COVID-19: MATCHROOM BOXING POSTPONE ALL EVENTS IN MARCH AND APRIL
Newcastle and Doncaster events rescheduled
Following advice from the Government and the BBBoC relating to COVID-19, Matchroom Boxing have postponed all events scheduled to be taking place in March and April, including David Avanesyan vs. Josh Kelly at The O2 in London on March 28, Lewis Ritson vs. Miguel Vazquez at the Utilita Arena Newcastle on April 4 and Terri Harper vs. Natasha Jonas at the Doncaster Dome on April 24.
Fights scheduled to take place on the Avanesyan vs. Kelly show will be merged into future cards, with ticket refunds for March 28 available at the original point of purchase. Ritson’s clash with Vazquez has been rescheduled to Saturday June 27th, while Harper’s all-British World Title showdown with Jonas has also been rescheduled to June, with a date to be confirmed shortly. Tickets will be valid for these rescheduled dates or refunds will be available from your point of purchase. Further events may also be subject to change.
The health and safety of the boxers, staff, event contractors and fans involved with our events is the top priority for Matchroom Boxing and we thank everyone for their understanding. We look forward to bringing world class boxing events back to these shores as soon as it is safe to do so.
Our thoughts are with everybody affected by the COVID-19 outbreak at this difficult time.
Queensberry Promotions Official Statement Regarding Forthcoming Boxing Events
Following the guidelines and advisory measures announced by both the Government and The British Boxing Board of Control, Queensberry Promotions feel it would be inappropriate to proceed with any forthcoming Boxing promotions in front of live audiences during April and May. The Coronavirus situation is evolving rapidly and we will continue to follow the Government’s guidelines to ensure the Health and Safety of the paying public, staff and the participants.
Regarding the two events we currently have on sale, we can confirm the following:
The ‘Seek and Destroy’ Event being headlined by Daniel Dubois v Joe Joyce on April 11 at the O2 Arena has now been rescheduled to Saturday July 11, still at the O2 Arena. Tickets will remain valid for the new date, however people who cannot attend the new date can obtain a refund from their original point of purchase.
World Champion Josh Taylor’s homecoming, scheduled for May 2 at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow will no longer take place on this date. Refunds are available from the point of purchase. We are currently working with the SSE Hydro, Top Rank and MTK Global to identify a suitable alternative date to reschedule the event for the Scottish fans.
Queensberry Promotions and Top Rank have already reached agreement for Carl Frampton to challenge Jamel Herring for the WBO World Super-Featherweight Championship in Belfast in June. This event was due to be announced this week. At this moment in time, we are still hopeful of being able to stage this event in June, however, we will monitor the ever-changing landscape surrounding the Covid-19 Pandemic. Details of the date, venue and location will be announced in due course.
#GoldenContract event scheduled for Friday has been postponed
MTK Global has confirmed the #GoldenContract event scheduled for Friday has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Full refunds will be available from point of sale.
We would like to place on record our thanks to our broadcast partners at Sky Sports and ESPN+ as well as the British Boxing Board of Control, all officials and staff who worked so hard towards putting the show on amid challenging circumstances.
Throughout the build-up, the interests of the fighters were at the forefronts of both our minds and our efforts to go ahead in the knowledge each and every pay-day is important for them and the families they provide for.
The ongoing pandemic in the UK means that the full weight of medical care must be thrown behind the NHS and we fully support all decisions taken to ensure people get the best advice, treatment and care as soon as possible.
The #GoldenContract light-heavyweight semi-finals will take place at a later date and we look forward to bringing big-time boxing back to as many venues and as many TV screens as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we hope you all stay safe.
UPCOMING PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS EVENTS CANCELLED
Due to the growing concerns over COVID-19, Premier Boxing Champions scheduled events for March and April have been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.
At this time there’s no information regarding future shows.
“The health and safety of the boxers, fans and those working the events are of utmost importance to us,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions and lead promoter for the cancelled shows. “We are all disappointed and as we get more information we will address future events.”
Ticket Refund Information
All ticket orders will be refunded from your original point of purchase. If you have purchased online through Ticketmaster, all orders will be refunded automatically. Orders purchased with a credit card will be refunded to the credit card used for purchase. For third party purchases, please reach out to your original point of purchase for information regarding your credit. Please allow up to 30 days for this refund to reflect with your financial institution. If you have any questions, please contact Ticketmaster’s Customer Service line at 1-800-653-8000.
UPCOMING TOP RANK EVENTS POSTPONED THROUGH APRIL
(March 16, 2020) — Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Top Rank has postponed all events scheduled for March and April. We are monitoring the situation closely and will reschedule the shows as soon as it’s safe and reasonable to do so.
“The health and safety of our fighters, staff and ESPN’s incredible production team is the most important thing as we plan our next steps,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We look forward to the day when we can bring our loyal fans world-class boxing once again, but exercising caution is the most prudent thing to do at this moment.”
WORLD TITLE FIGHT SHOW POSTPONED
Dennis Hobson Promotions regret to announce the postponement of the upcoming International Boxing Organisation (IBO) World Flyweight Title fight show at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge Arena, scheduled for March 27th, between Mexican champion Maximino Flores and challenger Tommy Frank.
