Next weekend’s BOXXER Fight Night event in Newcastle looks set to be the UK card of 2021 as the next-generation boxing promoter today confirmed the addition of Chris Eubank Jr to the line-up.
Eubank Jr had been due to fight this past weekend but was left without an opponent when he was forced to withdraw on the day of the fight. Having remained in training, he and his coach Roy Jones Jr. will head north to the Newcastle Utilita Arena on Saturday, October 16.
He joins a card that features heavyweight contender Hughie Fury (25-3, 14 KO’s) against German power-puncher Christian Hammer (26-7, 16 KO’s).
WBO Middleweight Champion is defending against the undefeated Lolita Muzeya (16-0, 8 KO’s).
Plus, local hero Lewis Ritson (21-2, 12 KO’s) against gritty Philadelphia veteran ‘Hammerin’ Hank Lundy (31-9-1, 14 KO’s).
Eubank Jr will face Wanik Awidjan (28-1, 11 KO’s) in Newcastle, a German national of Kurdish heritage who is a former IBF Youth Middleweight World Champion.
CHRIS EUBANK JR
“This was already a great fight card stacked from top to bottom with world champions, top contenders, and rising stars. The addition of Chris Eubank Jr confirms this as a can’t-miss event and probably the UK fight card of the year,” said BOXXER founder Ben Shalom.
“We’re delighted to add Chris Eubank Jr to an action-packed Newcastle bill, topped by Savannah Marshall’s world title fight next Saturday, live on Sky Sports,” said Adam Smith, Head of Boxing Development for Sky Sports.
“It was incredibly unfortunate that Chris couldn’t fight last weekend, but fighter safety comes first. Now we welcome him back in an intriguing clash with Wanik Awdijan. Chris has big aspirations of fighting the world’s top middleweights – and he’ll be eager to deliver an explosive display on a red-hot night in the North East.
“Hughie Fury faces Christian Hammer in a crucial heavyweight clash, while Lewis Ritson returns in a must-win fight with Hank Lundy, and Savannah takes center stage as she defends her WBO middleweight belt against Lolita Muzeya.”
BOXXER Fight Night: Fury vs. Hammer takes place Saturday, October 16 at the Utilita Arena Newcastle and airs live and exclusively on Sky Sports.
In addition to the bouts detailed above, the card also features the best prospects from England’s north-east, a powerhouse of British boxing talent, including Newcastle heavyweight giant Steve’ USSR’ Robinson (3-0, 2 KO’s), unbeaten Middlesbrough cruiserweight Michael Webster (5-0-0, 3 KO’s), Wallsend welterweight ace April Hunter (4-0) and Georgia O’Connor and Mark Dickinson, two north-east amateur standouts making their professional debuts.
