Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom Boxing promotion roll out the big show this Saturday with an event at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, London that is set to air on SKY TV in the UK. The live show features eleven fights in all, and three of them are already getting attention at the sport books. Super Lightweight – 12 rounds John Wayne Hibbert +150 Dave Ryan -170 Note: This is a re-match as the two rivals meet for the Commonwealth Super Lightweight title and the WBC International title for the second time. In that fight Ryan (17-8) got dropped twice in the early going before coming back and dropping and stopping Hibbert in the ninth round. Combine that with a March of 2013 points win over Hibbert that Ryan owns, as well, and Ryan would appear to have Hibbert’s number. Their second meeting this past May saw Ryan get the stoppage, but the fight was a crowd pleaser that went back and forth and ended with hibbert ahead on the scorecards. Heavyweight – 12 rounds Gary Cornish +3000 Anthony Joshua -7000 Notes: Anthony Joshua is the undefeated (13-0) Olympic Gold Medalist who is the top prospect in Heavyweight boxing today. This match is for the Commonwealthe Heavyweight title, and Cornish has an undefeated (21-0) record himself coming into this one. Some Joshua detractors talk about his protected record, but the men he has faced are a veritable whose who of boxing compared to Cornish’s opposition. The idea is for Joshua to face Dillian Whyte before the end of the year. Whyte owns a win over Joshua in the amateur ranks and he is also fighting on this bill, as promoter Hearn sets up the “revenge” match for Joshua. Heavyweight – 10 rounds Brian Minto +1500 Dillian Whyte -4500 Notes: Whyte is (15-0) as a pro and the veteran Minto (41-9) is a bit of a step up in competition. Minto has logged rounds with Artur Szpilka, Joseph Parker and Marco Huck. Minto, who is a blown up cruiserweight, is not likely to ruin the planned Joshua versus Whyte match-up for the end of the year.
