Smith-Zepeda, Ryan-Harper and Hitchins-Lemos highlight Matchroom’s spring schedule
An action-packed spring schedule is in store for fight fans this year with Matchroom Boxing announcing its upcoming events through to April, shown exclusively live worldwide on DAZN.
Matchroom return to the Utilita Arena Sheffield for a huge night of boxing on Saturday March 23 as junior welterweight contender Dalton Smith (15-0, 11 KOs) steps up against three-time title challenger Jose Zepeda ( 37-4, 28 KOs) and WBO welterweight titlist Sandy Ryan (6-1-1, 2 KOs) puts her belt on the line against former two-division champion Terri Harper (14-1-2, 6 KOs) in a huge domestic clash.
‘Thunder’ reinforced his credentials by wiping out Liverpool’s Sam Maxwell with a one-punch knockout in the seventh round of their meeting in Sheffield to add the Commonwealth belt to his British Title that he has now won outright.
California’s Zepeda has twice challenged for world honours at junior welterweight – falling short on points against Jose Carlos Ramirez for the WBC crown in 2019 before suffering an eleventh-round stoppage against Regis Prograis for the same title in November 2022. In his only previous visit to the UK, Zepeda suffered a dislocated left shoulder during his challenge for the vacant WBO lightweight title against Manchester’s Terry Flanagan.
WBO 147-pounds ruler Ryan will be looking to bounce back from a controversial split decision draw against Ring champion and WBA/WBC titlist Jessica McCaskill in Orlando last September. Ryan was left bitterly disappointed following her title unification clash having felt she did enough to earn a career-best win. Harper was also left frustrated after her draw with Cecilia Braekhus last October but the 27-year-old now has the opportunity to claim a belt in a third weight division following her success at 130 and 154. Also on the card, Hyde’s Campbell Hatton (14-0, 5 KOs) goes for his first title when he meets Doncaster’s James Flint (13-1-2, 3 KOs) for the Central Area Super-Lightweight Title.
Two emerging stars are out to impress at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Saturday April 6. New York junior welterweight contender Richardson Hitchins (17-0, 7 KOs) looks to build on his shutout points win over Jose Zepeda at the Caribe Royal Orlando last September when he takes on Argentina’s Gustavo Daniel Lemos (29-0, 19 KOs) in an eliminator for the IBF belt, and super middleweight powerhouse Diego Pacheco (20-0, 17 KOs) is aiming to extend his nine-fight knockout streak when he meets Colorado’s unbeaten Shawn McCalman (15-0, 7 KOs).
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 26: Sandy Ryan (L) of Great Britain exchanges punches with Anahi Esther Sanchez of Argentina during their WBC International Super-Lightweight Title fight at OVO Arena Wembley on November 26, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Manchester’s AO Arena plays host to an exciting domestic clash between junior lightweight rivals Jordan Gill (28-2-1, 9 KOs) and Zelfa Barrett (30-2, 16 KOs) on Saturday April 13, with a title at play in the undercard as Warrington’s Rhiannon Dixon (9-0, 1 KO) looks to win her first belt as she takes on Argentina’s Karen Elizabeth Carabajal (21-1, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBO 140-pound crown.
Chatteris’ Gill, a former European and Commonwealth Champion at featherweight, stunned Irish hero Michael Conlan with a seventh-round stoppage win on away territory at the SSE Arena Belfast last month and immediately called for a title shot in his post-fight interview. Standing in ‘The Thrill’s’ way of a dream title shot is Manchester’s former challenger Barrett, and the 30-year-old ‘Brown Flash’ has further aspirations of his own having come up short against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov for the IBF trinket in Abu Dhabi.
Liverpool junior featherweight Peter McGrail (8-1, 5 KOs) gets an immediate shot at redemption when he rematches Detroit’s Ja’Rico O’Quinn (17-1-1, 9 KOs) at the top of a NXTGEN card on home soil at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on Saturday April 27. The former amateur star was cruising to a wide points decision on the Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez vs. Sunny Edwards card in Arizona, USA last month when O’Quinn finished his opponent with a brutal right hand in the fifth round.
“The big fights keep coming and I’m delighted to confirm a bumper schedule across March and April,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “Four big fight nights across the pond featuring huge domestic title clashes, some of the best emerging talent in boxing and make or break rematches – not forgetting ‘Knockout Chaos’ with AJ vs. Ngannou on March 8 in Riyadh. There’s still plenty more to come as we gear up for an exciting year. I can’t wait to get a huge 2024 underway this week in Belfast with Lewis Crocker vs. Jose Felix at Ulster Hall before we head out to Las Vegas for the return of Conor Benn. Watch all of the action live on DAZN.”
“There are some fantastic matchups in this run of shows,” said Alfie Sharman VP of DAZN. “Featuring world champions, future stars and domestic dust ups, DAZN are excited to update our schedule through April – with more shows to be added. 2024 is a huge year for us and we look forward to bringing you all the action exclusively live on DAZN.”
A press release by Matchroom was used in this article.
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