Xmas Cracker Card Dec 8th Matchroom

Just thought I would update people as to the Matchroom card that is being put on Dec 8th.

Press Conference is under way for it with the card looking as follows at the moment..

Lee Purdy vs Carson Jones
Darren Barker v Kerry Hope
Gavin Rees vs John Murray

Erik Ochieng defends English Middleweight title

Card will also feature: Kal Yafai & Scott Cardle, John Ryder

Anymore updates I shall let you all know.

Looks like another decent card by Hearn & his team. Both should be good fights with Rees & Murray a possible contender for domestic FOTY.

What's everyone's thoughts?

Good event, do you know where it is being held?

I wonder if Barker will get injured before!

It's in London at the Olympia mate.

Just updated the OP with the full card.

I have been high on Eddie Hearn for a while now and this card confirms that the guy is the best thing in British boxing at the moment IMO. There isn't another promoter who stacks the cards like he does.

He is doing a great job of putting boxing back in the eye of the general public and more importantly giving it a good name amongst those at SKY.

Olympia London according to boxrec, and Lee Purdy-Carson Jones is on the same card according to boxrec too

Hope will be a good test for barker and if he can't get past Kerry then a return to world level won't be on the cards. Barker should be too good UD

Murray-Rees will be a fun fight while it lasts, and a hard one to call. Murray hasn't fought since Rios so I'm not sure how he will fare as a beating like that takes a lot out of you and he is limited from the offset. Rees has blown hot and cold since moving to lightweight, sometimes looking great, but gasses and goes through the motions regularly.

Like what they're doing with yafai and Cardle, and I'm assuming they are no longer going to fight o the froch bill. Yafai turned pro in July as will be having his 5th fight in 5 months. Cardle debuted in march I think and will be having his 8th fight in 9 months

Like the look of Ryder, very stylish and carries a bit of pop in his punches. Would love to see him against Saunders for the middleweight British title

WHU -

Agreed with your assessment of the Barker fight. Hope will come to fight as we saw in his stunning victory over Proska. As you say it should give us an indication as to where he stands in the division after a flurry of injuries.

(Fingers crossed he stays fit)

Murray - Rees will be a barnstormer and if Murray can take it into the later rounds you would fancy him to possibly win it. Again as you say it will most likely be a case of which Gavin shows up.

Yafai and Cardle are both set to feature on the Carl Froch bill still... Go figure.

Although that shows how other promoters go about there business when we are left surprised that a prospect fights three times within 3 months.

Again though it is a stacked card from bottom to top with plenty of prospects and some tough fights for the Matchroom lot. Eddie is a credit to British boxing & has done a lot in the short space of time he has been in the sport.

What's happened to that hyped 17 year old kid we see doing pad work? Has he made his pro debut yet?

Cheers for that, might just go to that being that I work in London so travel is paid.

Good work again Hearn

I'll be there for work hopefully, if not then I think a ticket is in order. Looks like a good card & could do with a night at the boxing rather than in front of the TV.

Have to let us know if you go Valero.

Rees will walk through Murrays best shots to a LKO, everytime I think of Murray I just envisage his head being snapped back everytime he gets hit.

I rate Rees highly and think he gets passed over too quick, would like to see him fight Burns. He has defended the Euro belt a few times so the step up is well over due.

Yafai looked great the other night and Im just glad to see him out again so quick, best thing for him. If he was with Warren his next fight would be on an undercard next summer no doubt

Thought I'd bump this thread as both Rees-Murray and now Jones-Purdy are off

This looked like a great card and would have been a guarenteed success

Barker vs Hope is topping the bill with it now being 12 rounds and Kal Yafai has a Spanish opponent who has fought for the European title so its a definately step up for someone who only turned pro in July

sky are showing kessler fight also. carson jones may get another opponent

Still possibly worth watching if Jones and Rees still get to appear (anyone know if Rees will still be on the bill fighting a TBA?)

They said Jones might be having another opponent but no word on Rees who is being lined up for Abril for the lightweight title providing he wins his next fight

Barker-Hope is still a good fight but Ochieng and Yafai is a little weak for chief support. However I can't wait to see Ryder, he is a real talent and although in no rush I think a fight between Saunders and him would be a really good domestic clash

Degale fights on Saturday also but the undercard is awful and highlights how small Hennessy's stable is

i think jones would have had too much for purdy, he gave brook all he could handle, and he is a much better boxer. shame as i really warmed to jones and looked forwards to seeing him again