Manchester’s WBA World Lightweight champion Anthony Crolla is excited at the prospect of facing the winner of Terry Flanagan and Derry Mathews in a massive all British unification showdown.
Promoter Frank Warren offered Crolla £500,000 to face the winner out of Flanagan, the reigning WBO king, and Mathews, who clash on Saturday 13th February at the Liverpool Echo Arena exclusively live on BoxNation, and the Mancunian says there’s a good chance of the fight happening.
By Scott Gilfoid: Riding a little 2-fight winning streak, 32-year-old former two division world champion Ricky “Rickster” Burns (39-5-1, 13 KOs) is hoping to get a fight against the winner of next month’s February 13 clash between unbeaten WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan (29-0, 12 KOs) and Derry Mathews (38-9-2, 20 KOs) in their fight at the O2 Arena in Liverpool, UK.
Unfortunately for Burns, he might have to fight a WBO eliminator to get the fight against the Flanagan-Mathews winner. In that case, Burns would have to beat either #1 WBO Jose Zepeda or #2 WBO Petr Petrov.
Burns is ranked #3 by the WBO, and I have no clue why the World Boxing Organization would let Burns jump ahead of one of those two higher ranked contenders to fight in an eliminator bout.
A war of words erupted as WBO World Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan and arch rival Derry Mathews went head-to-head at a heated press conference today ahead of their massive showdown at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on February 13th, exclusively live on BoxNation.
Mathews, 32, previously lost to Flanagan in a PrizeFighter tournament back in 2012 and believes his bitter rival will be taking him for granted when they clash at the Echo Arena.
By Gav Duthie: For at least the last 5 years the lightweight division has been Britain’s strongest. Sure there have been better fighters like Kell Brook (Welterweight), Carl Froch (Super Middleweight), Carl Frampton (Bantamweight) etc but for sheer depth of quality lightweight is by far and away the best. They have had at least double figures of contender to world level fighters in the likes of Kevin Mitchell, Ricky Burns, Terry Flanagan, Gavin Rees, Anthony Crolla, John Murray, Derry Matthews, Nicky Cook, Stephen Ormond and Luke Campbell and now that domestic potential is coming to fruition.
The UK now has two of the three lightweight world title holders (IBF currently vacant) and many others waiting on the wings. It is a really exciting time for UK boxing with 10 world champions overall and there are lots of potential domestic fights for world titles at 135lbs but there is a problem. The fighters are split between Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Promotions and Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions.
By Scott Gilfoid: In a controversial fight, #4 WBA lightweight contender Derry Mathews (38-9-2, 29 KOs) defeated #9 WBA Tony Luis (19-3, 7 KOs) by a very, very questionable decision on Saturday night to capture the interim World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title a the Echo Arena, in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
By Scott Gilfoid: WBA World lightweight champion Richard Abril (19-3-1, 8 KOs) has reportedly withdrawn from his April 18th title defense against #5 WBA Derry Mathews (37-9-2, 20 KOs) for unknown reasons.
Mathews’ promoters at Queensbury Promotions have contacted the World Boxing Association to see if they can still have the 31-year-old Mathews fighting on April 18th but against another fighter for the WBA title if the strap is stripped from Abril.
By Gavin Duthie: Mr ‘Bouncebackaility’ Derry Mathews 35-9-2(19) has kept his name in the frame on the British domestic scene with a 12 round split decision victory over Martin Gethin 24-5-1 (11). With this win Derry has become the British champion for the second time. After his recent defeat to Stephen Ormond for the European crown a win was essential for Matthews on Saturday night.
For me this sets up a much anticipated 3rd fight with Anthony Crolla 28-4-1 (11). I put Derry in the same bracket as the likes of retired duo Michael Gomez and Carl Johansen. We know he is at best a British/European level fighter but he’s always exciting to watch and that’s what sport is all about. Conversely Eddie Hearn is trying to convince us that Anthony Crolla is at world level despite the fact he has fought Matthews twice and the best he has managed is one draw.
By Jim Dower: Commonwealth light heavyweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli (38-6, 30 KO’s) successfully defended his title on Saturday night with a 7th round TKO win over challenger Courtney Fry (18-4, 6 KO’s) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK.
By Rachel Aylett: This Saturday sees the return of Derry Mathews to the ring. He is making the first defence of his Commonwealth title which he won in thrilling fashion in his last fight against brave Tommy Coyle in July. The opponent for Mathews is ex-footballer turned boxer Curtis Woodhouse and the venue is the Olympia, in Mathews’ home town of Liverpool.
Mathews, 33-8-2 (18), has become arguably the most exciting fighter in Britain. He can be compared to the Aussie Michael Katsidis, who was in war after war before retiring last year. Derry’s fight with Coyle was just the latest example of the excitement involved in his fights. He had boxed “absolutely terrible” to use his own words and was being totally outboxed on the night. After nine rounds, he was five points down on the judges’ cards and headed for defeat.
By Allan Fox: In a real surprise ending, lightweight Derry Mathews (33-8-2, 18 KO’s) pulled off a shocking 10th round TKO win over Tommy Coyle (15-2, 6 KO’s) on Saturday night at the raven Park Stadium, Hull, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
Trailing on the cards going into the 10th round, Mathews nailed Coyle with a huge left hook to the head that knocked him down flat on his back on the canvas.