Matchroom Boxing and DAZN unveil the first quarter of 2025 schedule
Kicks off with two shows on Jan. 25, one in England, one in U.S.
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Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and DAZN announced their first six cards through the first quarter of 2025, kicking things off with two shows on Jan. 25, one from the England and one from the United States.
“2025 is guaranteed to be our biggest year yet and it’s all exclusive to fight fans on the global home of boxing, DAZN,” Hearn proclaimed. “Going back-to-back on Jan. 25 underlines our strength worldwide.”
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Here’s a look at the first six events, surprisingly none of which include a single men’s world title bout:
Jan. 25 at Nottingham, England
Junior welterweight Dalton Smith and Walid Ouizza will clash for the vacant European title in the main event at Motorpoint Arena.
Smith (16-0, 12 KOs), 27, of England, boxed just once in 2024, scoring an impressive fifth-round knockout of former world title challenger and longtime contender Jose Zepeda in March. Ouizza (19-2, 8 KOs), 33, of France, has won 11 fights in a row.
Ellie Scotney (9-0, 0 KOs), 26, of England, will make her third IBF women’s junior featherweight title defense against mandatory challenger Mea Motu (20-0, 8 KOs), 34, of New Zealand, in the co-feature
The card also includes Harry Scarff (13-3, 3 KOs), 31, of England, defending the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles against Conah Walker (14-3-1, 5 KOs), 29, of England.
Jan. 25 at Las Vegas
Rising super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco (22-0, 18 KOs), 23, of Los Angeles, will take on Steven Nelson, who is part of the Terence Crawford’s camp, in the main event at The Cosmopolitan.
Nelson (20-0, 16 KOs), 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, boxed just once this year, a fifth-round knockout of Marcos Vazquez on Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard on Aug. 3.
In the co-feature, fast-rising lightweight Andy Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs), 29, the 2020 Cuban Olympic gold medalist, will face Omar Salcido (20-1, 14 KOs), 24, a Mexico native fighting out of Lakeside, California. Salcido has won two fights in a row and is coming off an impressive ninth-round upset knockout of Chris Colbert on Oct. 16.
Also, junior welterweight up-and-comer Ernesto “Tito” Mercado (16-0, 15 KOs), 23, of Pomona, California, will have his first fight since signing with Matchroom Boxing. He will fight former lightweight and junior lightweight titlist Jose Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs), 35, of Puerto Rico.
Pedraza has faced a who’s who during his career but is 0-3-1 in his last four leading to his release by Top Rank. He lost a decision to former unified junior welterweight titlist Jose Ramirez, drew with former lightweight titlist Richard Commey, lost a decision to unbeaten junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. and in February was pummeled in a one-sided sixth-round knockout loss to lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis.
Mercado, who ranked No. 13 on the 2023 Fight Freaks Unite top 15 prospects list, was scheduled to make his Matchroom debut on the undercard of IBF welterweight titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis’ rematch against Karen Chukhadzhian on Nov. 9 in Philadelphia, but when opponent Jesus Saracho weighed 146.8 pounds — 6.8 over the contract limit — the fight was canceled.
Jan. 31 at London
Middleweight George Liddard (10-0, 6 KOs), 22, will face British countryman Derrick Osaze (13-2, 3 KOs), 31, on the NXTGEN prospect card at the Indigo at The O2 in London.
Osaze is coming off a second-round knockout loss to former world title challenger Denzel Bentley in August.
Also, junior middleweight Junaid Bostan (10-0, 8 KOs), a 22-year-old British southpaw, will face London-based, Nigeria native Bilal Fawaz (9-1, 3 KOs), 36, for the English title.
Other prospects on the show include middleweight Jimmy Sains (8-0, 8 KOs), lightweight Giorgio Visioli (5-0, 4 KOs), middleweight Leli Buttigieg (6-0, 1 KO), super middleweight Taylor Bevan (1-0, 1 KO) and welterweight Jesse Brandon (4-0, 1 KO).
Feb. 28 at Oaxaca, Mexico
Junior lightweight contender Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez will square off with Rene Tellez Giron in an all-Mexican clash at the Auditorio Guelaguetza.
Hernandez (36-2 32 KOs), 27, is coming off a sixth-round technical decision win against Thomas Mattice due to a cut Hernandez suffered to his left eye from an accidental head butt in September. It was Hernandez’s second win in a row since his dramatic 12th-round knockout loss challenging O’Shaquie Foster for his WBC junior lightweight title in October 2023.
Giron (20-4 13 KOs) saw a three-fight winning streak end on Nov. 2 in a 12-round unanimous decision loss to lightweight Floyd Schofield, who is moving on to challenge Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight title on Feb. 22. Giron knocked Schofield down in the 11th round.
March 1 at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Welterweight Lewis Crocker (20-0, 11 KOs), 27, will be at home in Belfast, Northern Ireland, when he faces Ireland’s Paddy Donovan (14-0, 11 KOs), a 25-year-old southpaw, at the SSE Arena.
Crocker has faced the better opposition, notching wins over Conah Walker, Jose Felix and Tyrone McKenna in his last three bouts.
Donovan is coming off his most notable win, a ninth-round knockout of Lewis Ritson in May.
March 28 at Altrincham, England
Cruiserweight Pat Brown, 25, a 2024 British Olympian, who recently signed with Matchroom Boxing, will make his professional debut against an opponent to be determined at Planet Ice Altrincham, which is on the outskirts of his hometown of Manchester.
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Pacheco photo: Michael Owens/Matchroom Boxing
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Pacheco/Nelson should be a banger. Sure, Pacheco SHOULD win, but I think he will have his work cut out for him, as Nelson is no joke. Also, I can't believe promoters are still out there trying to build a resumé off of The Sniper's name. I've always liked Pedraza, but when is enough enough, amirite?
Great heads up for the first quarter of 25. Merry Xmas all 👍