( Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing)
George Liddard is relishing the prospect of a “full-circle moment” when on Saturday he confronts Tyler Denny.
The promising middleweight makes the first defence of the British and Commonwealth titles he won in October with a career-best performance when stopping in 10 rounds Kieron Conway.
In emerging as one of the British fight scene’s finest prospects he also provided a reminder of his value to Matchroom, at a time when their influence in the UK is perhaps under threat.
He will again headline a Matchroom promotion – on Saturday at London’s Copper Box Arena, which represents a bigger venue than that at which he fought Conway, the nearby York Hall – and will do so not only with his gym-mate Jimmy Sains fighting his former opponent Derrick Osaze in the chief support, but with a further gym-mate in the junior lightweight Louie Ward fighting Jahfieus Faure on the occasion of his professional debut.
At the respected Tony Sims’ Essex-based Matchroom Gym, Liddard’s profile is surpassed by only that of Conor Benn – until so recently another Matchroom fighter – but he is fighting for only the 14th time in his career and in Denny against a proven opponent who previously defeated Felix Cash, another of Sims’ former middleweights and another with which Liddard once shared a gym.
“We’ve got Jimmy on the card, defending the English [middleweight title],” the 23-year-old Liddard told BoxingScene. “Louie Ward’s making his debut. I remember being in that situation. It’s a full-circle moment for me – I’m headlining and a lad from my gym’s making his debut. It’s a special night, and Conor’s got a big fight just a few weeks later [against Regis Prograis on April 11], so the gym’s thriving.
“We’ve got a lot of faces in the gym. It is popping. There’s a lot of healthy competition flying around. It’s a great thing to have in a gym.
“Tyler Denny’s a good opponent. He’s experienced. He’s a former European champion. He’s a great opponent for this stage in my career. I’ve not underestimated him one bit. I’m fully ready for a 12-round war if that’s what it needs to be, but I believe I get the job done in style on Saturday.
“It’s a close one between him and Conway [as my best opponent]. They have very different styles. But they’ve boxed at a very similar level; fringe world level; European level. They just bring different styles to the table.
“He’s got a good engine. A bit…
2026-03-16 19:00:00
