Felix Cash remained undefeated by stopping former world title challenger Jason Welborn in round five of a scheduled 12-round middleweight bout in Essex, England

In round five, Cash dropped Welborn with a right to the head. About 45 seconds later, Cash ended things when he landed another right to the head that put Welborn down again, and the fight was stopped at 2:48.

Cash, 160 lbs of Wokingham is 13-0 with nine knockouts. Welborn, 159 lbs of Tividale is 24-9.

“It was a good performance,” said Cash. “It took me a round or a round and a half to get my distance on him and see where he was at and see his reactions. I went to work on him. It was a decent enough performance. He wanted me to stand there and start trading with him, but then you’re giving him a chance aren’t you. I took him on the jab, broke him down, down to the body and up to the head.

“I broke him down nice and slowly. Round by round he was getting weaker and getting tired. I knew it was just a matter of time before I got him out of there. He’s a tough lad. There was no point in rushing it and trying to get him out of there early. What a stage to be on. It was unbelievable. The week has been unbelievable. I’ve really enjoyed it. Overall it was a good week. I’m 27 and I’m in the prime of my life. I’m ready for the step ups now. The ring walk was something else! Topping the bill was a bit of history for me.”

Barrett Stops Donovan in 8!

Zelfa Barrett stopped previously undefeated Eric Donovan in round eight of their scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout.

In round seven, Barrett dropped Donovan with a huge left hook to the chin.. Later in the round, Barrett dropped Donovan again after absorbing a hard left-right-left combination. In round eight, Barrett landed another booming left hook hat put Donovan on his back, and the fight was stopped at 1:35.

Barrett, 129.9 lbs of Manchester is now 24-1 with 15 knockouts. Donovan, 129.9 lbs of Altay is 12-1.

“He was catching me with some big shots,” said Barrett. “I was just trying to get my rhythm at first. He was pinging me and catching me with some good quality shots and then I could hear my Uncle Pat say, ‘change up the game plan and put it on him now’. Block, throw and look where the openings are. I pulled it out of the bag. This is what champions do, they find something and pull it out of the bag.

“I had to find it in the bag because he was hitting me with some good shots and I thought, ‘you know what, I’m not letting this guy beat me’. It was just war mode. I timed it perfectly and I couldn’t have asked for anything else. I caught him. Credit to Eric Donovan. I’ve just defeated an undefeated fighter. As soon as I put him down I thought, ‘that’s it, I’m getting you out of here’. He’s a good fighter but I’m going to pull myself together, go back to the drawing board and do what I’ve got to do.

“I knew I was going to catch him, it was just a matter of time. I didn’t want it to be round nine because that would have been too late. I done what I had to do. In myself as a fighter I’m a bit disappointed with my performance. He was catching me a lot but I done what I had to do. I’ve just shown character. I’ve shown I’m a fighter.”

Rachel Ball won a eight-round decision over previously undefeated Shannon Courtnay in a super bantamweight bout.

Ball dropped Courtney with a left hook to the chin in the opening round.

Ball had some swelling under her left eye in round seven, but she was able to hold on for the victory by a 77-75 score.

Ball, 123.8 lbs of Aldridge is 6-1. Courtenay, 126.9 lbs of Watford is 5-1.

“I’m just so happy,” an emotional Ball told Sky Sports. “This means everything to me. It was a closer fight than I would have wanted it to be, but I got the win and I want to move on to big things. I want Eddie to sign me up and put me in front of whoever. I want to be at the top and I want to be at the World Title level and get a World Title. That’s where I want to be more than anything.

“To be honest, when I was in the corner and I threw the shot, she dazed me a bit so I didn’t know what had hit her. I thought, ‘fantastic, this fight isn’t going to last’. She does hit hard. There is a reason why she has been knocking these girls out. I’m happy I got through the fight.

“I’m pleased with myself. I knew I landed the shots because I can feel it in my knuckles. I was just glad to get through it. I don’t think I used all of my technical ability to be honest, but it’s all progress isn’t it. I’ve just got to get back to the gym and progress even further now.”

Kieron Conway won a 10-round unanimus decision over Navid Mansouri in a super welterweight bout.

Conway had Mansouri hurt several times during the bout, and was close to getting the stoppage in round seven.

Conway, 153.9 lbs of Northampton won by scores of 99-92 and 98-92 twice and is now 15-1-1. Mansouri, 153.4 lbs of Ritherham is 20-4-2.

“I loved it,” Conway told Matchroom Boxing afterwards. “Apart from having no crowd, I think the whole setup is how all boxing shows should be. The week has been really nice. It’s been really good to be around. Everything just ran so smoothly. Out there it’s unbelievable. Even without thousands of fans, it’s wicked out there. I knew that he would come out fast and I knew that after a few rounds my size and my strength would come out on top. I’m a big lad now. I’m refuelled and everything. I’m big for the weight. It drains people.

“I planned to have a slower first few rounds. The whole fight went exactly how I’d planned, except it went ten rounds. He did really well to get through it to be fair. I was landing a lot of shots with a lot of spite behind them. It was good. I didn’t expect the flicky jab, I expected him to come for me a bit more and really try and stick it on me a bit more. After a few rounds I knew he’d starting messing, trying to smother me because I am stronger than I look.

