As part of its new deal with Sky Sports, BOXXER has announced long-term promotional agreements with WBO middleweight champion Savannah Marshall, heavyweight contender Hughie Fury, unbeaten cruiserweight duo Richard Riakporhe and Mikael Lawal, Olympic star Caroline Dubois, super-middleweight puncher Joe Pigford and Albanian welterweight Florian Marku.
BOXXER has also agreed co-promotional deals with Chris Eubank Jr. (in association with Wasserman Boxing) and Geordie 140lbs favourite Lewis Ritson. The outfit has additionally signed a number of prospects including the touted Azim brothers, Adam and Hassan.
On a busy day of announcements, BOXXER will co-promote undisputed 140lbs champion Josh Taylor’s mandatory defence against Jack Catterall on December 18 and agreed a deal with undisputed 154lbs champion Claressa Shields to fight in the UK that could lead to a clash with old amateur rival Marshall.
As part of their four-year deal, Sky Sports and BOXXER will also offer the live streaming of amateur boxing tournaments and create a new annual Cup competition, as well as 14 pro fight nights per year (plus Pay-Per-View) and its established one-night BOXXER Series tournament.
The new roster of BOXXER fighters is as follows:
HEAVYWEIGHT
HUGHIE FURY, Manchester (25-3-0, 14 KOs) (Managed by Mick Hennessy).
STEVE ROBINSON, Newcastle (3-0-0, 3 KOs).
NICK CAMPBELL, Glasgow (2-0-0, 2 KOs).
CRUISERWEIGHT
RICHARD RIAKPORHE, Walworth, London (11-0-0, 8 KOs).
MIKAEL LAWAL, Lagos, Nigeria/Shepherds Bush, London (13-0-0, 7 KOs).
SCOTT FORREST, Edinburgh (pro debut).
SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT
GERMAINE BROWN, Kingston, London (9-0-0, 3 KOs).
ZAK CHELLI, Fulham, London (10-1-1, 5 KOs)
JOE PIGFORD, Southampton (17-0-0, 16 KOs)
MIDDLEWEIGHT
CHRIS EUBANK JR. Brighton (30-2-0, 22 KOs) (co-promotion With Wasserman Boxing).
SAVANNAH MARSHALL, Hartlepool, England (10-0-0, 8 KOs) (Managed by Mick Hennessy).
BRAD REA, Manchester (10-0-0, 4 KOs).
MARK DICKINSON, Birtley, Tyne and Wear (pro debut).
SUPER-WELTERWEIGHT
CLARESSA SHIELDS, Flint, Michigan, USA, (11-0, 2 KOs).
GEORGIA O’CONNOR, Durham (pro debut).
WELTERWEIGHT
APRIL HUNTER, Tyne and Wear, England (4-0, 0 KOs).
SUPER-LIGHTWEIGHT
LEWIS RITSON, Newcastle, England (21-2, 12 KOs) (co-promotional agreement).
HASSAN AZIM, Slough, Berkshire (pro debut).
LIGHTWEIGHT
ADAM AZIM, Slough, Berkshire (1-0, 0 KOs)
CAROLINE DUBOIS, Greenwich, London (pro debut).
BANTAMWEIGHT
EBONIE JONES, Portsmouth, England (pro debut).
The first BOXXER event will be live on Sky Sports on October 2 when Eubank faces German Sven Elbir at the SSE Arena, Wembley, on a card including European welterweight champion David Avenesyan defending his title against Liam Taylor plus Richard Riakporhe, Mikael Lawal, Germaine Brown, Joe Pigford and Ebonie Jones.
BOXXER founder Ben Shalom said: “We’re thrilled to announce the initial signing of elite boxers, champions and prospects to BOXXER and the forthcoming event schedule. In the coming weeks we look forward to making further big announcements that will take us to the end of the year and into a big 2022.”