BBC Wales welcomes Welsh championship show - 28 May 2022

[Ruthless-RKO]

Small Hall Spotlight: BBC Wales welcomes pro boxing back with stacked Welsh championship show

Welsh championship boxing

Venue: LC Swansea Date: Saturday, 28 May
Coverage: Live on BBC Two Wales & BBC iPlayer from 22:00 BST.

The LC in the Maritime Quarter of Swansea may not be a notable boxing venue, but the show it hosts on Saturday has special significance.

Featuring two Welsh title fights, another for the Celtic title and a supporting roster of novice, undercard action, the show is typical of small hall nights happening up and down the country.

Yet this one is to be shown live on BBC2 Wales and BBC iPlayer, ending the national broadcaster's 17-year absence from the sport.

BBC Wales head of content commissioning, Nick Andrews explains the long-awaited return of pro boxing to BBC TV screens.

"It's a sport that resonates with us," he says. "And as such we are really excited to be able to bring three Welsh title fights free to air on a Saturday night. It's also great to broadcast live from Swansea, a city with a fine boxing tradition."

Older boxing fans will, of course, recall the BBC's regular ringside presence throughout the 20th Century.

From iconic occasions such as the 'Rumble in the Jungle', contested between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974, to the careers of British legends Henry Cooper, Barry McGuigan and Frank Bruno, the BBC was formerly a stalwart of the sport.

By the turn of the millennium, the media landscape had begun to shift, however, and boxing moved largely on to subscription and ultimately pay-per-view television.

Opportunities to watch the sport for free became rare, contributing to the growing impression that it had become a niche interest.

The BBC's last televised action featured Sheffield's Clinton Woods winning the IBF world light-heavyweight championship in 2005.

"Boxing had a much more mainstream audience in the old days," says Chris Sanigar, a former fighter turned manager and promoter who now runs Sanigar Events, which is putting on the Swansea show.

"And the BBC was a big part of that. When people went to put their TV on in the evenings, they always started with the BBC. It was like the go-to outlet for everything, so some of those really big nights of the past were like national events."

"I think it's so important for the sport that the BBC is getting involved in boxing again. I'm sure it will bring extra viewers to us, because even now not everybody has subscription TV, do they?"

"We're hoping very much that this will be an ongoing thing, and the start of a new era of boxing on the BBC," the 66-year-old continues.

We understand they want to dip their toe in the water first and test the temperature, so to speak, but we're very confident that our three title fights will live up to expectations and this will be the beginning of something special."

Top of the Swansea card will see two bouts with unbeaten fighters facing off, as Risca's Jake Tinklin (7-0) takes on Cardiff's Lloyd Germain (5-0) for the Welsh welterweight championship, while Joshua John (4-0) from Port Talbot goes up against Scotsman Mark McKeown (6-0) for the Celtic featherweight belt.

Both Germain and John are trained by top coach Tony Borg at the famous St Joseph's Gym in Newport, where Borg previously worked with former IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby, among others.

The vacant Welsh middleweight strap will also be contested between Morgan Jones (14-2) from Aberdare and Gerome Warburton (9-1-1) from Colwyn Bay, along with an undercard of up-and-coming Welsh talent.

Continuing the theme, the evening's presentation and commentary team will be stacked with legendary Welsh boxing figures such as former world cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli, Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price and star trainer and ex-pro Gary Lockett.

"Of course, it's such a huge night for Welsh sport," Sanigar says.

"We've had some shows on S4C, which were very successful but all of us at Sanigar Promotions are so excited at getting to showcase this event on the BBC platform. It's absolutely mega for everyone involved."

"But as well as the Welsh angle, I want to stress that this is huge news for British boxing in general. This night has come along at such a great time because the whole small hall scene has really struggled for the last couple of years. The coronavirus pandemic, with all the lockdowns, hit us so hard.

"People at the top end of the sport were able to more or less carry on as normal, but at small hall level, it's all about ticket sales and of course, all that suddenly stopped, which was so hard for everybody.

"The managers, the promoters, the trainers, we've all had a tough time, but it's been worst for the boxers.

"Some fighters even packed it in altogether. So, for the scene to make the comeback it has, and now for the BBC to come back in, it's just a massive boost for all of us."

---------
Fight card

Joshua John v Mark McKeown - Celtic featherweight title
Jake Tinklin v Lloyd Germain - Welsh welterweight title
Morgan Jones v Gerome Warburton - Welsh middleweight title
Nathan Howells v Tatenda Mangombe - lightweight
Ryan Pocock v Seamus Devlin - super-middleweight
James Atkins v Matar Sambou - welterweight
Ted Barnaby v Lee Devine - lightweight
Tom James v Michael Mooney - super-lightweight

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

[Boxerbeetle]

I created a thread about this show a couple of weeks ago. Not ideal timing with the Champions League final which might go in extra time, will watch live if I can tho.