“As soon as people realise I’m not going anywhere, they start holding. He’s highly-rated and he’s had a few title fights. He had the English title for a long time. Hopefully it pushed me a littler more up there. For my style, I think my size really helps. Over the years a lot of people have said I’m behind them, and then all of a sudden they’re behind me. I’m 24-years-old. Whether it’s now or later, I’m coming.”

John Docherty remained undefeated by stopping Anthony Fox in round seven of a scheduled eight-round super middleweight bout.

In round three, Docherty dropped Fox with a short right hook.

In round seven, Docherty hurt Fox badly with a hard three punch combination. Docherty followed that up with a flurry if punches and referee Howard Foster rescued Fox from further damage at 1:32.

Docherty, 1669.9 lbs of Montrose is 9-0 with seven knockouts. Fox, 166.4 lbs of Westbury is 8-13-4.

“I’m over the moon to have forced the stoppage,” said Docherty afterwards. “I started off a bit slow and I was throwing up my chin in the air, but I got there in the end. I felt him tiring in there in the third and fourth rounds with my body shots, and his power started to go. He was a lot stronger than I thought, and a lot more heavy-handed, but I got the job done.

“I thought he was going to come at me and have a go as he did in his last fight. I think he felt the power quite early on and then he was on the back foot. He was a lot better than I expected. I want titles now. The journeymen, I’m passed them already and my team knows that. Any title next. A British Title Eliminator or a Intercontinental Title, anything. I’d probably give myself an eight out of ten tonight.”

19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS 

19:15 FIRST BELL

8 x 3 mins Super- Middleweight contest 
JOHN DOCHERTY 11st 12lbs 12oz v ANTHONY FOX 11st 12lbs 4oz                
(Montrose)                                            (Westbury)

Followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA Intercontinental Super-Welterweight Title 
KIERON CONWAY 10st 13lbs 12ozv NAVID MANSOURI 10st 13lbs 4oz
(Northampton)                                     (Rotherham)

Followed by

8 x 2 mins Super-Bantamweight contest 
SHANNON COURTENAY 9st 0lbs 12oz v RACHEL BALL 8st 11lbs 8oz
(Watford)                                                      (Aldridge)

Followed by

10 x 3 mins IBF Intercontinental Super-Featherweight Title
ZELFA BARRETT 9st 3lbs 10oz v ERIC DONOVAN 9st 3lbs 10oz
(Manchester)                                   (Athy)

Followed by

12 x 3 mins Commonwealth Middleweight Title
FELIX CASH 11st 5lbs 12oz v JASON WELBORN 11st 4lbs 12oz
(Wokingham)                             (Tividale)

https://www.facebook.com/MatchroomBoxing/videos/1233688473635786/

Eddie Hearn:

“Thanks Chris, thanks Darren, and thank you everybody for tuning in across this stream joining us on Sky Sports News and of course Matchroom Boxing socials as well. Wow. What a couple of weeks we’ve had. You know I was thinking the other day, Fight Camp is unquestionably the standout performer across all sports in my opinion, not just boxing, but all sports coming out through lockdown. It has been absolutely fantastic and I believe this week we have the best week of the three so far from top to bottom. Compelling fights. We’re expecting a few thunderstorms, we’re expecting a little bit of rain, it’s all going to add to the drama of Fight Camp as it unfolds at Matchroom HQ this Friday live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN across America.”

John Docherty – Montrose, Scotland – 8-0, 6 KO’s – fighting Anthony Fox in an eight round Super-Middleweight contest:

“I’ve put my body through hell in this training camp. I’ve taken Anthony Fox very seriously. He’s a tough opponent and I’ve not taken him lightly. Those boys he’s beaten in the past might have overlooked Anthony Fox. I’ve not overlooked Anthony Fox. I’ve put 100% into training. I’ve done more rounds of sparring in this camp. The boys I’ve been sparring are a lot better than Anthony Fox and I’m handling them in sparring. I’m looking forward to fight night and putting on a show. I’ve not taken this fight lightly. You’ll see that on Friday night. I’ll put on a performance. I’ll shine on Friday night and I’ll show what level I’m at. There’s levels to this boxing, and I’m levels above Anthony Fox. My amateur pedigree backs that up but obviously I’ve got to do that in the pros. I’m going to knockout Anthony Fox on Friday night. Mark my words I will.”

Anthony Fox – Westbury, England – 8-12-4 – fighting John Docherty in an eight round Super-Middleweight contest:

“We’re focused on this fight. That’s it really. I know he hits hard, but I hit hard as well. 100%, I don’t think it’s going eight rounds. Either I’m getting stopped or he’s getting stopped. That’s it.”

