Just weeks away from a return to big-time boxing in Newcastle starring a future world champion and a current world title holder.
Watching Lewis Ritson and Savannah Marshall in top-line bouts is the exciting prospect for North-East fight fans who have been starved of ‘live’ action following the Coronavirus pandemic.
Matchroom had planned to stage a huge card at the Utilita Arena in April 2020, headlined by Ritson v Miguel Vazquez and supported by Tommy Ward, Marshall and Simon Vallily and many more.
That was postponed, as was a second date in late June, then scrapped altogether.
But promoter Eddie Hearn is desperate to see Tyneside bouncing again in June when, hopefully, restrictions will ease sufficiently to allow supporters in. The Matchroom supremo, who has run a successful behind-closed-doors series on Sky, will await developments before announcing a firm date.
The main attraction will be Ritson’s scheduled final IBF world light-welterweight championship eliminator with undefeated South American king, Jeremias Ponce.
England v Argentina is always a clash to whet any appetite but especially this one.
Ritson, ranked at six by the International Boxing Federation, is on a run of four straight wins since his move up to 140lbs, while Ponce (rated at five) has won all 27 of his professional contests, 17 inside the distance.
Judging by internet footage, the 24-year-old is Buenos Aires’ version of ‘The Sandman’.
It could be some fight.
Marshall is set to fight on home soil for the first time since boxing on the undercard of Ritson’s battle of Britain with Robbie Davies in October 2019.
The ‘Silent Assassin’ dispatched American Ashleigh Curry inside three rounds that evening and has made quick work of her two world title contests since.
Having won the vacant WBO middleweight belt with a seventh-round stoppage of Hannah Rankin at Wembley on Halloween, the Hartlepool star then took out late substitute, Maria Lindberg, inside three rounds last month at the Copperbox Arena.
Another WBO defence could follow at the Utilita Arena, or there could be an IBF title fight too with that belt currently vacant.
It could bring Belgium’s Femke Hermans into the frame – Marshall had been due to defend against her at the Copperbox, only for the European champion to be forced to pull out after one of her team tested positive for covid.
Hearn has already said that another undefeated North-East female fighter, April Hunter, will be in action on the card while there is almost certain to be a welcome appearance for Ritson’s unbeaten Forest Hall stablemate, Terence Wilkinson, plus Geordie crowd favourite, Joe Laws.
Hopefully the same goes for Darlington’s Northern Area champion, Ellis Corrie, who had been set to box on Matchroom’s event last April.
Amid the anticipation of big-time boxing, punch-lines must add a strong note of caution – no fans will mean no show, so we must ‘watch this space’ in terms of the relaxing of covid restrictions.
If the event does go ahead, it could well be Matchroom’s last on Sky Sports given the contract between the two elapses at the end of June, with Hearn reputed to have agreed a lucrative contract with DAZN.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
