BoxRec

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

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.

A huge blow for the Beeb this though.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

How do this affect JohnShep?

Kev

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

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?

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

Fight by fight basis as I understand it.

So Hennessy doesn't have Witter in other words.

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.

Ask witter

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The future looks good for Matchroom.

Especially if Reid comes through against Magee.

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.

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!

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.