With current global, and domestic, events changing rapidly regarding the Coronavirus situation, Dennis Hobson Promotions have taken the difficult decision to cancel the show. This hasn’t been an easy decision, not least for headliner Tommy Frank and the rest of the undercard fighters, but ultimately the most important consideration has to be people’s health.
The show, including the headline fight between Tommy and Maximino for the IBO World Title, will be rescheduled as soon as events allow.
Promoter Dennis Hobson, said: “We’ve been monitoring the situation, and how things have been developing in other countries, and because this was an international fight, we had to think about how we’d get officials and fighters into the country. It was becoming more doubtful, and we’ve just been waiting for the official nod from either the government or the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC). I spoke to Robert Smith from the BBBoC and he thought it was looking doubtful because, as things escalate, all the paramedics and doctors are going to be prioritised elsewhere. The government are also suggesting that social gatherings should be cancelled, and the IBO have been in touch to say they couldn’t get their supervisor over here. So postponing is the most sensible thing to do.
“Ultimately, there are young kids out there, and we’ve all got older family members and friends, and we don’t want to put anyone at risk. The priority is people’s health and wellbeing.
“I’m very disappointed, but whenever there’s a problem, I always try to look for a solution. As soon as there’s the all clear to put social events back on, then we’ll be looking at rearranging Tommy’s world title fight. Tommy will continue to sharpen his tools, and as soon as we get a new date, he’ll be even hungrier to get the victory. Tommy has been looking excellent in training, and his preparation has been first class. He’s the ultimate professional. So, I’m upset for him, and the rest of the undercard fighters, but the fight is still going to be there, and it will happen.”
“Life has a way of throwing challenges at you and it’s all about attitude and how you deal with them,” stated Tommy, on hearing the news. “I’m obviously devastated. I’m been working since before Christmas for this fight but it’s completely out of our hands. I’ll continue to be positive; I’m definitely going to get this title shot with Flores, and I just have to be patient. I’ll stay in the gym, keep ticking over, and hopefully we’ll have another date soon.
“In the grand scheme of life, my world title fight is very small. It’s all about people’s health, and I just want to wish everyone well, and hope that we can all pull together and get through this unprecedented situation.”
Tickets are refundable from the point of purchase.
April 17 “Catskills Clash” Iii At Resorts World Catskills Postponed
COVID-19 OUTBREAK PRESENTS TOO MANY RISKS
Star Boxing announced today that its boxing show “Catskills Clash” III at Resorts World Catskills scheduled for Friday, April 17 will be postponed to a later date due to growing concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak.
JOE DEGUARDIA, President of Star Boxing stated: “After consultation, we (Star Boxing and Resorts World Catskills) recognize that the safety of the boxers, fans and staffing is our ultimate concern and we join the rest of New York, and the World, in the collaborative effort to contain and fight this virus. Our thoughts and prayers are with all and we will advise of the rescheduled date in due time.”
Tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date or refunded at the original point of purchase should refund be desired.
Three Lions Promotions postpones May 2 event
In accordance with prevailing medical opinion regarding COVID19, Three Lions Promotions (TLP) is postponing its May 2 event at the Hamilton Convention Centre. The show, headlined by Jessie “Rock” Wilcox, is rescheduled for June 27 at the same venue.
“The medical community is urging social distancing,” explained TLP Managing Director Daniel Otter. “A boxing event is a bustling environment, so it’s best we hold off for a couple months to see how things unfold. We want to do everything possible to help prevent the continued spread of this virus.”
Tickets already purchased for May 2 will be honoured on June 27 or, alternatively, ticket holders can receive a refund.
Mairis Briedis vs Yuniel Dorticos scheduled for March 21 Potponed
The WBSS Cruiserweight Final between Mairis Briedis and Yuniel Dorticos scheduled for March 21 in Riga is postponed to May 16 due to the current situation with the Coronavirus.
Local authorities in Latvia have adopted comprehensive measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, events with more than 200 people present have been prohibited until April 14.
In regard to the risk of infection, the local authorities have concluded that the WBSS Cruiserweight final is a particularly high-risk event, not only for the athletes themselves but also for all local and foreign staff involved in the organisation and conduct of the event.
For this reason, the WBSS Cruiserweight final between Mairis Briedis and Yuniel Dorticos cannot take place as planned. The new date planned for the Final in Arena Riga is May 16, however, this is, of course, dependent on the current restrictions being lifted.
The health of all those involved to stage this historic event is and will always be the primary concern of the WBSS and we will continue to carefully monitor the situation with the authorities and the athlete’s teams.
We very much regret this step and thank all involved, spectators, fans, partners and sponsors for their understanding in this extraordinary and challenging situation. All tickets remain valid for the new date.
Comosa AG, World Boxing Super Series organiser
Athlete statements:
Mairis Briedis:
“We’ve done great work in preparation until the very last planned training, but it is what it is and we will now adapt to the new situation and keep training to wait for the green light. Looking forward to fighting in front of my fans when it’s safe! Take care of yourself, people!”
Yuniel Dorticos:
“While I was in great shape and looking forward to coming to Latvia to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy, I understood the impracticality and therefore l will have have to wait until May to win the Tournament. I want to thank all my fans for their patience and I ask that everyone be careful and take the necessary steps to stay healthy during these challenging times.”