It’s smart to announce a show headed by a pay-per-view star but tell the world it’s not a pay-per-view event – despite the fact that they, as a DAZN subscriber, it still pays to watch that show – is you naturally lower your expectations, take some of the pressure off and be able to say, if there’s any question about its overall quality,’ Well, it’s a pay-per-view, so what do you expect?’
In the case of Anthony Joshua’s April 1 heavyweight bout against Jermaine Franklin, we can expect a pretty good if not great fight, which is exactly what’s on paper and we are. The same can be said for extra cards.
In that respect so far, as confirmed on Thursday (Feb 9), we have a light-heavyweight match between Craig Richards and Ricards Bolotniks, as well as a European middleweight title fight between the champions. Matteo Signani and Felix Cash.
Both of those bouts, which will take place at The O2 before Joshua and Franklin enter the ring, are solid enough and carry British interest, with Richards living in Crystal Palace and Cash born in Chertsey. They probably won’t have fans drooling as they wait for Joshua and Franklin, but in the beginning and in the midst of – again – a “no pay-per-view show,” that’s okay. .
Interestingly, Richards had faced the Bolotniks in a previous event headed by Jermaine Franklin last November, only to have the game fail when Richards, 17-3-1 (10), was forced to withdraw for being sick during the week of battle.
Known as “Spider-Man,” Richards, for better or worse, became a boxer more famous for the fights he lost than for the fights he won and had. could do with assembling a series of victories that would promptly rescue him a bigger fight on his terms than in previous ones. Of course, on previous occasions he has performed admirably, losing to both Dmitry Bivol and Joshua Buatsi in points, but both times Richards gave the impression of an almost manly person, someone who would always pushed the best boxers in the division, but alas, could not beat them.
Now he needs to change that impression and the first step to do so will be a match against the Bolotniks, a better opponent than any previous man he has beaten, including Shakan Pitters, Andre Sterling and Jake Ball. Perhaps a bit past his best, the Latvian man, now 32, on previous trips to the UK has let down Steven Ward (TKO 1 2019) and Serge Michel (TKO) 10 2020), and also defeated Hosea Burton (UD 10) and Sergei Ekimov (UD 12), two other opponents he should not have beaten.
More recently, the Bolotniks appeared in the UK against Joshua Buatsi, who turned out to be a step too far from the man from Riga. Spirit and game as always, however, he was stopped by Buatsi for 11 innings and, while playing, he never seemed to pose a problem for the Londoners at any stage.
Since then, the Bolotniks have reacted well to that loss, beating Hrvoje Sep in the previous eight rounds in Spain. As is usual with Bolotniks, Sep is an opponent with an undefeated record (11-0) that he can tarnish with a combination of hard work, seasoned experience and tenacity, and goal. The only recent pole for Bolotniks is that he hasn’t been able to capitalize on that win because of Richards’ illness last year. Now, because of this, by the time he faces Richards in London, a whole year will have passed, which is never ideal for a boxer like the Bolotniks, 19-6-1 (8).
Richards has also not played since a loss to Buatsi in May, although it is felt he is the newer of the two and is expected to use the opportunity to restart his career. me.
“I’m expecting a great fight with the Bolotniks,” he said. “He’s a good fighter and a lot of people know that will allow me to show off how good a boxer I am. I To be. I am very happy to join this card. It’s ironic that it’s (Anthony) Joshua’s return because I feel like it’s my comeback too. Winning against Bolotniks helps me integrate a lot with the big boys and find a way to go big.”
Craig Richards goes away with Dmitry Bivol (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
In another confirmed underdog bout, Italian Matteo Signani, 32-6-3 (12), will be competing in British boxing for the first time as a professional. Even more amazingly, he will do so at the ripe age of 43.
Having mainly competed in his native country so far, Signani is no stranger to European title fights, having fought six of them and will bring his belt to England with every intention of keeping it. take it, even if both age and odds are against him.
Indeed, Signani fought for the title for the first time in 2016, when he lost to Emanuele Blandamura in a decisive match, and soon after, he made it his mission to claim the elusive title. him that night. He completed the assignment three years later in 2019, when he was once again entangled in a divisive decision, only this time the decision was in his favor rather than the way of his opponents. him, Gevorg Khatchikian. From there, with his last belt, Signani went on to defend it twice, stopping Maxime Beaussire for two innings in 2020 before overtaking Ruben Diaz the following year.
Meanwhile, last year proved to be an eventful year for Italians. That was the year he ventured to France and lost the title to Frenchman Anderson Prestot in a technical decision (after five rounds) in June and then regained the title in November with a seventh round loss to Prestot. at home in Italy.
Now, with the belt still on but time running out, Signani, a late brilliant athlete and professional athlete since 2007, meets Felix Cash, one man, with a score of 16-0 ( 10), represents the deadliest enemy he has ever faced as a professional athlete.
Needing a fight like this, Cash last year beat Magomed Madiev by more than 10 rounds and Celso Neves by more than eight rounds, but in reality, it still doesn’t match the dazzling performance he produced when blocking. Denzel Bentley in three innings to win the British middleweight belt in 2021.
“The year 2022 has been a difficult year for me personally but I am determined to make it my year,” Cash said. “In 2023, I will be competing for the title and want to have the biggest matches possible, starting with the European title at The O2. The work I’ve done in the gym with Tony Sims (the trainer) has been amazing and I’ve never felt better. Come on April 1st, people will see that I am the real one.
