The undercard for Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn starts to take shape
Two fights that could land on the Chris Eubank Jnr-Conor Benn bill on April 26 in London are a middleweight fight between Liam Smith and Aaron McKenna and, at cruiserweight, Cheavon Clarke vs. Viddal Riley. There might also be a space for streaking junior welterweight star Adam Azim.
A source told BoxingScene that the spine of the bill will be made up between talents of from Boxxer and Matchroom, with Boxxer possibly leading the way on the promotion.
Eubank, of course, is with Boxxer, as is Aaron McKenna – who is managed by Hennessy Sports – and while Smith’s last two fights came against Eubank on Boxxer shows, it is understood that he is now a free agent.
Riley, 12-0 (7 KOs), was set to box on the Boxxer February 1 bill against Isaac Chamberlain in a grudge match, but Chamberlain has been injured in camp and the leaves Riley free to pursue other options. Former Olympian Clarke was upset by Leonardo Mosquea in December, suffering his first defeat 11 starts.
Boxxer's Azim, meanwhile, takes on Sergey Lipinets in a scheduled 12-rounder at Wembley Arena on February 1. Should the 22-year-old come through unscathed, a contest on the April 26 show might come next.
Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, a BWAA award winner, and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing” (shortlisted for the William Hill Sportsbook of the Year), “Warrior: A Champion’s Search for His Identity” (shortlisted for the Sunday Times International Sportsbook of the Year) and “The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing’s Wastelands.” You can reach him @trisdixon on X and Instagram.