BoxRec

Press Release

MTK Global has confirmed that Lee McGregor will challenge Karim Guerfi for the European bantamweight title in a brilliant fight set to take place in November.

British and Commonwealth champion McGregor (9-0, 7 KOs) recently returned to the ring with a fifth round TKO win over Ryan Walker, and will now look to add the European belt to his collection when he challenges extremely talented Frenchman Guerfi (29-4, 9 KOs).

Highly-rated Guerfi has held the European title on several occasions, most recently winning it in November 2019 when he superbly stopped Georges Ory after nine rounds.

He also holds wins over the likes of Ryan Farrag and Stephane Jamoye, and it's set to be a must-see fight when he takes on Edinburgh hero McGregor later this year.

Guerfi said: "I'm really excited to fight Lee McGregor, he is a good fighter and all of the fans in Scotland and the UK like this guy, so I can't wait.

"I haven't fought since I won the title again last November and I've been desperate to come back into the ring as boxing is my life.

"McGregor is a warrior. He's intelligent in the ring, so I think it's going to be a good fight for the fans. I know I must beat this guy in style if I want to keep my belt."

McGregor said: "I'm so excited, and anyone who knows me knows I don’t back down from a hard challenge. It’s no different this time I’m ready to show the world what I can really do.

"It will mean so much to me to win the European title. To become British, Commonwealth and European champion within 10 fights is a huge achievement and I’m not sure if many British fighters have done that, so I’m going to make sure I leave no stone unturned and be the best prepared I’ve ever been.

"I know Guerfi is a dangerous fighter and I’m expecting a very exciting and fan friendly fight. I will be 100% ready for whatever he brings. He’s a lot more experienced than me but I’m a young hungry fighter who’s fresh and ready to announce myself to the world stage."

MTK Global Promoter Lee Eaton added: "We're delighted to confirm that Karim Guerfi will defend his EBU bantamweight title against Lee McGregor. It's a massive fight for both boxers and one we're extremely excited for.

"Both men will be looking to produce career best performances to ensure they get their hand raised, and we can't wait to see how things unfold between these two MTK Global stars."

Further details on the fight, along with news on the rest of MTK Global's upcoming schedule, will be announced in due course.

Wonder where they'll do this..

Scotland, England, France, Monaco..

A good fight.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑12 Sep 2020, 04:19 Wonder where they'll do this..

Scotland, England, France, Monaco..

Hopefully Scotland, no reason for this to be in England

Alba wrote: ↑12 Sep 2020, 11:38

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑12 Sep 2020, 04:19 Wonder where they'll do this..

Scotland, England, France, Monaco..

Hopefully Scotland, no reason for this to be in England

Will be in the Wakefield closed doors studios I would imagine ; that’s where mtk are having the majority of their shows this year

good fight for sure but that photo of karim is ridiculous, looks like he's in agony from taking the worlds biggest sheet

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑12 Sep 2020, 15:21 good fight for sure but that photo of karim is ridiculous, looks like he's in agony from taking the worlds biggest sheet

And the picture of him in the background

Got to respect McGregor for doing it the traditional way...and in double quick time.

Hope it's shown live on the YouTube channel

Press Release

Scottish star Lee McGregor has linked up with world-title winning trainer Ben Davison ahead of his European bantamweight title showdown with Karim Guerfi in November.

British and Commonwealth champion McGregor (9-0, 7 KOs) challenges Guerfi (29-4, 9 KOs) for his EBU belt later this year, and will now have the expertise of Davison in his corner for the clash, along with the help of nutritionist David Stache.

Davison was the mastermind behind the incredible comeback of heavyweight king Tyson Fury, and also trained Billy Joe Saunders for his WBO super-middleweight title win over Shefat Isufi in May 2019.

He’s currently in camp with Josh Taylor ahead of his WBA and IBF super-lightweight title defence next weekend, and Edinburgh hero McGregor is excited to be teaming up with the established trainer.

McGregor said: “This is the start of a new and exciting journey. I’m delighted to be teaming up with Ben Davison and nutritionist David Stache and I feel with these two guys behind me I’m going to get even better, stronger and smarter.

“The future is bright and now it’s just eight weeks to go until we hear ‘and the new.’ I want to say a huge thank you to Grant Smith and the Steel City Gym for all of their help throughout the last year of my career.

It’s a great bunch of lads at the gym and I’ll definitely be be back to see the lads again soon, so I wish them the best for the future.”