Kieron Conway – Northampton, England – 14-1-1, 3 KOs – fighting Navid Mansouri for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Super-Welterweight Title:

“It’s a huge fight for me. I’m here to put a dominant display on. When people start talking about Cheeseman, Fitzgerald and Fowler, my name is going to be in that mix every single time after a real strong dominant performance. A lot of people see me as the back up and on the sidelines. I’m here to prove that I’m the top of that list. I’m not here to make up the numbers. I want to end this fight inside the distance and make a statement. I do believe that I’m a level above Navid but he seems to think that I’m overlooking him. I’m not overlooking him at all. I’m focused. I’m ready. If anything he’s overlooking me. I’m really looking forward to it. The set up looks unreal. The Cheeseman rematch is definitely the one I want. I want to put the record straight.”

Navid Mansouri – Rotherham, England – 20-3-2, 6 KOs – fighting Kieron Conway for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Super-Welterweight Title:

“I’ve had a great training camp and I’m ready to take on Kieron and push on to more big fights. I can adapt to any style. I can have a war for sure. I don’t shy away from a battle, I can box as well. We’re going to do what we need to do to get the win. This is the best camp that I’ve ever had. I couldn’t ask for anything better. With the position that I’m in now, physically and mentally, I feel 100%. I feel super confident and I can’t wait to get out there and showcase my skills. The Super-Welterweight division is booming and there’s some great fights to be made. Every one of those domestic fights will make for a great fight. Ted Cheeseman vs. Sam Eggington – what a fight that was! Anthony Fowler, what a great fighter he is as well. Get this win, and I’ll move into that mix.”

Shannon Courtenay – Watford, England – 5-0, 2 KOs – fighting Rachel Ball in an eight round Super-Bantamweight contest:

“I feel in the best shape of my life. I’m actually embracing the pressure. Pressure creates diamonds, and on Friday night I will shine. I’ve had opponents before that haven’t brought the heat to me and I may have not performed to the best of my ability. I know for a fact that Rachel will be my hardest fight so far and because of that, that will bring out the best in me and you will see the very best version of myself. I can’t take anything for granted. I can’t switch off. I’ve got to stay focused 100%. Camp has been the hardest camp I’ve ever had but the best camp I’ve ever had. The sparring we’ve had has been sensational. I’ve had girls, some taller than Rachel, some that want to fight on the inside and some that keep me long. We’ve had every type of sparring partner that you can imagine and it’s the best that I’ve ever looked in the gym.”

Rachel Ball – Aldridge, England – 5-1 – fighting Shannon Courtenay in an eight round Super-Bantamweight contest:

“It’s a massive opportunity for me. I’ve come from fighting on small hall shows. I fought in Norway on a Team Sauerland show which was a really good promotion. For me it’s a massive opportunity and I want to prove that I belong on this platform. It’s nice to be Rachel the social worker when I’m at work and then when I’m in the gym I’m Rachel the boxer. I’m happy having that separation. Coming into this fight, a lot of people don’t know who I am and that’s fine. I’ve got to leave everything in there. I can’t take a second off. I’ve really got to give everything I can. I’m feeling confident. Even with the global pandemic I’ve had the best fight camp I could have ever had and I’m feeling great. I’m in great shape. I’ve got all of the confidence in the world.”

Zelfa Barrett – Manchester, England – 23-1, 14 KOs – fighting Eric Donovan for the vacant IBF Intercontinental Super-Featherweight Title:

“I’m buzzing about this opportunity. Respect to Eric, I really appreciate him taking the fight. I’m under no illusion, he’s there trying to beat me and I’m here to do a job on him. No disrespect to the guy. I’m going to look good doing it. The better he is, the better I’ll be. I’m ready. I’m excited. I’m ready to go to Ireland and back to beat this guy. I’ve trained too hard. I’ve dedicated my whole life towards boxing. I’ve moved in with my Uncle Pat for this camp, that was the hardest! I’ve not come this far to be put aside. I’m here to stay. I’m going to be fighting for World Titles at the M.E.N. No disrespect to him but he’s in my way.”

Eric Donovan – Athy, Ireland – 12-0, 7 KOs – fighting Zelfa Barrett for the vacant IBF Intercontinental Super-Featherweight Title:

“I’m absolutely delighted to be here. Honestly, I’m very grateful for the opportunity. You’re dead right. I think in life if you want to be successful, no matter what, you have to take risks. You also have to be able to back it up. You have to be good enough and you have to prepare well. When this opportunity was presented to me I knew that chances and opportunities for me are few and fare between. Nobody has the balls to fight Zelfa at Super-Featherweight in Britain. So when Mark put it to me I said yes Mark, I’ll step up to it and I’ll take that because I see an opportunity. I believe in myself and I believe if I can get a good camp, good preparation, then I can put in a good performance and win this fight. So far we have done that. If I can perform to the best of my ability on Friday night I think I can do enough to win.”

Felix Cash – Wokingham, England – 12-0, 8 KOs  – defending his Commonwealth Middleweight Title against Jason Welborn:

“Jason has been around. He’s a good fighter. He’s a strong fighter. I’ve got a lot of respect for Jason as a fighter. I believe I’m a level above him. I’m better than him and I’m going to show that on Friday night. I’ve left no stone unturned. I haven’t overlooked Jason. I’ve done everything right in the gym, trained hard and I’m ready to go on Friday night and move on after him, use him as a stepping stone to bigger and better fights. I’m planning to go all of the way. I’ve got to be dealing with people like Jason. This is a big night for me to showcase my skills. This is what it’s all about. This is what boxing is all about.”

