BoxRec

Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, a World leading boxing promoter, OPI Since 82, Italy’s premier boxing promoter and DAZN, the World’s first pure-sport live and on-demand streaming service have teamed up to bring top flight boxing back to fight fans in Italy.

Matchroom Boxing Italy has been created in a historic, eight-year joint venture to stage eight marque events throughout Italy per year. The stacked fight nights will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN, the revolutionary sports streaming platform currently making waves in the sport.

The first event of the brand new venture will be staged at the Teatro Obi Hall in Florence on November 30 featuring a series of Italy vs. England matchups. The main event on an action-packed evening of boxing sees Florence’s own Fabio ‘Stone Crusher’ Turchi defend his WBC International Silver Cruiserweight title against Britain's former Commonwealth Champion Tony ‘Conqueror’ Conquest.

Torino’s Andrea ‘Sugar Ray’ Scarpa clashes with Malmesbury’s former British title challenger Joe Hughes for the vacant EBU European Super-Lightweight title and Devis ‘Boom Boom’ Boschiero takes on Brentwood’s former European Champion Martin J Ward for the WBC International Silver Super-Featherweight title.

Matchroom Boxing Managing Director Eddie Hearn, said: “This is another landmark moment for Matchroom Boxing as we continue our global expansion with over 50 shows a Year Worldwide. Italy has lots of potential and we have the ability with DAZN and OPI to make a huge difference to the sport and inspire a new generation of fighters. November 30 is a great start to our schedule in Florence with three big title fights on a stacked card ready to entertain DAZN Italy subscribers - here’s to the future..Saluti!”

Christian Cherchi of OPI Since 82, said: “This is a huge opportunity and an historic moment for the Cherchi’s family, OPI Since 82 and the sport of boxing in Italy. We have been looking for partners to rebuild Italian boxing for a while and in Matchroom Boxing and DAZN we found the perfect ones and the best in the sport. DAZN have shown their passion and commitment to the sport of boxing worldwide for which we are very grateful and we are looking forward to long and successful collaboration. The first show on November 30 in Florence will be an early Christmas present for the Italian boxing fans with 3 evenly contended titles between Italian and English boxers.”

Veronica Diquattro, Executive Vice President Italy, DAZN, said: “We are delighted with this bold new partnership that will bring great boxing back to Italy. The sport has given fans incredible emotions and historic moments over the years and will now return to screens, live and on demand. The partnership brings significant investment to rebuild boxing in our country, and at the same time enriches DAZN’s multi-sport offering for fans who can watch the best sport whenever and wherever they want.”

This partnership builds on DAZN’s impressive boxing credentials, which saw the launch of Matchroom Boxing USA. The $1 billion joint venture between Matchroom Boxing and DAZN, announced in May, includes 16 fights a year in the U.S. featuring some of the sport’s biggest stars at the best venues across America.

Looking forward to martin wards fight

Nothing not to like here

Gnome wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 12:38 Nothing not to like here

The show will be on Sky Sports too.

My only concerns with this (and the upcoming announcement of Matchroom Germany) is the impact it will have on Matchroom’s UK shows. Hearn will have fewer fighters at his disposal (as evidenced by him keeping Dave Allen on most undercards) and the U.K. shows will only become weaker.

Will we be able to see it in the UK? Can't see anything about Sky above..

maverick23 wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 13:42

Gnome wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 12:38 Nothing not to like here

The show will be on Sky Sports too.

My only concerns with this (and the upcoming announcement of Matchroom Germany) is the impact it will have on Matchroom’s UK shows. Hearn will have fewer fighters at his disposal (as evidenced by him keeping Dave Allen on most undercards) and the U.K. shows will only become weaker.

I'm more optimistic. I think it will give boxers from both countries more fights, more experience, more chances for paydays and improve the strength of British and Italian boxing from a fan and fighter perspective.

magnus wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 14:40 Will we be able to see it in the UK? Can't see anything about Sky above..

Yes - Eddie confirmed it’s on SkySports.

KiwiRider wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 14:57

maverick23 wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 13:42

Gnome wrote: ↑07 Nov 2018, 12:38 Nothing not to like here

The show will be on Sky Sports too.

