LAST week in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, was supposed to be the highlight of Ben Shalom’s career.

With Fight of the Year likely at the top of the list, Shalom managed to dominate the undercard with his fighters. Furthermore, he also worked with fellow promotional rivals Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren, despite previously struggling to establish a working relationship with them.

What could go wrong?

It all started at the weigh-in between Chris Eubank Jr. and Kamil Szeremeta when Ben Shalom and Frank Warren appeared to have a falling out. Ironically, similar events had occurred between Shalom and his other rival, Eddie Hearn, on the Riyadh Season Wembley Edition card three weeks earlier.

Nevertheless, Shalom is used to it; he repeatedly emphasized that his priority was fighters, not any amiable relations with enemies.

Significant damage occurred on the night of the fight.

Firstly, internet sensation Ben Whittaker was expected to claim victory over Liam Cameron. However, the fight ended unexpectedly after a bizarre ending to the fifth round when both fighters went over the top rope, leaving Whittaker with an apparent ankle injury and unable to continue.

The fight ended in a controversial draw after a technical decision, leaving Whittaker’s opponent, Cameron, feeling aggrieved and convinced that he had won. Not only did Whittaker’s performance raise questions, but the way the fight ended left many questioning the fighter’s heart.

Shalom’s night briefly improved when Chris Eubank Jr lightly hit Kamil Szeremeta, knocking his fighter down four times before forcing a stoppage in the seventh round. Conor Benn then stormed into the ring, coming face to face with his rival – which was hilariously supervised by Neymar.

Jai Opetaia was another man who admitted defeat to one of Shalom’s warriors. He completely dominated Jack Massey, forcing Massey to take him out of the corner in the sixth round.

The worst moment of the night for Shalom came during the co-main event. The highly anticipated rematch between Frazer Clark and Fabio Wardley was expected to mirror the 12-round war they fought in March.

Despite this, the fight ended brutally when Wardley knocked out Clarke in the first round. Shalom didn’t even get a chance to watch the main event as he drove to the hospital with Clarke.

It has now been confirmed that Clarke suffered multiple facial fractures.

Regardless of the different fight results, the re-teaming of Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren may have resulted in some form of relationship between the British promoters.

Like the Night of Shalom, there still doesn’t seem to be one, or if there was one, the situation has gotten worse.

In an interview with , Eddie Hearn said: “The bet is that we’re all working together, but not quite yet.”

Moreover, during the media rounds, Frank Warren referred to Boxxer and Ben Shalom as “a nightmare to deal with.”

However, a defiant Shalom repeated in his interviews: “We (Boxxer) will continue to try to work with the promoters. We will continue to try to fight the best fights we can. We are really reasonable people.”

While just performing on a card the size of last Saturday’s was a huge moment for the youthful British promoter, it ultimately wasn’t a good week for him and he may have to endure a complex few weeks as he prepares to work with future rivals again.

Boxxer and Shalom return tonight when youthful prospect Adam Azim takes on the experienced Ohara Davies in a super lightweight fight at the Copper Box Arena in London.

IT WAS just before Christmas 2021. Dennis Hobson’s fight night in Sheffield. Evening at Forge Ponds. Nicola Hopewell was hunting for pastures novel. Hopewell was finding her way now that her venerable boxing world was finally left behind. A long overdue and much needed transition to a more accepted side of the sport. At the time, Hopewell had no manager. She had no promoter. Hopewell actively pursued both.

Covid restrictions were still in place in the country. Masks were to be worn indoors during public events. The then government again issued an order to cover the mouth and nose again. Truth be told, few people cared about this night. We later learned that those who made all these endless and ever-changing rules didn’t care much either.

Hobson struggled with a lot this week. The fighting stopped. Card ruined by endless tardy cancellations. But somehow the show was saved. From what I remember, it was a four-fight card. Local flyweight Tommy Frank won a decision over Charles Tondo. By the way, Frank, a die-hard Sheffield United fan, has a story.