[ShadrachSimmo]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

Is the Welsh title fight on live @ 10?

I’ll tune in after the football if it is. Looks a distance fight though I see Tinklin took a count in his last fight.

[liamlion]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

Is the Welsh title fight on live @ 10?

I’ll tune in after the football if it is. Looks a distance fight though I see Tinklin took a count in his last fight.

Looks like live coverage starts on BBC iPlayer at 10pm.

I’m keen to watch the card. Does anyone know if its live anywhere else online?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

Is the Welsh title fight on live @ 10?

I’ll tune in after the football if it is. Looks a distance fight though I see Tinklin took a count in his last fight.

Looks like live coverage starts on BBC iPlayer at 10pm.

I’m keen to watch the card. Does anyone know if its live anywhere else online?

BBC Wales on your Sky Box. I doubt anywhere else.

[liamlion]

Is the Welsh title fight on live @ 10?

I’ll tune in after the football if it is. Looks a distance fight though I see Tinklin took a count in his last fight.

Looks like live coverage starts on BBC iPlayer at 10pm.

I’m keen to watch the card. Does anyone know if its live anywhere else online?

BBC Wales on your Sky Box. I doubt anywhere else.

I’m on a fire stick (no sky box) and so can only locate BBC 1 Wales. Never mind, cheers tho mate.

[daz74]

Looks like live coverage starts on BBC iPlayer at 10pm.

I’m keen to watch the card. Does anyone know if its live anywhere else online?

BBC Wales on your Sky Box. I doubt anywhere else.

I’m on a fire stick (no sky box) and so can only locate BBC 1 Wales. Never mind, cheers tho mate.

I’m on bbc iplayer now, but i can’t find this card, am i being an old thick git ?

[Ruthless-RKO]

BBC Wales on your Sky Box. I doubt anywhere else.

I’m on a fire stick (no sky box) and so can only locate BBC 1 Wales. Never mind, cheers tho mate.

I’m on bbc iplayer now, but i can’t find this card, am i being an old thick git ?

Check the location setting.

I remember watching BBC Scotland on the iPlayer for the Farooq-McGregor fight.

[daz74]

I’m on a fire stick (no sky box) and so can only locate BBC 1 Wales. Never mind, cheers tho mate.

I’m on bbc iplayer now, but i can’t find this card, am i being an old thick git ?

Check the location setting.

I remember watching BBC Scotland on the iPlayer for the Farooq-McGregor fight.

got it

[dookus]

McKeown predictable with the 1-2 but looks strong and quick hands. JJ better feet and jab in the second. 1-1

[dookus]

Rd 3 JJ keeps moving and wins with the jab. Rd 4 McKeown finally starts throwing the right to body and finds the way to close JJ down. More exchanges at close range, McKeown digging in to body. JJ hurt end of round. 2-2 but momentum to McK

[dookus]

JJ apparently recovered, and back in these exchanges, but McK strong and just keeps on coming. More rights to the body. 3-2 mcK

[dookus]

6. JJ on his toes and peeking and poking, but McKeown not cutting him down. And forgetting the body work. JJ shades it, but no power. 3-3

[dookus]

7. JJ's feet are slowing, and McKeown is relentless. Right starts to find a home upstairs and down. 4-3 McK

[dookus]

8. JJ his grounds now, and winning some of the exchanges, but he can't hurt McK, and the reverse is not true. McK landing more and harder. If he can keep this up, may stop him. 5-3 McK

[dookus]

9. Getting scrappy. JJ really trying to smother and exchange inside when he can, but he's physically outmatched. Gets back to combos from the outside at the end, but not enough. 6-3 mck

[dookus]

10. Big rally from JJ, and McK slows down, but it's not enough. I have it 97-94 mck

[dookus]

96-95 96-95 96-94 McK. Closer than I had it but about acceptable

[maninthemiddle]

Let’s hope the viewing figures make the corporation realise licence payers want boxing covered as part of their service.

[Boxerbeetle]

Let’s hope the viewing figures make the corporation realise licence payers want boxing covered as part of their service.

The show is easily available on iplayer for anyone who missed it btw, think it’s literally just called ‘Welsh Boxing’.

[ILikeBeer]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

Missed it.

Might've had it on if I'd known.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

Missed it.

Might've had it on if I'd known.

Should be on iPlayer

[ILikeBeer]

Anyone gonna catch this?

There’s no other boxing tonight in the UK. I don’t think.

Missed it.

Might've had it on if I'd known.

Should be on iPlayer