Matchroom’s Fight Camp series proved a smashing success last summer, giving us a number of highly entertaining fights, and Eddie Hearn is gearing up for another go-round later this summer. He may have inadvertently given us a sneak preview, however, as a fan’s selfie with him appears to have revealed the planned lineup.
Week One
Top billing goes to what looks like a very fun welterweight clash between Conor Benn (18-0, 12 KO) and Adrian Granados (21-8-3, 15 KO). Benn made a statement last April by torching Samuel Vargas in 80 seconds, while Granados will be looking to re-enter the win column after drawing with Jose Luis Sanchez on the Ruiz-Arreola undercard.
In addition, it looks like Rachel Ball (7-1, 0 KO) and Shannon Courtenay (6-1, 3 KO) will finally get their rematch, which was supposed to happen in April before the former withdrew due to lingering COVID issues. Courtenay went on to battle her way past Ebanie Bridges instead.
Hearn appears to have penciled in, then scratched out a rematch between Zelfa Barrett and Kiko Martinez. I can’t make out the reasoning.
Anthony Fowler (14-1, 11 KO) is in against TBA. He was recently ordered to fight Sam Eggington in a British eliminator, so that seems to be the likeliest outcome.
Super middleweight Jack Cullen (19-2-1, 9 KO) will step up in competition against former title challenger Avni Yildirim (21-3, 12 KO), last seen getting bodied by Canelo Alvarez. Cullen is 2-0-1 since falling to Felix Cash in a bid for the Commonwealth middleweight title.
Campbell Hatton (1-0, 0 KO) and a “Ryan” whom I can’t place round out the card.
Week Two
Kid Galahad (27-1, 16 KO takes on Jazza Dickens (30-3, 11 KO) for the vacant IBF featherweight title. This was supposed to happen on the Canelo-Saunders undercard, but sort of vanished without a trace, presumably due to visa troubles.
Up at heavyweight, Florian Marku (8-0-1, 6 KO) looks to build off his knockout of Ryan Charlton against fellow unbeaten Maxim Prodan (19-0-1, 15 KO), a regular on Matchroom’s Italy shows.
Next up is “Bridges vs. Connolly”, which I take to mean the aforementioned, Ebanie Bridges (5-1, 2 KO) against Bec Connolly (3-9, 2 KO). Connolly’s something of a regular victim on the British scene, facing and falling to the likes of Terri Harper, Natasha Jonas, Rachel Ball, and Ramla Ali.
Finally, there’s “Fisher,” presumably Romford heavyweight Johnny Fisher (2-0, 2 KO). The big man’s 2-0 on Matchroom cards so far this year.
Week Three
Joshua Buatsi (14-0, 12 KO) makes what looks like a quick turnaround after demolishing Daniel Blenda Dos Santos last month, taking on Golden Contract winner Ricards Bolotniks (18-5-1, 8 KO). There were rumblings earlier this year of Bolotniks fighting Dmitry Bivol, but I like this a lot better.
The rest are, sadly, a bit too blurry to make out.
This could just be intentional misdirection from Hearn, but I actually like some of these matchups, so fingers crossed.