THIS summer’s promotional showdown between Matchroom and Queensberry took a step closer to becoming a reality today.
Earlier this year two of the world’s leading promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren struck a deal with Turki Alalshikh (the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority) to stage a historic five-versus-five fight night. A quintet of bouts which would see five boxers from Matchroom and five from Queensberry match up against one another on the same night.
Since then, no news has been revealed over who will fight who and at what weight class. Today it was confirmed which five weight classes will be used for Hearn and Warren to pick from. Those weight classes are: Heavyweight (two fights), light-heavyweight, middleweight and featherweight.
Hearn and Warren have never been on the best of terms and have often aimed aim verbal jabs at one another via various online outlets. That was until self-confessed huge boxing fan Turki Alalshikh came along and acted as both peacemaker and dealmaker. The three men have been working together since to bring some of the biggest fights in the sport to the Middle East.
The likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Dmitry Bivol, Jai Opetaia, Daniel Dubois, Moses Itauma, Nick Ball, Israil Madrimov and more from Matchroom and Queensberry have fought on cards in Saudi Arabia since last October when Fury won a split decision over former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Earlier this month in Riyadh Ngannou was crushed in two rounds by Joshua who appears rejuvenated under new trainer Ben Davison. And on May 18 Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will face one another to determine the sport’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
Hearn and Warren will now have to make their best available selection to have the best possible chance of beating the other. Warren has also indicated he is willing to have a significant bet with Hearn over who will come out on top.
The Five vs. Five fights could act as a support feature to the undisputed light-heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol which is slated for June 1. All that’s left now is for Hearn and Warren to show their hand and reveal which fighters will represent them on the night.