Hobson was set on Frank at the time. Before Covid, he was on a roll. When boxing returned, he was one of the first victims. Two unexpected defeats stopped his momentum. In the fight before Tondo, Frank won the British title. Hobson kept the faith and supported his man. He has a habit of doing just that.

Hopewell was there for that show. She was looking for guidance as her professional career was about to begin. The Worksop player met Hobson after the performance. Terms were offered. Hobson wanted to sign a contract with Hopewell. He liked what he saw and thought he could do something with her.

Hopewell, however, went elsewhere. Although ironically that professional debut eight months later was on Hobson at Bramall Lane. Like Tommy Frank, Hopewell spends his time supporting the red and white people of the city. She called it a dream debut. In many ways it was. Hopewell won by stoppage in the final round. The reluctant opposition barely struck a blow. Hopewell landed virtually everything she threw. Now she was on her feet.

Hopewell has six fights under his belt. In 2023, she lost her undefeated record in a Commonwealth title fight against super flyweight Emma Dolan. A fight from which many lessons were learned. Moving up to flyweight gave Hopewell a second chance to win Commonwealth gold earlier this year.

A tough but deserved victory over Gemma Ruegg in April gave Hopewell her first professional title. However, like many others, Hopewell has been inactive recently. She hasn’t fought since her victory over Ruegg. A possible double title clash with European champion Chloe Watson was lost when the fight seemed obvious. A lost opportunity worth returning to.

Nicola Hopewell needed something or someone to take her to the next stage. Wandering around various promotions is a fight without a plan. No direction. Hopewell needed both. It had to be treated as a priority.

Hobson never lost interest in Hopewell. Virtually every time I saw him in concert, Hopewell was mentioned in conversation. You had a feeling that at some point they would end their cooperation. And they have.

Hopewell returns to Skate Central in Sheffield this Saturday live on Fightzone. The first defense of the Commonwealth title against the uncompromising Nigerian Mary Aina Abbey. A fight that will finally get Hopewell and Hobson on the same page. The experienced promoter is delighted with the novel acquisition.

“Nicola should have signed me from the beginning, but she did,” Hobson told Boxing News. “I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t have to work with anyone I don’t want to. I think she’s a lovely girl and I’ve always thought so. We can do much more with it.

“Nicola can move up and down in several weight classes, depending on the opportunities that lie ahead of her. Without blowing my own horn, I’m as good as anyone at manipulating people. Nicola has such a good attitude. She will fight anyone. But sometimes they need to be protected from themselves. It’s about taking the right fights at the right time.

“But it’s nice that he has such a positive attitude. She’s not a diva. Nicola has such a wonderful personality and I want to aid her succeed and I want her to succeed. I want to collect some titles with her.”

Hopewell is also excited about what lies ahead. At the age of 33, he is entering the most vital stage of his career. The athlete was clearly relieved to have some much-needed structure in her career.

“I’m really content to sign Dennis and have the opportunity to be lively over the next few months,” says Hopewell about signing Hobson. “I met with Dennis and we discussed the possibilities, which I’m excited about.”

Abbey won’t be an basic first defense for Hopewell. She has a win over Laura Pain and has only one loss in thirteen recognized fights. “It’s a test, but if Nicola wants to get on the world stage she’s going to have to beat girls like her,” Hobson says of the Nigerian import, which will give the promoter an immediate idea of ​​how far she could potentially go with her novel acquisition.

A three-fight deal will keep them in harmony with each other and hopefully result in more titles. Hopewell always believed she was capable of winning a world title. Hobson believes he can give her that. I want us to win the world title with her in the next two years.

They both now hope that this is how their story will end. A short-term contract that could be much longer if things go well for all parties. It started that Friday night in Ponds Forge, almost three years ago. It took a while, probably longer than it should have, but they finally got there.

I have NO extra sensory perception and cannot predict lottery numbers. But when one of our reporters omitted the six-round and four-round scores at a small-venue show last week (and couldn’t be reached by deadline), I added the scores of 60-54 and 40-36 to the report without a shudder doubts. After the magazine went to press, the same results arrived in my inbox and therein lies a earnest problem for British boxing.

