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Philippines, 21 Jul 2026 |
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Matchroom Boxing reveals major fights in UK & Ireland schedule from August to October PhilBoxing.com Tue, 21 Jul 2026  DALTON SMITH, BEN WHITTAKER, PAT BROWN AND GEORGE LIDDARD HEADLINE HUGE UK FIGHT NIGHTS FOR MATCHROOM BOXING IN LONDON, MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM AND SHEFFIELD – LIVE ON DAZN London, Dublin, Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield are all set to stage major fight nights as Matchroom Boxing proudly confirms today its upcoming, action-packed UK and Ireland schedule from August to October 2026 – broadcast live worldwide on DAZN. It gets underway on Saturday, August 22 from the capital's iconic East End home of British boxing, York Hall, when George Liddard (14-0, 8 KOs) challenges Italy’s Dario Morello (26-1, 4 KOs) for the European Middleweight Championship. Then it is over to Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, September 5 for Katie Taylor’s historic farewell in front of 80,000 fans at Croke Park when she faces Flora Pili for the Undisputed Super Lightweight Championship. On Saturday, September 19, Manchester’s state-of-the-art Co-Op Live hosts a brilliant domestic dust-up as John Hedges (12-0, 3 KOs) meets Pat Brown (6-0, 6 KOs) for the British & Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championships. Ben Whittaker (12-0-1, 9 KOs), fresh from his stunning US debut last month, returns to home soil at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Saturday, October 3 as he looks ahead to his toughest test to date when he goes up against Australia’s Conor Wallace (17-1, 12 KOs) in a final eliminator for the IBF Light Heavyweight Title. And, on Saturday, October 24, the Steel City King is back in his hometown of Sheffield as Dalton ’Thunder’ Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) gets set to defend his WBC World Super Lightweight Championship for the first time in a rescheduled clash with Alberto Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) at the Utilita Arena. All the action – including this Saturday’s ’The Comeback’ headlined by two-time Heavyweight king Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, plus Teremoana Teremoan vs DeAndre Savage in Australia’s Gold Coast on August 12 and former Heavyweight World Champion Andy Ruiz’s New Jersey showdown with Damian Kynba on September 4 – is available to watch on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN. Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn, said: “It really is an unrivalled schedule across the UK & Ireland, showcasing the future flag bearers of British boxing. “George Liddard – fighting on a brilliant card of up-and-coming stars at York Hall on August 22 – begins his ascent to the top with the European gold on the line against Dario Morello. Then Pat Brown and John Hedges go head-to-head in a proper North vs South tear-up in Manchester on September 19 with British bragging rights at stake in the Cruiserweight division. The winner will be set for some major nights ahead. “Ben Whittaker, who once again had the world of Boxing on its feet with his breathtaking performance in New York, has World Titles in his sights – he’s got the toughest test of his career to date on home soil in Birmingham on October 3 against a hungry Conor Wallace. And, on October 24, a man who has shown the way to all of those young British fighters by realising his World Title dream earlier this year, in Dalton Smith returns home to Sheffield to fight his dangerous WBC mandatory Alberto Puello. “The big nights keep on coming. And they are all available for fight fans around the world to watch live and exclusively at the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN.” Liddard successfully defended his British & Commonwealth Middleweight belts back in March at London’s Copperbox Arena when he defeated Tyler Denny with a unanimous points victory. Now he looks forward to returning to the scene of his crowning glory in November 2025 where he dethroned Kieron Conway at York Hall, this time challenging Italian ’Spartan’ Dario Morello. Liddard said: “I am looking forward to picking up another major title and taking another huge step towards becoming a World Champion. Expect a vicious and dominant performance for as long as it lasts at York Hall.” Liddard has relinquished his Commonwealth strap, meaning stablemate Jimmy Sains (12-0, 10 KOs) will now battle Newark’s Tom Cowling (15-1, 4 KOs) – who stunned Aaron Bowen in a thriller last November in Birmingham – for the honours. Sains has sacrificed his English Title in the process, meaning undefeated, 21-year-old starlet – and East End native – Leli Buttigieg (12-0, 4 KOs) will square off against unbeaten Harwich fighter PA Gordon (9-0, 1 KO) for the belt. The teenage female superstar in the making, labeled by the legendary Katie Taylor as the future Greatest of All Time, Tiah Mai Ayton (6-0, 5 KOs) bids for her first big championship when she collides with Donacaster’s Ellie Hellewell (7-1, 1 KO) for the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight Title. Plus, joining the stellar supporting card on August 22, Team GB Olympic Silver Medallist Pat McCormack (8-1, 6 KOs) returns to action looking to resurrect his rise up the Welterweight rankings following his defeat by Conah Walker in Monte-Carlo last December. And rising stars Connor Mitchell, Ioan Croft, Harley Burrows and Louie Ward join the card for York Hall, all out to continue their impressive starts to life in the professional ranks. On September 19, Manchester’s Co-Op Live plays host to an eagerly