Jason Welborn – Tividal, England – 24-8, 7 KOs  – challenging Felix Cash for the Commonwealth Middleweight Title:

“I’m back at Middleweight and I’m comfortable. I’m back enjoying the sport now. I had two losses at Light-Middle. I’ve had a few things going on in life but I’m back here now and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to experiencing Fight Camp. The key is with me is my strength. I’m a different fighter. I’ve had the wars and I’ve had the tests, I’ve been there. We’ve got to put on a good fight and I think it will be. With his style and my style, I think we’re going to clash. This is my time, and if I want to stay on these shows I’ve got to win on Friday night.”

Felix Cash says he will ‘deal with’ Jason Welborn in style this Friday August 14 at Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex, before turning his attention to a shot at the Lord Lonsdale Challenge Belt. 

Cash (12-0, 8 KOs) puts his Commonwealth Middleweight Title up for grabs against former World Title challenger Welborn, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US, following his thrilling toe-to-toe battle with Jack Cullen last time out at Manchester Arena in November. 

Wokingham’s Cash, trained by Tony Sims in Essex, forced an eighth round stoppage to settle an explosive Fight of the Year contender with Cullen on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s WBO Super-Lightweight World Title triumph over Greece’s Christina Linardatou.

The 27-year-old is promising more fireworks this weekend as he takes centre stage at the top of a bill for the very first time in his career, looking to make a big statement against Birmingham’s former British Middleweight Champion Welborn. 

“Every time he goes up against a top operator he comes up short, and I believe I’m a top operator,” said Cash. “He might make it tough for a few rounds but I’ll get him in the end. I’m zoned in, ready to do some damage and retain my Commonwealth Title. He’s been in with top names, so I’ll have a look at him during the first couple of rounds and then go to work on him.

“He may have the experience over me but I’ve got the skill. He’s going to need to be the very best he can be. He’s going to have to raise his game, and I hope he does. He’s a tough, strong and game lad. He’s been around for a while and fought for World Titles. I’m here to take on all challengers and take them all out. It will be a good fight while it lasts. 

“I’m headlining for the first time and hopefully it won’t be the last. It’s a great platform for me to be on and a great show for me to put on a top performance and a clinical display. This will really raise my profile and get my name out there for more big fights in the Middleweight division.

“I’ve got to deal with Welborn first but I want a shot at the Lord Lonsdale Belt next. It’s a lovely belt, it’s one of the greatest domestic belts you can own. I’d love to fight for that next and win it. I’ll fight anyone out there in Britain for it, and then anyone out there in the world for more titles after.”

Cash vs. Welborn lands on Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp, recent Matchroom signing Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) meets Ireland’s undefeated Eric Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs) for the IBF Intercontinental Super-Featherweight Title, Northampton Super-Welterweight Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) takes on Rotherham’s Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs) for the WBA Intercontinental Title, Watford Super-Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) faces the toughest opponent of her career in Rachel Ball (5-1) and hard-hitting Super-Middleweight menace John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on the tough and durable Anthony Fox (8-12-4).

Jason Welborn says he was close to walking away from boxing after his controversial loss to James Metcalf last year, but the former World Title challenger has a new found hunger ahead of his Commonwealth Middleweight Title clash with Felix Cash on Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp on Friday August 14.

Welborn (24-8, 7 KOs) was stopped with a left hook to the body in round eight when he took on Metcalf for the vacant Commonwealth 154lbs belt in Leeds. The Liverpudlian was warned by referee Steve Gray for straying low with his punches in the sixth, then, in the eighth, Welborn was given added time to recover from a low shot.

Metcalf had a point deducted for the low shot before finishing proceedings moments later. Tividale’s Welborn was left seriously considering his future in the sport that has seen him win the British, WBC International and Midlands Area Titles – but his desire to land the Commonwealth strap pushed him on to fight another day. 

“I dropped back down to Light-Middleweight in my last fight against Metcalf,” said Welborn. “I was disgusted with everything that happened in that fight. I was going to walk away from the sport. I thought ‘you know what, I don’t need boxing’. At the end of day, I’ve worked hard to get here, and these up-and-coming fighters are getting looked after with the refs, but I don’t want to go out like that.

“It was my wife who made me get back into it. She said ‘that’s my belt, go and get it’. She knows what I’ve done to get here. My work is really successful at the minute and I could put all of my time into that if I wanted to, but who knows what more I could achieve in boxing. I’ve got more to give the sport and there’s something out there waiting for me. I’m not going out until I know what it is.”

In a recent interview, Wokingham’s Cash said Welborn ‘comes up short’ whenever he gets in the ring with ‘top operators’, and the Tony Sims-trained fighter believes this will be the case again when they clash live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US next month. 

Armed with a full training camp after plenty of notice, Welborn is confident his preparation will help him pull off an eye-catching win over the highly-rated Matchroom fighter, who he feels has had it easy with backing from a major promoter. 