It seems that so many diminutive shows in diminutive venues, especially north of Watford, host matchmaking so risky, so insipid, so cynical, that even the choreographed WWE seems like an legitimate sport by comparison.

Every week during the peak of the boxing season I look at the weekly national reports and the same numbers come up over and over again – 40-36, 60-54, . Maybe these are the lotto numbers we’re looking for?

About 30 apprentices regularly appear on this hamster wheel of reports, coddling, cuddling and mauling, hoping to avoid cuts or shutdowns, only to earn another paycheck soon thereafter. Their extensive records include narrow (sometimes one or two) stoppage victories; they actually pose no threat to your home (only to yourself and your long-term health).

For the first few fights, this may be considered acceptable as the newborn novice has to deal with the physical demands of the professional game. However, there is something disconcerting about a competitor who is almost 10-0 on the track in a diminutive gym and preys on competitors who are losing records. This is a record-breaking achievement that we don’t see to this extent in other countries, and when these players first step up to the challenge, they will likely fail without the foundation of a more competitive base.

Better fights cost more, yes, but that’s why quality and production values ​​are the basis of any form of entertainment.

One argument for this 40-36 epidemic would be that ticket seller fans are just joyful to see their guy win and get into a minor title fight. However, I’m sure the rest of those present would prefer to see a competitive fight. If you enjoy watching two men in shorts cuddling for 12-18 minutes, you can do it from the comfort of your own home via Google.

Many people love the thrill of fighting at any level. Even when a fight breaks out in a parking lot or playground, people have a natural tendency to gather around to witness the fierce battle of wills and physicality. But it’s unlikely you’ll hear a passerby shout, “My partner is so good at all this cuddling.” Or “I saw this guy hugging in Aldi last week, he’s an awkward customer.”

What other sporting event would you attend where the score is guaranteed to be almost 100? There is a sense of historical inertia here, where a culture of “it’s always been done this way” has led to an uninspiring and bleak outlook. This has gotten to the point where many matchmakers and promoters feel it is acceptable to put on, let’s be candid, crap fights. As a boxing fan, I have no interest in watching these shows and sometimes I think that our little stalwart supporter Andy Whittle deserves a purple heart for some of the trash he has witnessed in the backwaters of boxing. It is rumored that he had the number 40-36 tattooed on his back to commemorate his pain.

The British boxing ecosystem would be better off if one 1-0 fighter met another 1-0 fighter. Up-and-coming boxers will learn more, and fans in attendance will have fun and be interested in future performances. It is the sport of brave men and women, and to a lesser extent matchmakers.

This sense of the unexpected is what makes sports so electrifying. Even a minnow in an FA Cup match has a slim chance of upsetting a Premier League giant with home-field advantage. In small-hall boxing, few opportunities are taken, and that leads to more major promoters – apart from the more capable blue-chip fighters who usually have the firepower to end a six-round fight before the inevitable 60-54 score.

has traditionally been a documentary and that’s why we’re including these small-room, in-ring reports, with scales and additional information you may not find on Boxrec. But a lot Boxing news readers tell me they just scroll through these pages because it’s basically the same result and the names change every week.

Skip to the amateur side of this publication, however, and you’ll regularly read about competitive, well-matched fights at all levels, from club appearances to major tournaments. This pure sporting element is unfortunately lost in an increasingly cynical and short-sighted, small-hall, unimaginative track. Rinse and repeat.

In the aged days, fights in diminutive venues were more competitive. Even in the era of Nobby Nobbs’ Losers Restricted stable, where the capable Peter Buckley accidentally hurt a potential client and held up a wheezing newbie to keep next week’s paycheck. – Are you okay, buddy? Peter whispered in the clinch, then winked at the ring.

This handsome British tradition of “Nobbins” – during which an enthusiastic and engaged crowd threw money into the ring after a classic in a diminutive hall – is unfortunately long gone. Today they would keep the rest in their pocket.

I would love to see the return of Nobbins culture, although there would need to be a contactless payment option at the ring posts. Better fights would also be nice.