awaited, powderkeg Main Event as John 'The Gentleman' Hedges collides with Sale’s own, Pat ’The Bomber’ Brown for the British & Commonwealth Cruiserweight Championships – and, with great epectations, Essex boy Hedges insists he is ready to silence the home crowd. Hedges said: "I’m very happy for a date and location for my fight versus Pat to finally be announced, it’s been a long time coming. "Everyone is counting me out but I’m here to show them that John Hedges will be the new British Cruiserweight Champion come September 19. I’m a proud fighting man and I’ll fight anybody, anywhere. This is just the start of my big nights. Those belts are coming back to Takeley.” Olympian Brown – undefeated since he turned pro last year with a flawless record of 6-0 – is unfazed and expects to have the Co-Op Live roaring him on to victory. Brown said: "This is the biggest fight of my career so far and there’s no better arena for it to be in. The Co-Op Live in Manchester will be loud on September 19 and I can’t wait for it. "The Lonsdale belt is so prestigious, every British boxer wants to take it home and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing on the night.” The brilliant Ben Whittaker dazzled on his American debut last month with a two-round demolition of Richard ‘Popeye’ Rivera at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Brit, ranked No. 2 by the WBC and No. 3 by the IBF, is now neatly positioned by the respective governing bodies to contend for major honours. And he has his sights firmly set on defeating Aussie, Dublin-born, Conor Wallace to lay down a marker in the Light Heavyweight division, in front of his home fans at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Saturday, October 3. Whittaker said: “I am delighted to be bringing a big night back to Birmingham again after a successful trip to the States. This is a proper step up on my way to becoming World Champion and I’m excited to put on a special performance for you all again. See you all on October 3.” On Saturday, October 24, Sheffield's Utilita Arena stages what promises to be yet another special night in the Steel City as Dalton Smith finally defends his Green & Gold WBC belt for the first time when takes on the Dominican southpaw, Alberto Puello. Two-time World Champion Puello is desperate to reclaim the title he surrendered in a majority decision defeat to Subriel Matias in July last year. Matias failed to hold the hardware for long, however, as Smith delivered one of the most memorable away victories in British boxing history last January. ‘Thunder’ Smith realised his boyhood dream of becoming a World Champion, leaving the Barclays Center in Brooklyn with a stunning stoppage to end a breathtaking firefight with a ferocious fifth-round knockout. Now Smith (19-0, 14 KOs) – fully recovered from the injury which put paid to this fight happening in May – wants to put Puello (24-1, 10 KOs) to task and ensure a happy homecoming in front of his legion of fans, as he edges closer to his ultimate goal of fighting at the Hillsborough home of his beloved Sheffield Wednesday FC. Smith said: "I’m delighted the fight is finally back on and that we’ll be defending my WBC world title on October 24 in Sheffield. "It was obviously frustrating to pick up the injury when I was in such a good place, especially after all the hard work that had gone into camp. But injuries are part of boxing. The important thing is that I’ve taken the time to recover properly, listened to the medical advice and now I’m back training, feeling strong and ready to go again. "Becoming World Champion was something I’d dreamed about my whole life, but winning the belt was never the end goal. I want to build a legacy, and that starts with defending the title against the best challengers in the division. "Puello has been a World Champion before and earned his mandatory position, so I know exactly how tough this fight will be. I’ll be giving him the respect he deserves in training, but once that first bell goes, it’ll be about showing why I’m the WBC World Champion. "I want to thank everyone for their patience and support over the last few months. The messages meant a lot during my recovery, and I’m looking forward to getting back in front of my home fans. I have Eddie’s word that we sell this arena out in October then Hillsborough will be happening next Summer. "October 24 can’t come soon enough. I’ll be ready to put on a statement performance in Sheffield." A hungry Puello, however, is determined to spoil the party for Smith in his bid to become a three-time World Champion. Puello said: "I’m excited to be fighting for my title again. I’m looking forward to becoming a three-time World Champion and making history in the United Kingdom in front of its wonderful fan base. “[Dalton] Smith is a good boxer. I’m excited to share the ring with him and give the fans a great fight." Tickets are available from matchroomboxing.com. Details are as follows – all times listed, BST: August 22, York Hall (London): Liddard vs Morello Prices: £50, £100 and £150 Ringside Tuesday, July 21 - 12pm, Fight Pass Wednesday, July 22 - 12pm, General Sale September 19, Co-Op Live (Manchester): Hedges vs Brown Prices: £40, £60, £100, £200 Ringside Thursday, July 23 – 12pm, Fight Pass Friday, July 24 –12pm, General Sale October 3, Utlita Arena (Birmingham) Whittaker vs Wallace Prices: £40 £60 £100 £150 and £300 Ringside Monday, July 27 – 12pm, Fight Pass Tuesday, July 28 – 12pm, General Sale October 24, Utilita Arena (Sheffield) Smith vs Puello Prices: £40, £60, £80, £150, £300 Thursday, July 30 – 12pm, Fight Pass Friday, July 31 – 12pm, General Sale  |
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