“He’s been with Matchroom as soon as he turned pro. He’s had the luxury of long camps and plenty of notice. When I’ve been working I’ve had a calls off Errol Johnson at two weeks’ notice sometimes. When Nav Mansouri pulled out against Liam Smith I stepped in at two weeks’ notice and did what I could at the time. 

“Life changes and I’ve got lucky with sponsorships and I’ve moved forwards. I’ve won a British Title, if I walked away from the sport now I’ve got nothing left to prove. Not many people have done what I’ve done for the Black Country. He’s had it fed with a silver spoon. If I’d have had his backing I’d have probably been a World Champion. I’ve always had the heart and the hunger for boxing. I’ve just never had the backing or the support where I can train full time.

“I’ve had good notice for this fight and I’m feeling good up at Middleweight not having to worry about the weight so much. It’s business and at the end of the day I’m coming to do a job, the same as him. I think it’s going to be a scrap. By the time fight night comes around I’ll be ready for a good hard 12 rounds. I’m topping the bill and I’m going to make a good statement in this fight.”

Cash vs. Welborn headlines Week 3 of Matchroom Fight Camp, recent Matchroom signing Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) meets Ireland’s undefeated Eric Donovan (12-0, 7 KOs), Northampton Super-Welterweight Kieron Conway (14-1-1, 3 KOs) takes on Rotherham’s Navid Mansouri (20-3-2, 6 KOs), Watford Super-Bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (5-0, 2 KOs) faces the toughest opponent of her career in Rachel Ball (5-1) and hard-hitting Super-Middleweight menace John Docherty (8-0, 6 KOs) takes on the tough and durable Anthony Fox (8-12-4).

Josh Warrington retained the IBF Featherweight title with a 12-round split decision over Kid Galahad at The First District Arena in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England.

Warrington of Leeds won by scores of 116-113 and 115-112.  Galahad of England took a card 115-113.

Warrington is now 29-0.  Galahad is 26-1.

Zelfa Barrett won a 12-round unanimous decision over Lyon Woodstock in a super featherweight bout.

Barrett won by scores of 118-110 and 117-111 twice and is now 22-1.  Woodstock is 12-2.

JJ Metcalf stopped former world title challenger Jason Welborn in round eight of their scheduled 12-round super welterweight bout.

In round eight, Metcalf was deducted a point for a low blow. He more than made that point up seconds later as he landed a vicious body shot that sent Welborn down for the count at 2:25.

Metcalf is 20-0 with 12 knockouts. Welborn is 24-8.

Shakiel Thompson won a six-round decision Alistair Warren in a super middleweight fight.

Thompson won by a referee score of 59-55, and is now 4-0. Warren is 11-24-5.

JASON WELBORN believes he and all-action rival JJ Metcalf will steal the show when they clash next week.

The vacant Commonwealth super-welterweight championship will be on the line when the pair meet on the Josh Warrington-Kid Galahad undercard at First Direct Arena, Leeds on Saturday June 15, live on BT Sport.

Welborn (24-7, 7KO) is bidding to bounce back after a world title defeat against Jarrett Hurd in December.

The Black Country boxer is guaranteeing fireworks against Liverpool’s Metcalf (19-0, 11KO) adding: “It will be a bloodbath.

“We will go looking for each other. I don’t think we know any other way of fighting and I can’t wait.

“JJ is a strong kid who comes forward and I have to get this win.

“I think it was a good performance against Hurd. There were no excuses and no stone was left unturned. I have to take the positives from that fight into this one with JJ.

“I was hesitating wondering if I would get another chance because I never had a big promoter, but it is a brilliant show Frank Warren has put me on.”

Welborn, 33, lost in four rounds against Hurd, but performed better than many expected and soon re-discovered his fighting mojo following that setback.

The former British middleweight champion said: “I had to switch off from boxing after the Hurd fight, but in January I was discussing everything with my wife and decided I still have ambition and a lot to offer.

“It would have been a shame to call it a day because there are a lot more fights in me.

“It is a big step up for JJ to be fighting me. I am not looking past him and I am just coming to win.

“If I win this I will be back up there. I would love another crack at Liam Smith who beat me five years ago, but this time with a full training camp.

“Until two years ago I was juggling work with boxing and now I have a skip business with good people around me so I can train whenever I need to.

“There are a lot of big fights out there and I would be happy to go back to America. I want to put my name back in the mix again.”

Josh Warrington tops the bill at First Direct Arena, Leeds when he defends his IBF featherweight championship against Kid Galahad on Saturday June 15.

Leading super featherweights Zelfa Barrett and Lyon Woodstock meet in a hotly anticipated clash for the Commonwealth title, with Jason Welborn and JJ Metcalf also vying for the vacant Commonwealth super welterweight championship.

Other fighters confirmed in action on the bill so far include Lyndon Arthur, Alex Dickinson, Tommy Fury, Mark Heffron, Jack McGann and Troy Williamson.

Tickets for Warrington v Galahad are available via Ticketmaster and are priced as below:

£450 – Hospitality
£300 – Floor
£200 – Floor
£150 – Floor
£100 – Floor/Tier
£75 – Tier
£50 – Tier
£40 – Tier

RECENT world title challenger Jason Welborn and JJ Metcalf will clash for the vacant Commonwealth super-welterweight championship at the First Direct Arena, Leeds on Saturday June 15.

