Undercard details have been released for the October 8th show when ‘Born Rivals’ Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn clash at The O2 in London, live on DAZN around the world and on DAZN pay-pr-view in the UK and Ireland. Olympic gold medal winner Galal Yafai will battle Gohan Rodriguez Garcia in a flyweight bout. Yafai (2-0 2 KOs) is coming off a second-round KO win at Madison Square Garden in April. The Birmingham ace now meets Mexico's Garcia (12-1-1 1 KO), with the 21 year-old Garcia fighting outside of his homeland for the first time.
Ellie Scotney challenges Mary Romero for the European super bantamweight title. Scotney (5-0) has wins in February and May – beating former champions Jorgelina Guanini and Maria Cecilia Roman in those bouts. Now in her sights is Romero (8-2 2 KOs) who puts the European belt on the line for the third time. The Spaniard picked up the vacant belt on home turf in January 2020 and then successfully defended it against Amy Timlin in Barcelona in September 2021 and most recently against Maria Cecchi in Milan in May and now fights in England for the first time in a clash that should move the winner into world title contention.
It’s a family affair for Harlem Eubank, who fights on the undercard of his older cousin Chris Jr. and meets Spain's David Martin over six rounds. The junior welterwight Eubank (15-0 6 KOs) recently rang up a one-punch KO of Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd in May, after forcing Viorel Simion to retire after five rounds. Not to forget Eubank's latest win over Eliot Chavez in July where Eubank outclassed and frustrated the dangerous Mexican opponent into illegal punches, forcing a disqualification win to be awarded.
Middleweight Felix Cash meets unbeaten Connor Coyle. Cash (15-0 10 KOs) got through a gut-check in his last outing against dangerman Magomed Madiev at Alexandra Palace in Feburary, and the former British and Commonwealth champion will look to enter the top ten in the WBA with victory. Coyle will have other ideas though, and the Florida-based Irishman will be out to ruin Cash’s plans and make a name for himself in his first fight in England.
Big hitting heavyweight ‘Magic’ Matty Harris is on the hunt for a third first round KO win in a row and will take on Chris Healey (9-12) over six rounds. Harris (3-0 2 KOs) put Mait Metsis away in the opening session of their fight in Newcastle in April and repeated that trick two months later in Liverpool against Pawel Strykowski. Standing in the way of the Coventry man’s hat-trick is Healey, the Stockport stalwart who has already tested the rising ambitions of Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye this year.
Shannon Courtenay makes a welcome return to the ring against Gemma Ruegg. Courtenay (7-2 3 KOs) will step through the ropes 364 days after her last action in Liverpool, where Jamie Mitchell picked up Courtenay’s WBA bantamweight title via majority decision after the Brit failed to make the weight. ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’ is aiming to get right back into the mix to become a two-time world ruler, and that starts with her return against Ruegg (5-4 1 KO), the Bournemouth fighter who like Courtenay, also fights for the tenth time in her pro career.
Light heavyweight Lyndon Arthur is back out in quick succession after headlining in September. Arthur (20-1 14 KOs) stopped Walter Sequeira in bullyish fashion when he got the win inside six rounds at The University of Bolton Stadium earlier this month, and the former Commonwealth champion will look to swiftly put his name back where it belongs and return to title action.
Former Team GB talent Chloe Watson completes the line-up, with the flyweight talent taking on former IBF 105-pound title holder Nancy Franco (19-17-2) in a six rounder. Watson (3-0) returns to the capital where she made her debut at York Hall in November and is looking for win number four in the paid ranks after winning on home soil in Merseyside in June in her first six rounder against Fara El Bousairi. The Birkenhead boxer, who trains under the former light welterweight and welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton.
“We’re just over a fortnight away from ‘Born Rivals’ and one of British boxing’s most monumental moments in the sport. A rivalry reignited by two fighters who are ready to settle the family business and find themselves under the spotlight of global boxing, and we have the perfect card to suit such an occasion,” said Kalle Sauerland, Wasserman’s Head of Global Boxing. “A world class event demands a card that matches the hype and, whilst we’re settling the biggest rivalry in boxing history, we have always allowed stars to break out and raise their stock on massive platforms. We’re almost there, the countdown begins…..there’s no bigger one than this!”
“We have built a stacked night of action at The O2, building up to an historic main event,” said Eddie Hearn. “There’s a great mix of rising stars and established names looking to enhance their claims for World title action. The atmosphere is going to be electric on a sold-out night in London, so this is a golden opportunity for these fighters to make a name for themselves before we witness an explosive new chapter in a classic British rivalry.”