Ben Davison getting a lot of business.

I'd forgotten Ben trained BJS for Isufi, BJS looked poor in that one too

big fight to take for lee , he is a switched on lad lee , cant see him being bullied here , more like lee putting it on him , another talent lee looks him and willy hutchinson

Lee McGregor says he is clicking with new trainer Ben Davison

Lee McGregor is well into his training camp with new coach Ben Davison, and he says he is learning plenty of new things ahead of his European title fight next month. Undefeated British and Commonwealth bamtamweight champion McGregor (9-0, 7 KOs) will challenge dangerous Frenchman Karim Guerfi (29-4, 9 KOs) for his EBU title on MTK Fight Night on Wednesday, November 11th, live in the US on ESPN+ and worldwide on IFL TV. It is McGregor’s first camp since linking up with new trainer Davison, and the Edinburgh man is loving how things are going ahead of the showdown with Guerfi.

McGregor told IFL TV: “Ben is a great coach and is technically very good. I feel I’m a good fighter and I have a lot of heart, but what I feel I can improve on as a fighter is my technical skill, and I’m trying new things under him. It’s crazy how much I’m improving every week. I feel better after every spar and I’m learning every day, so I couldn’t be happier. This will be my second fight this year, and for my fight in August I had a nutritionist on board for the first time and it made a difference performance wise. The way I was feeling was so much better, and it opened my eyes up a lot compared to what I was doing. I’m soaking everything up and enjoying training every day. If you don’t take risks, you don’t get rewards, and I’ve made that clear from the beginning of my career. I’ve progressed quickly, and I find myself in a nice position going into my 10th fight. Challenging for the European title is a big step up and one I’m confident I can pull off. I’m willing to face anybody in front of me. I won the Commonwealth title in my 5th fight. Some fighters want to build up their records. I could be sitting here 11-0 and having fought nobody, but I want to be a champion. I want to fight the best and be involved in the best fights.”

Elsewhere on next month’s MTK Fight Night event, Kazakhstan's Tursynbay Kulakhmet faces unbeaten Macaulay McGowan at junior middleweight... Sultan Zaurbek takes on Jeff Ofori... Paddy Donovan goes up against Jumanne Camero... Hassan Azim makes his professional debut... and Jack Martin faces Inder Bassi.

Next week.

Press Release | Lee McGregor Positive For COVID-19

The planned European bantamweight title fight between Karim Guerfi and Lee McGregor has unfortunately been postponed after McGregor tested positive for COVID-19.

The two men were due to meet on the MTK Fight Night taking place on Wednesday 11 November at Production Park Studios in Wakefield, with a new date set to be announced for that fight in the near future.

The rest of next week's card will go ahead as scheduled live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV, as Tursynbay Kulakhmet goes up against Macaulay McGowan for the vacant WBC International super-welterweight title, Paddy Donovan meets Jumanne Camero, Jack Rafferty takes on Tom Hill, Hassan Azim makes his professional debut, and Inder Bassi faces Jack Martin.

MTK Global Promoter Lee Eaton said: "We're gutted to miss out on this fantastic fight between McGregor and Guerfi, but McGregor's health is most important and we wish him a speedy recovery. We hope to have a new date for that fight very shortly.

"We still have a huge card taking place featuring some incredible talent, including Kazakh superstar Tursynbay Kulakhmet, who in just his second professional fight faces undefeated Macaulay McGowan for the WBC International super-welterweight title.

"Irish sensation Paddy Donovan has a big step up against Jumanne Camero, highly-rated Hassan Azim makes his professional debut, plus there are two brilliant 50-50 fights between Jack Rafferty and Tom Hill, and Inder Bassi and Jack Martin, so it's still a must-see event."

Fkin Covid!

Fairplay to MTK for ploughing on and still delivering a show for the boxers and fans

Press Release

The European bantamweight title fight between Karim Guerfi and Lee McGregor will now take place on an MTK Fight Night event on Friday 22 January.

The huge show will be held at Production Park Studios in Wakefield, and will be broadcast live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV.

The fight was originally due to take place on November 11 before McGregor (9-0, 7 KOs) tested positive for COVID-19, but the British and Commonwealth champion is now fully recovered and ready for his showdown with European champion Guerfi (29-4, 9 KOs).

McGregor said: "I'm delighted to get this new date finalised. I was more than ready for November 11 but now with it being January 22, it has given me more time and I'll be more ready.

