Biography
Matt Christie, a lifelong fight fan, has worked in boxing for more than 20 years. He left Boxing News in 2024 after 14 years, nine of which were spent as editor-in-chief. Before that, he was the producer of weekly boxing show “KOTV.” Now the co-host of “The Opening Bell” podcast and regularly used in the UK as a pundit, Matt was named as the Specialist Correspondent of the Year at the prestigious Sports Journalism Awards in 2021, which was the seventh SJA Award he accepted during his stint in the hot seat at Boxing News. The following year, he was inducted into the British Boxing Hall of Fame. He is a member of the BWAA and has been honored several times in their annual writing awards.
Area of Expertise
Investigations, features, previews, columns, chronologies
Interests
As a young boxing fan, I attended the first Chris Eubank-Nigel Benn fight with my father in 1990
Career Background
Although I’d had a few boxing articles published in local newspapers over the years it was 2005 before I got my first full-time gig with KOTV, a weekly British TV show. My earliest memories involve boxing: Watching it on TV, reading about it in books and magazines, attempting to write about it and listening to my grandad, who boxed in the army, educate me on the history. Why am I still here? I used to think I could make a difference, that I could make people listen, that I could play a part in the sport eradicating its flaws. Now I know the flaws are too ingrained. But boxers remain my superheroes and the sport still fascinates me. Above all, even though I really had no idea what the life of a boxing journalist would entail, it’s exactly what I always wanted to be.
Awards & Honors
British Boxing Hall of Fame inductee; 7 Sports Journalism Association SJA Awards (including Specialist Correspondent in 2021); Multiple BWAA writing awards; Reg Gutteridge Media Award 2018; Ring 8 Sam Kellerman Media Award 2018.
Articles by Matt Christie: page 29
Why This Might Be The Perfect Goodbye For Usyk and Fury
In October 1975 the world watched in awe as Muhammad Ali, 33, and Joe Frazier, 31, summoned the last of their peaks to beat each other silly for 14 brutal rounds. Although it remains one of the greatest contests of them all, it is hard to truly enjoy today.
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The Greatest Hits Of Oleksandr Usyk
Matt Christie revisits the undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk's best performances, and ranks them from 10 to 1
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Big Fight Preview – Fury vs Usyk
Tyson Fury nor Oleksandr Usyk have encountered a microscope quite like this before. Tonight, as they collide for the undisputed heavyweight championship, the scrutiny will be as unforgiving as it gets. Though neither fighter will admit it – exuding carefree confidence is very much the order of the day – they will both feel the weight of expectancy on their shoulders to not only win but also to place a mark in boxing history of which the current era – their era – will be forever proud.
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From Tyson-Tucker To Fury-Usyk, The Definitive Undisputed Timeline
BoxingScene presents the ultimate guide to the 78-step trail of the ‘undisputed’ heavyweight championship - from when Mike Tyson claimed three belts in 1987 to the present day when, at last, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury battle it out for four.
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Heavyweight History Dictates That Fury-Usyk Won’t Live Up To The Hype
Though we’ve all rightly bemoaned the amount of time it’s taken to get here while blaming the multiple sanctioning bodies, the promoters, the broadcasters and even the various fighters involved for the delay, the truth is that contests as ginormous as Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk have always been something of a rarity.
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What Price The Draw When Fury And Usyk Collide?
Logic should dictate that the more well-matched the fight, the greater the likelihood of a draw. That’s certainly the case ahead of Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury where the draw is currently priced at +1400 and 14/1 in the UK. They’re not dead cert odds by any means but certainly short enough to underline it’s a distinct possibility. One could also argue that the short odds on a draw this weekend is not just a reflection on the quality of the matchmaking but a nod to the potential for controversy in fights as big as this. Draws in boxing would be far more palatable if the majority who watched felt that was the fair result – but widespread applause greeting such verdicts is rare.
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Referee And Judges In Place For The Undisputed Clash Between Fury And Usyk
The officials for the impending world heavyweight title showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 have been decided and agreed by all parties, BoxingScene understands. The referee will be Maplewood, Minnesota’s Mark Nelson, a veteran who will be taking charge of his 990th bout. More than 100 of those have had a world title of some description on the line. The judges are Spain’s Manuel Oliver Palermo, Canada’s Craig Metcalfe and Jacksonville, Wisconsin's Mike Fitzgerald.
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Lennox Lewis Is ‘Delighted’ That His 25-Year Reign Is About To End
Lennox Lewis is widely regarded as the last undisputed heavyweight champion by virtue of beating Evander Holyfield in 1999. It’s certainly true if one applies the dictionary definition to ‘undisputed’ – nobody disputed that Lewis was the best, after all.
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The Rise And Fall Of Lomachenko
The last time Ukraine’s Vasiliy Lomachenko won a world title fight was in the summer of 2019 when he turned back the spirited challenge of Luke Campbell in London. Coincidentally or not, it was also the last time he chose to wear the blue and yellow colours of his country’s flag on his shorts and gloves.
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