My only concerns with this (and the upcoming announcement of Matchroom Germany) is the impact it will have on Matchroom’s UK shows. Hearn will have fewer fighters at his disposal (as evidenced by him keeping Dave Allen on most undercards) and the U.K. shows will only become weaker.

I'm more optimistic. I think it will give boxers from both countries more fights, more experience, more chances for paydays and improve the strength of British and Italian boxing from a fan and fighter perspective.

I don’t disagree that it’s a benefit for British fighters and will benefit Italian boxing which has gone very quiet in recent years.

My concern is purely for U.K. undercards and planning of shows. 12 or 18 months ago Matchroom shows were announced with plenty of time pre show and the undercards were often good and also locked down well in advance of the show.

Now we’ve had Brook’s December show being announced 5/6 weeks pre show, against a poor opponent, with just one fight so far confirmed for the undercard. Same with the Bellew show this weekend - only the Crolla fight has been confirmed for some time - the rest of the undercard has been put together in the last week which is never great.

Too many shows isn’t ideal IMO.

He’s already using UK fighters on his US shows and now going to be using them in Italy and likely Germany too.

The Sky Sports Regular shows are quite bland now days. Even Whyte and Chisora are fighting on PPV.

Boxing in Italy = Corruption at the highest order. Cant wait to see some people taking a dive and losing to underdogs here

This Friday

I’ll be watching the BN MTK show.

Joe Hughes fighting Andrea Scarpa for the vacant European Super Lightweight title on the card, thought that would've been top of the bill instead of Conquest, this is Hughes second crack at the European after losing to Yigit recently, he lost widely on the cards that night but it was a competitive scrap, Hughes really puts it on his opponents and makes them work for their wins, obviously he has that shorter right arm so is reliant on the left hand but he uses that well, nice jab and digs in the hooks to the body, Hughes also drew with Nurse for the British so i'd like to see him pick up a major title

Scarpa well known here for dishing out a hiding to Hibbert a couple of years back before losing a shut out to Ohara Davies, i'd imagine its gonna be tough for Hughes to get the verdict over in Italy and I can see him coming out on the wrong end of a decsion

I don't know about you, but it makes me feel voluptuous.

So I'm assuming this fella Fabio Turchi who Conquest is fighting is being groomed from Matchroom to become one of their flag bearers for the Italy side? Why else would he be topping the bill above a European title fight featuring another Italian?

Was looking through his record there, 15-0 with 11 KOs but the opposition has been wafer thin, I haven't seen Conquest in years, probably since losing his Commonwealth title to McKenzie, I thought he retired? He's on a 5 fight journeymen winning streak since losing that night, I liked Conquest but he was always a bit vulnerable, I remember Dawson knocking him out in a round years ago

Hard to tell how much he has left and how good Turchi is, hopefully its a fun scrap, was surprised when I was looking through Conquest's record he only has 5 KOs to his name, I thought he was puncher for some reason??

Running Order

7pm Local Time

4 Round Super-Middleweight Contest
JOHN DOCHERTY vs. ANGEL MARIANO CASTILLO

FOLLOWED BY

6 Round Featherweight Contest
Carmine Tommasone vs. Giovanny Martinez

FOLLOWED BY

6 Round Super-Welterweight Contest
Mirko Natalizi vs. Miguel Aguilar

FOLLOWED BY

6 Round Super-Welterweight Contest
Orlando Fiordigiglio vs. Frane Radnic

9pm Local Time (LIVE ON SKY SPORTS AT 8PM IN UK)

Vacant WBC Silver International Super-Featherweight Title
Devis Boschiero vs. Martin Joseph Ward

FOLLOWED BY

Vacant European Super-Lightweight Title
Andrea Scarpa vs. Joe Hughes

FOLLOWED BY

Vacant WBC Silver International Cruiserweight Title
Fabio Turchi vs. Tony Conquest

***********************

Anyone watching this?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 16:22 Anyone watching this?

Yeah, Ward wins R1 against Boschiero

Ward 20-18
Looks like he'll win every round with his textbook back-foot picking, unless or until DB can get to him...

hughes doing real well here....

hughes boxed really well...mssed some rounds but have him up a few on what managed to watch