"There is respect there as Guerfi is a good fighter, but he's had a bit to say about me recently, so that has added a little bit of bad blood. We're going in with intentions of hurting each other, so there's a bit of needle now heading into fight night."

Guerfi said: "I'm happy the fight is rescheduled and I will be ready to no problem. I have stayed focused and my objective is to keep my belt. I'm 100% determined and I will train hard to beat Lee McGregor."

Promoter Lee Eaton added: "We're over the moon to announce the re-arranged date for this fantastic fight between Karim Guerfi and Lee McGregor. It was frustrating when it had to be pushed back, but luckily we haven't had too long to wait.

"It sees us kick off 2021 with a bang, and we'll have news soon on even more exciting additions to what is going to be a stacked MTK Fight Night."

press Release | Sean McComb vs Gavin Gwynne added to Guerfi vs McGregor card on Jan 22



Sean McComb will fight Gavin Gwynne for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title on the huge MTK Fight Night taking place on Friday 22 January.

The showdown between the two men takes place at Production Park Studios in Wakefield, on the undercard of the European bantamweight title fight between Karim Guerfi and Lee McGregor, live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV.

It sees undefeated Belfast hero McComb (11-0, 5 KOs) make his long-awaited lightweight debut in a big championship fight, as he goes up against tough Welshman Gwynne (12-2, 2 KOs), who has previously challenged for the British title on two occasions.

McComb said: “I’m excited to be getting 2021 off to a good start. 2020 has been a horrendous year for everyone, but things are looking more positive than ever, and I’m pleased to get a good title fight to kick the year off.

“I’ve been wanting to drop to lightweight for a while but there was a delay while we were trying to get a suitable opponent. I had to stay at super-lightweight for one more fight, but now we can put that behind us and push towards big things at lightweight.”

Gwynne said: “I’m really happy to start the year with a bang. I boxed for my first title within seven fights and I’ve been in with some good lads as well, so that stands me in good stead for this fight.

“I have learned a lot from the massive fights that I’ve been in during my career, and I’m going to win this fight in style.”

Promoter Lee Eaton added: “We’re thrilled to add this superb fight for the Commonwealth title to our huge MTK Fight Night event in January.

“Sean McComb has had his sights set on dropping to lightweight for a while, and he has the chance to win a belt in this fantastic battle with Gavin Gwynne.

“We’ve seen Gwynne fight for the British title twice already, so it’s a tough test for Sean, but we’re excited to see how things unfold.”

Further news on even more exciting additions to the MTK Fight Night card will be announced in due course.

Fights been postponed.

BBBofC has put an end to Jan for boxing.

that sucks, this is an excellent matchup. mcg has been growing on me a bit and this is a really good test

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑03 Jan 2021, 10:20 that sucks, this is an excellent matchup. mcg has been growing on me a bit and this is a really good test

Was originally supposed to be November.

Never really warmed to McGregor. Especially after Kash got robbed blind against him.

Press Release

Lee McGregor is trying to stay positive following the news that his challenge Karim Guerfi's European bantamweight championship would have to be postponed. Following a ruling by the British Boxing Board of Control on Sunday, all boxing events throughout January were cancelled due to the increase in coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom.As a result the planned MTK Fight Night event on January 22nd cannot take place, which featured Guerfi vs. McGregor, along with fights such as Sean McComb vs. Gavin Gwynne for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title. While it is another frustrating setback, McGregor (9-0, 7 KOs) is remaining upbeat, and is pleased with what he has been producing during his training camp.

He said: “I’m trying to stay positive because I’m seeing how I’m progressing in the gym. The fight being postponed in November the first time was a blessing, because of how I’ve been performing over the last few weeks. There are big improvements being made, and as much as it is frustrating and I’m gutted, I firmly believe I’ll become European champion when I face Guerfi. I just want to get in there and punch him in the face. This is a cracking fight and everybody wants to see it, so this is just delaying the inevitable for me. It will all be worth it when I eventually get to step through those ropes."

McGregor continued, “Guerfi has been in with the very best and has never been dominated or outclassed. He’s been in competitive fights, so if I was to go into the fight and do what I think I’ll do, it will open a few eyes and answer a lot of questions. If all went to plan I think I’d go in there and dominate him and look like the experienced fighter. People will see that I’m well beyond the fights I’ve had, so my main focus is getting this fight on as soon as possible.”

Fight confirmed for 6 Feb. In Dubai.