The exciting 12 rounder takes place on the undercard of Josh Warrington’s IBF world featherweight title defence against mandatory challenger, Kid Galahad.

It will be Welborn’s first fight since his brave world title challenge against IBF and WBA champion Jarrett Hurd in Los Angeles five months ago when he went down fighting in four rounds.

Midlander Welborn (24-7, 7KOs) had won five on the spin before that loss to one of boxing’s emerging stars.

That run included picking up the British middleweight title against Tommy Langford and then beating his local rival in a rematch.

Welborn, 32, has been a professional since December 2005, but the desire to get back fighting the best 154lb boxers in the world is still burning inside despite a long and successful career.

He said: “I felt brilliant and strong in there against Hurd and got caught by a brilliant shot. I left it all in there and did better than some British boxers who have been abroad.

“I thought about retiring, but I think there are a few good fights in me before I hang up my gloves.

“I felt I belonged at world level when I boxed Hurd and that is where I want to get back to in the next 12 months.

“JJ is a good prospect, a strong fighter and the kind of style I like to face so I won’t have to go looking for him.

“It is a great fight for me after the world title challenge, there is something to gain and it is on one of Frank Warren’s big cards of the year.

“It is not about the money now as I have a skip business that is going well. I just want to get back to where I was before I boxed Hurd. If I do that, I make an impact.”

Metcalf (19-0, 11 KOs) is the son of former world class super-lightweight Shea Neary and looking to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

The Liverpool boxer is in the form of his life and stopped his last five opponents. His most recent outing was on April 19 when he knocked out Santos Medrano in eight rounds.

Metcalf said: “It is a tough fight, but one that I can win. Jason has had a very good career, is very tough, busy and I cannot take nothing away from what he has achieved.

“Look at his fight with Hurd. He put it all on the line and really took it to the champion early on.

“He has had other losses, but always seems to bounce back and pull off big wins like the two against Langford.”

Metcalf, 30, has been boxing professionally since December 2011 but injuries have slowed his progress and last year cost him a fight against Liam Williams.

He added: “I’ve not reached my peak yet, but these are the sort of tests I need at this stage of my career.

“I have been a prospect for too long, but now is the time to start winning big titles and getting to world level.

“Of the current world champions Hurd and Jaime Munguia might not be elite superstars, but they’re very good.

“Tony Harrison is WBC champion. I haven’t seen a lot of him, but he beat Jermell Charlo so that tells you he is good.”

Josh Warrington tops the bill at First Direct Arena, Leeds when he defends his IBF featherweight championship against Kid Galahad.

Jason Welborn and JJ Metcalf meet for the vacant Commonwealth super-welterweight championship.

Other fighters confirmed in action on the bill so far include Lyndon Arthur, Zelfa Barrett, Alex Dickinson, Tommy Fury, Mark Heffron, Jack McGann, Shakiel Thompson, Kody Davies and Troy Williamson.

Tickets for Warrington v Galahad are available via Ticketmaster and are priced as below:

£450 – Hospitality

£300 – Floor

£200 – Floor

£150 – Floor

£100 – Floor/Tier

£75 – Tier

£50 – Tier

£40 – Tier

LOS ANGELES –Forget Anthony Joshua. Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury still have some unfinished business.

A Wilder-Fury draw in a terrific fight Saturday night at Staples Center made a rematch a lot more likely than a big money date with Joshua for either heavyweight.

Both Fury and Wilder showed great resilience, power and – in the end – guts in a bout that was close most of the time.

In the final three minutes, both fighters fought their way out of trouble and defeat.

Wilder needed at least a knockdown. He got it with a concussive right-left combo. For a fleeting second, it looked as if Fury would not get up. Wilder went to a neutral corner, rolled his shoulders and smiled.

But the celebration was premature. He, like everybody else, had underestimated Fury, who about a year ago was about 150 pounds heavier than he was at opening bell for Showtime pay-per-view bout.

Fury got up, avoided the loss, survived for another day, another shot at Wilder. Judge Alejandro Rochin of Mexico scored it 115-111 for Wilder. Robert Tapper of Canada scored it 114-112 for Fury on a card initially announced at 114-110 and then corrected. The third card announced was from judge Phil Edwards, who scored it 113-113. Edwards is from the UK, Fury’s home country. UK fans filled Staples Center. They probably wanted to give Edwards his Brexit papers. But they, too, probably want a rematch

“Let’s do it,’’ said Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs), who kept his World Boxing Council belt. “In the UK, wherever. Wherever there’s the most money.’’

If the Staples crowd reaction was any indication, both Fury and Wilder can expect raise. Wilder was guaranteed $4 million, according to the California Commission. Fury collected a $3 million guarantee. The crowd screamed for more, especially through the six final rounds.

In the early going, Fury appeared to be in control. Wilder missed and missed with his big wind-up shots. But in the ninth, Wilder’s feared power touched Fury just enough to knock down the Manchester City fighter for the first of two times.

