Monster Xu Vs. Wood!! WBA Matchroom Fight Camp Essex Fight Card Preview
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Brentwood, Essex, UK (July 29th, 2021)– Two World Boxing Association world and regional title bouts, and a British and European title bout, are among the sis featured bouts featured on DAZN on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Matchroom Fight Camp, Brentwood, Essex, United Kingdom.
The card will open with two preliminary bouts. The first bout will be a female four rounder featuring the pro debut of amateur star Sandy Ryan of Derby, Derbyshire, United Kingdom, against Kirstie Bavington, 3-1-2 with two knockouts, Pensnett, West Midlands, United Kingdom, in a scheduled four rounder with two minute rounds. The second four rounder will feature Campbell Hatton, 2-0, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom versus Jakob Lashkowski, 4-4-1 with two knockouts, Siemianowice Slaskie, Poland.
Former super middleweight contender Avni Yidilrim, 21-3 with 12 knockouts, Istanbul, Turkey, whose three losses were all in super middleweight world title bouts, but who has not won a bout in nearly three years, will seek redemption in a 10 rounder against Jack Cullen, 19-2-1 with nine knockouts, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom. Cullen was stopped in the eighth round by Felix Cash in a Commonwealth British Empire Middleweight title bout at Manchester Arena in September 2019 after getting dropped twice. The matchup appears neutral and fair.
Liverpool super welterweight Anthony Fowler, 14-1 with 11 knockouts, will defend his World Boxing Association International Super Welterweight title against Rico Mueller, 28-3-1 with 19 knockouts, Eberswalde, Brandenburg, Germany, in a scheduled ten rounder. Mueller is a former International Boxing Organization world title challenger.
European Cruiserweight champion Tommy McCarthy, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, 18-2 with nine knockouts, will defend his title Commonwealth British Empire champion Chris Billiam-Smith, 12-1 with ten knockouts, Bournemouth, Dorset, United Kingdom. The vacant BBB of C British title will also be at stakes in this interesting crossroads bout for three regional titles. Scheduled for 12 rounds.
In the main event, World Boxing Association World Featherweight champion Can “Monster” Xu, 18-2 with three knockouts, Beijing, China, will make his third title defense against BBB of C British Featherweight champion Leigh Wood, 24-2 with 14 knockouts, Gedling, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom. Wood is a former Commonwealth British Empire Featherweight champion. The match appears neutral and fair. The British judges could favor Wood, but in his last bout to go to a decision, Wood settled for a draw with James Dickens in which the cards went three ways after ten rounds with 95-95, 96-94, and 94-96, so anything can happen. This bout has the making of an unexpected exciting fight.
The previously scheduled main event ahs been cancelled. Conor Benn, 18-0 with 12 knockouts, Liford, Essex, United Kingdom, the son of Nigel ‘The Destroyer’ Benn, versus dangerous veteran and gatekeeper contender Adrian Granados, 21-8-3 with 15 knockouts, Woodland Hills, California, was cancelled when Benn tested positive for the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus this week. Benn will still make the fifth defense of his World Boxing Association Continental Welterweight title against Granados presumably when the bout is rescheduled for later in 2021.
Despite 18 consecutive wins in 18 bouts, a great start for Benn, he lost to the most problematic opponent of the moment, the Coronavirus itself. Granados has a level of world class experience far above Benn, and is a guarantee to show up to win for the rescheduled bout, whenever it happens, and it will happen. Granados will have to take Benn out to win in enemy territory, and he’s done it before. Benn versus Granados is still a good solid exciting matchup, and the postponement only makes the bout a more desirable match. Tyson Fury got delayed by the Coronavirus before his third match with Deontay Wilder, so Benn is not unique as far as boxing is concerned, and fighters and training camps in this difficult position will simply have to get better medically in isolation and overcome the obstacles and challenges caused by the pandemic.
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