BoxRec

Press Release

Rising Super-Featherweight prospect Aqib Fiaz has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.

Trained by renowned coach Jamie Moore at the VIP Gym in Astley alongside two-weight World Champion Carl Frampton and former WBA Super-Middleweight ruler Rocky Fielding, Oldham’s Fiaz is rapidly improving with every fight and has already amassed an impressive following in his hometown.

He made the decision to turn professional in March 2019 following a successful stint in the amateur code in which he represented his country at the Senior level twice. In 75 amateur bouts, Fiaz won nine Area Titles and a National Youth Title at 60kg in 2017.

Fiaz fulfilled a life-long dream when he fought at Manchester Arena last month on the undercard of Jono Carroll vs. Scott Quigg, earning a shutout points with over Dean Jones to move to 5-0, and the 20-year-old is hoping for more big nights in the North West following his link-up with Matchroom.

“I’ve worked my whole life for a deal like this,” said Fiaz. “I’d like to thank Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing. I can’t thank them enough for giving me this opportunity. I’m only 20-years-old and I’m already being trained by one of the best trainers in the country in Jamie Moore. Now on top of that, I’ve been signed to the best boxing promoters in the world.

“I’m really excited and I can’t wait to get back out there and cracking on with the next chapter of my career. I feel like a caged animal with this isolation and I’m ready to go now. I’m still training in my garage at home, keeping fit and ready to make my big Matchroom debut later this year.

“I’m a come-forward pressure fighter and I’ve always studied the likes of Michael Gomez, Ricky Hatton, and Jamie Moore. I can also box as well because I boxed for England, I’ve boxed at a high level as an amateur and there’s a lot of sides to my game that I haven’t shown in the ring yet.

“I started boxing around the age of eleven which was when I had my first fight. I was very overweight as a kid. At first, it was all about losing weight, but I ended up falling in love with the sport. I lost my first amateur fight but I enjoyed the competition, being punched in the face and punching someone back.

“I was first invited to the VIP Gym as a sparring partner for Carl Frampton when he boxed Josh Warrington. From there I asked Jamie if he’d like to train me and he said yes. I’ve been there since the beginning of 2019 and I’m constantly improving. I’m learning loads from Carl, Jack, and Rocky and soaking it all up.

“Dillian Whyte vs. Alexander Povetkin is the next show in Manchester, so I’d love to get on that one for my first fight with Eddie. It’s absolutely massive and one of the shows that I’d be at as a fan if I wasn’t boxing. You’ve got Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano and Callum Johnson in a European Title fight. If I’m on that then it will be the icing on the cake.”

“I’m delighted to add exciting Super-Featherweight prospect Aqib Fiaz to our growing stable of talent,” said Eddie Hearn. “I was very impressed with his performance on the Jono Carroll vs. Scott Quigg undercard last month and Jamie Moore has been raving about his talents for a while. It always helps to be a big-ticket seller in this game and Aqib has already got a huge following in Oldham. I’m looking forward to watching his career develop over the next few years.”

You can follow Aqib’s journey on Twitter: @AqibFiazBoxing and Instagram: aqib_fiaz

He's got a huge following in Oldham. Big ticket seller.

You could just hear his support when he fought on the Quigg undercard. Hearn was blown away.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑01 Apr 2020, 10:42
You could just hear his support when he fought on the Quigg undercard. Hearn was blown away.

Kerching!

Says he's a ''come forward pressure fighter'' yet he has 0 KOs.

Ticket seller signing I reckon.

like someone said before ticket seller fighter, a prospect with 0 kos getting signed by matchroom, seems about the money. saying that smart move and this is where hearn excels at getting ticket sellers. warren doesn't sign many so always struggles with selling out.

iestynvenables wrote: ↑01 Apr 2020, 19:13 like someone said before ticket seller fighter, a prospect with 0 kos getting signed by matchroom, seems about the money. saying that smart move and this is where hearn excels at getting ticket sellers. warren doesn't sign many so always struggles with selling out.

George Davey did 500 on his debut. Most at a higher price level.

I enjoy Fiazzy drinks like Coke

Steel City wrote: ↑01 Apr 2020, 18:26 Says he's a ''come forward pressure fighter'' yet he has 0 KOs.

Ticket seller signing I reckon.

Come forward pressure fighting doesn't always equal KO's you know.

Must be plenty of pressure fighters out there that don't always win by KO. But do enough to score comfortable decisions.

