Battle for promotion

The promotion of British boxing has never been healthier with household names Frank Warren and Frank Maloney still producing top quality high octane fight nights like they were going out of fashion. The British fight fans love nothing more than a good old domestic fight. Willing travel the country to go and support their boy, and sit proudly in homemade T-shirts cheering from the opening Bell and way after the officials stop the fight early due to a clash of heads. Where am I going with this? Enter Matchroom spotrts.

Barry Hearn’s been around in boxing since the 1980s and first promoted a pro fight when Frank Bruno took on Joe Bugner. These days He’s busy turning the darts and snooker world on it’s head. The once fairly average old pub games struggled to make it on TV until Matchroom got their hands on it and Barry Hearn was voted the new Chairman of world snooker. These days snooker is following the footsteps of darts and expanding worldwide with new tournaments due to take place in Australia for the first time. Snooker players have entrance music, A Premier league of snooker and darts tour the country selling out arena’s nationwide. Not only has Barry freshened up world snooker and world darts for the fans, introducing new tournaments and ranking events the players are now given a chance to pick and choose where to play and earn a decent living. The introduction of the cue school where snooker hopefuls have the chance to join the main tour in a knock out competition.

I seem to think not to be out done by his father Eddie Hearn is starting to make some serious moves in the boxing world and the Prizefighter tournaments prove to be a hit in the UK and across the Atlantic. Prizefighter made its U.S breakthrough in April when Fox Sports broadcast the Light Heavyweight International event. Some have said Matchroom plan world domination and to take out the competition. It is however simply business. The transfer window is officially open but it’s not Leyton Orient bringing in players. WBC Super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch signed a 5 fight deal, Fresh faced Sheffield quickster Kell Brook has joined the ranks after Frank Warren said he did not want to promote Brook again and questioned his professionalism as well as saying Carl Froch will never be world class or a star of boxing. Darren Barker made his return from a hip injury to pick up another European title for matchroom and landed a sponsorship with adidas so in hindsight the future looks bright for Matchroom.

Frank Warren of course packs a punch with his own weapons of world destruction with the likes of newly crowned WBO Light Heavyweight Nathan Cleverley, Derek Chisora, Frankie Gavin, James Degale and new fresh talents Prizefighter finalist Tobias Webb and the promising youngster and my pick for future world champion Billy Joe Saunders. Frank Warren has plenty left in the tank and promises to deliver the fights we want to see for a long time yet.