“With two knockdowns, I thought won the fight,’’ Wilder said.

But the clever Fury made Wilder looked awkward with agile footwork. It often left Wilder looking like a windmill, swinging his arms aimlessly, above and short of Fury. All the while, Fury mocked him.

“Listen, I got knocked down twice,’’ Fury said. “But I got up twice and won the fight.’’

The argument will continue. The only answer rests in a rematch.

Hurd’s body shot ends Welborn’s upset bid

Jarrett Hurd calls himself Swift. Make that Swift To Respond.

Just as it looked as if Hurd (23-0, 16 KOs) might lose his junior-middleweight belts in a significant upset, he rallied, throwing a wicked body shot that finished the UK’s Jason Welborn (24-7, 7 KOs) at 1:55 of the fourth round.

The aggressive Welborn had been rocking Hurd with repeated shots from head to body through three-plus rounds. Then, Hurd, of Accokeek, MD, decided to go to work. He got it done with one punch.

Luis Ortiz ends dull fight with 10th-round stoppage

The Staples crowd booed. But Luis Ortiz didn’t hear their impatience until the end. Finally, however, the Cuban heavyweight did what could have been done five rounds earlier. He stopped Travis Kauffman of Reading, Penn., midway though the 10th and final round with a succession of punches.

Ortiz (29-1, 25 KOs) also knocked down Kauffman (32-3, 23 KOs) in sixth, eighth and earlier in the 10th. For Ortiz, there’s been talk of a rematch with Deontay Wilder, who was waiting in his dressing room waiting to defend his WBC title against Tyson Fury. Wilder got up from a knockdown and stopped Ortiz in the Cuban’s only loss.

UK heavyweight Joe Joyce opens pay-per-view card with first-round stoppage

Joe Joyce opened the Showtime pay-per-view part of the Fury-Wilder card at Staples with a UK accent. Joyce (7-0, 7 KOs) also kept it short and sweet, scoring a first-round stoppage of Newark heavyweight Joe Hanks (23-3, 15 KOs).

Joyce landed a right that forced Hanks to hold on to the ropes. Without those ropes, he would have been on the canvas. It should have been scored a knockdown. It wasn’t, but it didn’t matter. Seconds later, Joyce landed left, dropping Hanks, who was flat on the floor with no chance of continuing in a that ended at 2:25 of the first.

Guerrero wins comeback bout in a swift stoppage

It didn’t take long for Robert Guerrero to start his comeback. To be exact, he got it done within two rounds against overmatched Hungarian Adam Mate (28-13, 21 KOs). In winning a second-round stoppage, the 35-year-old Guerrero (34-6-1, 19 KOs) scored a knockdown in the first and two more in the second, unleashing three reasons to think his comeback has a real chance at succeeding.

Wilder family stays unbeaten with a Marcellos victory

The Wilders kept the 0 in the family midway through a card Saturday that would end with Deontay Wilder’s heavyweight title defense against Tyson Fury in a Showtime -pay-per-view bout.

Marcellos Wilder, Deontay’s little brother and a big cruiserweight, went to 3-0 (2 KOs) with a unanimous decision of David Damore (1-4-3) of Bakersfield, Calif. Marcellus, whose record includes two KOs, flashed some of Deontay’s power, knocking Damore through the ropes in the second round.

Light-flyweight Jessie Rodriquez stays unbeaten, wins unanimous decision

Jessie Rodriquez, a San Antonio light-flyweight trained by Robert Garcia, was quick and accurate, an overwhelming combination in a one-sided decision over Josue Morales (8-9-3) in the second bout on a card featured by the Wilder-Fury heavyweight title fight.

Philadelphia light-middle weight Julian Williams scores quick stoppage

It was never a question of if, just when. The when was early. A stronger Julian Williams (25-2, 16 KOs), a Philadelphia light-middleweight, sent Mexican Francisco Javier Castro (28-9, 23 KOs) crashing into the ropes. Seconds later, Castro was unable to defend himself in a bout stopped at 2:40 of the second round.

First Bell: UK featherweight Isaac Lowe wins fifth-round stoppage in opener to Fury-Wilder card

UK fans were still singing outside Staples Center when a UK fighter struck an opening key that they hope to hear throughout Saturday.

UK featherweight Isaac Lowe (16-0-3, 6 KOs) opened the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder show with a matinee victory, landing undefended strikes to the head and body that floored Argentine Lucas Rafael Baez (33-17-5, 17 KOs) twice in the fifth round. At 2:11 of the fifth, the non-televised bout was over in a stoppage that left a dazed and slumped over on a stool for a couple of minutes before he could leave the ring under his own power.

NEW YORK (November 15, 2018) – Unified 154-pound world champion Jarrett Hurd and Cuban heavyweight slugger Luis Ortiz hosted separate media workouts in Washington, D.C. and Miami on Thursday for their upcoming matchups on Saturday, December 1 on SHOWTIME PPV® from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Hurd returns to the ring to defend his IBF and WBA belts against Jason Welborn in his first bout since becoming unified champion, while Ortiz takes on Travis Kauffman in a 10-round heavyweight attraction. The PPV undercard also features rising heavyweight Joe Joyce battling Joe Hanks. The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury heavyweight championship showdown.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Enterprises and Queensberry Promotions, in association with TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, are on sale now and are available via AXS.com. Wilder vs. Fury will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV. The suggested retail price (SRP) for the pay-per-view telecast is $64.99 for standard definition.