Who knows as he begins 6 or 8 rounders, them KO's may come. He's only on 4 rounders now.

He’s yet another talent from Steve Woods impressive Vip boxing production line , learning his trade on the local Vip shows.
He will probably continue along that line to gain experience and as and when Matchroom have a local show appear on them .

I’ve seen him on three occasions and saw him get tagged and floored in the opening round at Oldham leisure centre .
He was straight up , kept his composure and continued as if it hadn’t happened to win a comfortable victory.

Apparently he’s very well thought of by Jamie Moore and the lads at the gym .
He’s only a young lad , 20yrs old so is very much “work in progress” .

He’s already gathered quite a loyal and vocal following - not much to cheer about in Oldham these days ! .
Good luck to the lad and his team.

Fortynineandout wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 06:00 He’s yet another talent from Steve Woods impressive Vip boxing production line , learning his trade on the local Vip shows.
He will probably continue along that line to gain experience and as and when Matchroom have a local show appear on them .

He'll probably appear on any Matchroom shows around Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, maybe even Nottingham, if there any.

The odd London events will help too.

Fortynineandout wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 06:00
I’ve seen him on three occasions and saw him get tagged and floored in the opening round at Oldham leisure centre .

He's been floored already! Wow so he's chinny, AND featherfisted! Definitely a ticket seller signing.

Steel City wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 10:06

Fortynineandout wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 06:00
I’ve seen him on three occasions and saw him get tagged and floored in the opening round at Oldham leisure centre .

He's been floored already! Wow so he's chinny, AND featherfisted! Definitely a ticket seller signing.

He didn't lose that round as his opponent was also counted. He won every round. It was the first round he got floored.

No doubt a big shock but He got floored , sh*t happens it’s how you deal with it and all part of the learning process. He dealt with it rather well and it didn’t and won’t do him any harm.

I’d also take the zero stoppages with a pinch of salt at this stage of his career. It means absolutely nothing as he learns his craft in four / six rounders.

Josh Warrington was labelled feather fisted by many early on because of his lack of stoppages . Now World Champion It was his 16th fight for the commonwealth title before he managed to get an early finish.

He’s boxing a division or two above where he will box if he reaches title fight level. I’m surprised more boxers don’t fight their first fights at a weight they can make without cutting weight in the day leading up to the fight. Doing that may extend their career a bit as we know the dangers of boxing after cutting weight,

jameswilson wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 10:58 He’s boxing a division or two above where he will box if he reaches title fight level. I’m surprised more boxers don’t fight their first fights at a weight they can make without cutting weight in the day leading up to the fight. Doing that may extend their career a bit as we know the dangers of boxing after cutting weight,

Don't a lot of boxers do that anyway?

Eubank Jr. always fought slightly above 160 before fighting for a 160 belt.

I guess it's more common with the lower weights as there is like 3-5 pounds between weights whereas different between SMW and LHW is 175.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 10:39

Steel City wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 10:06
He's been floored already! Wow so he's chinny, AND featherfisted! Definitely a ticket seller signing.

He didn't lose that round as his opponent was also counted. He won every round. It was the first round he got floored.

Out of interest, are you a family member or friend of his?

Steel City wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 14:38

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 10:39
He didn't lose that round as his opponent was also counted. He won every round. It was the first round he got floored.

Out of interest, are you a family member or friend of his?

No. We’re from the same area. He’s 9 years younger than me. My friend has a dessert parlour and sponsored him for years through the ams. I went to his first 2 fights myself.

Fortynineandout wrote: ↑02 Apr 2020, 10:43 No doubt a big shock but He got floored , sh*t happens it’s how you deal with it and all part of the learning process. He dealt with it rather well and it didn’t and won’t do him any harm.

I’d also take the zero stoppages with a pinch of salt at this stage of his career. It means absolutely nothing as he learns his craft in four / six rounders.

Josh Warrington was labelled feather fisted by many early on because of his lack of stoppages . Now World Champion It was his 16th fight for the commonwealth title before he managed to get an early finish.

It was a flash knockdown against Daniel alder ,Literally rushing in trying to get the stoppage because the lads defence wasn't great and ran onto a right hand jumped straight up and dropped the lad himself same round.Not really that big a deal. Also took on the very dangerous Ben Fields who has beat a good few prospects in just his second fight and came away with a 1 point win in a very good fight against the bigger fields.