previous bouts in the arena, and will expect support from the majority of the venue. The bout marks Taylor's first fight at welterweight, with the Scot headlining the card promoted by Queensberry Promotions. All of the action will be shown live on DAZN, with the main card starting at 7pm BST. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