The Accokeek, Maryland-native Hurd, who unified titles against Erislandy Lara in April on SHOWTIME, was joined at the Hillcrest Boxing Gym in Temple Hills by his trainer Ernesto Rodriguez and fights for the first time since undergoing rotator cuff surgery.

Ortiz, along with trainer Herman Caicedo, held his media workout at Caicedo Sports Training Center in Miami ahead of another opportunity to enter the ring and earn a potential rematch against Deontay Wilder after they engaged in a memorable heavyweight clash in March on SHOWTIME.

Here is what the fighters and their trainers had to say Thursday:

JARRETT HURD

“I can’t wait to get in there on December 1 and show everybody that ‘Swift’ is back at 100 percent. I’m expecting to show my versatility. I’ve shown that I can walk guys down and that I have a full tank of gas through 12 rounds. This time I want to show that I’m also strong defensively and can use my range and height.

“I’m going to really focus on using my jab in this fight. I want to establish that punch and also test out my rotator cuff and prove to everyone that I’m feeling great.

“Jason Welborn is a former British champion and I know that he’s going to be game. He’s coming off of two good wins against Tommy Langford. I know Welborn is going to leave everything in the ring because he has nothing to lose.

“The target is definitely on my back holding two titles. I’m in the position I want to be in. When you’re at the top, everybody is coming for your spot.

“The win over a long-reigning champion like Erislandy Lara solidified in everyone else’s mind what I already knew. Now I’m getting the respect I deserve.

“I showed against Lara that I can dig deep and pull out a win late if I need to. I have that inside of me. I also showed that I have power in both hands because usually I get a knockout with the right hand, but I was able to put Lara on the floor with a left.

“My goal for 2019 is to definitely get one more belt, and I’d also like to fight at home. I definitely want to fight Jermell Charlo for his WBC belt. Unification is what the division needs. I know for sure that me and Charlo both want this fight.

“Every time I’ve had an opportunity presented to me in this sport, I’ve taken full advantage of it. My family pushed me through all of the tough moments and helped get me to where I am today.”

LUIS ORTIZ

“I’m 100 percent ready for this fight. We never stopped working after my last fight and I’m going to show it on December 1. I love staying active. I just want to keep fighting and showing off my skills.

“I’ve only taken off about a month total since fighting Wilder in March, so I still feel sharp and like my training is just continuous. The training stays the same, and once we get the opponent locked in we can focus on a game plan.

“Travis Kauffman is a strong fighter who came up fighting in Philadelphia. I know that’s he’s a tough guy who’s going to come to fight and I’m going to be prepared it.

“I think that my performance against Wilder and since that fight have warranted a rematch. I had Wilder hurt, I just made mental mistakes during the fight. I was fatigued, but I did not get knocked out flat. The referee did his job, but I feel that I did enough to merit another shot. I’ve worked hard to correct the mistakes I made and in a rematch, it would be a different ending.

“Wilder vs. Fury will be an interesting fight. Wilder is fighting someone taller than him for the first time and that could make it go a lot of ways. But I really do believe Wilder is going to win and win by knockout.”

ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ, Hurd’s Trainer

“Training camp has gone very well. It was a bit different for this camp because of the injury but I think everything has been completed and right now we’re just sharpening up so we can peak fight week.

“I laid off of some of the shoulder strength and conditioning that I would usually do with Jarrett because of the injury. We had to do that to let the shoulder heal. He still got in all of his normal strength and conditioning.

“I think Jason Welborn is going to try to come forward and impose his toughness. He has everything to gain in this fight. I think he’ll throw hard shots and try to rough it up. He may just run into a punch and get knocked out, or we’ll pick him apart and stop him late.

“I think what makes Jarrett Hurd so special is his demeanor. He’s a humble kid who works hard and knows what he has to do. Every minute he’s in the ring he’s aware of what he has to do. He communicates well and he follows instructions as well as any fighter I’ve trained throughout the years.”

HERMAN CAICEDO, Ortiz’s Trainer

“Luis Ortiz went through the experience of what happened in the Wilder fight and that’s the best way to overcome it in the future. He lived it, he breathed it and now, he’s going to go out and earn a chance to change the outcome.

“We have no excuses for the way the Wilder fight ended. I thought Ortiz was doing fine, but Wilder’s punches certainly had an effect. It’s heavyweight boxing, so being knocked down first in the fifth round definitely drew from the power supply.

“Unfortunately when he let everything go in the seventh round against Wilder, and almost knocked Wilder out, that drained him completely. Wilder was able to recover and capitalize. But we now know what we have to do in a rematch.

“Ortiz told me that when he first buzzed Wilder he really saw it all right there. He saw himself with the WBC championship. He saw himself knocking out Anthony Joshua and becoming undisputed champion. So he decided to go for it all right there.”

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