Is Matchroom about to take over from Sports Network?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 09 Jun 2004, 11:57

Jess Harding, head of UK Presents, announced today at a press conference he has struck a long term deal with Barry Hearn's Matchroom Sport. The deal means his stable of fighters, including European champions Nicky Cook and Esham Pickering, will now be seen on Sky Sports.
Harding has ran a series of shows on rival network BBC over the last three years but has decided to team up again with Barry Hearn.
"I'm delighted to be working with Sky Sports and Barry Hearn again," said Harding. "I must do what is best for my boxers. I now know they will be boxing regularly and can now plan ahead."
The first show of the aforementioned deal takes place at the Brentwood Leisure Centre in Brentwood on July 10 with Nicky Cook defending his European featherweight title against Frenchman Johnny Begue whilst Esham Pickering defends his European super-bantamweight crown against the undefeated Russian Alexander Federov.

From secondsout.com

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 09 Jun 2004, 12:03

This may be a good think for the fans.

Stiff competition may force promoters to put on the fights us fans want to see.

Time will tell though.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 09 Jun 2004, 13:59

A huge blow for the Beeb this though.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 09 Jun 2004, 14:05

stujones wrote:A huge blow for the Beeb this though.

The Beeb don't really want boxing in my opinion. Their half-hearted, late night attitude to the sport has always given that away.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 09 Jun 2004, 14:20

bennie wrote:
stujones wrote:A huge blow for the Beeb this though.
The Beeb don't really want boxing in my opinion. Their half-hearted, late night attitude to the sport has always given that away.

Yeah true, still a blow for Boxing though. Boxing needs to be on terrestial TV (at least untill the analogue transferal). It would be nice for the TV companies to show more interest, but who is now left to join someone like ITV or maybe C5.

TheGoods · Post by **TheGoods** » 09 Jun 2004, 15:51

Delighted by this. Both camps not shy in putting their tops boys in with each other. A little birdie also tells me Pickering v Hunter is not a million miles from being made either. Good on them.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 09 Jun 2004, 18:08

A Hamed comeback under the Matchroom banner and the defection of Calzaghe or Hatton would really be an enormous kick in the nuts for SN.

Come on Matchroom!

theguru · Post by **theguru** » 10 Jun 2004, 04:51

I have heard Harding has a Witter connection too.............! Matchroom may soon be the BIG BOYS on Sky Tv

kevin · Post by **kevin** » 15 Jun 2004, 10:58

How do this affect JohnShep?

Kev

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:03

Presumably it's just an additional deal for Hearn, I cannot see why he would lose one set of fighters just to get another.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:10

theguru wrote:I have heard Harding has a Witter connection too.............! Matchroom may soon be the BIG BOYS on Sky Tv

I thought Hennessy had Witter?

kevin · Post by **kevin** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:12

Harding connection is Pickering, he used to share a house with Witter, but Witter is with Hennessy at the moment, not sure if he is under contract to them

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:12

Fight by fight basis as I understand it.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:13

So Hennessy doesn't have Witter in other words.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:18

Not under any form of exclusive contract as such no. In other words. No. Well, not really, not in the strictest sense, so sort of no, but potentially yes, and no.

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:21

Ask witter

[email protected]

buzz · Post by **buzz** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:22

The future looks good for Matchroom.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jun 2004, 11:38

Especially if Reid comes through against Magee.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 15 Jun 2004, 12:20

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Not under any form of exclusive contract as such no. In other words. No. Well, not really, not in the strictest sense, so sort of no, but potentially yes, and no.

That's affirmative.

xtremebox · Post by **xtremebox** » 16 Jun 2004, 17:42

Hearn said he wouldn't work with the Ingle Family again and they dislike each other I am told. Still the Ingles would dance with the devil for a pound note. Didn't Riath Hamed throw Matchroom a lifeline on Sky when they left SN? Seems Hearn has done his usual and stayed loyal to his wallet. Still as Mickey Duff once said " if you want loyalty, buy a dog" with Junior Witter and the Ingles in tow Hearn could inherit a pack of them!

Be Interested to hear the Hamed take on this. Is the Scotsman still in the mix, is this the new cartel.....who cares, not me!

xtremebox · Post by **xtremebox** » 16 Jun 2004, 19:42

PS: You would think after Barry Hearn had him blown away by Gary Mason that Jess Harding would keep his fighters a million miles away from Matchroom's matchmakers!!

I don't think the Hertford mob will worry too much about this new alliance it will take something better than that to topple them from their position as #1.