Matchroom announces quartet of summer events

DAZN will host Eduardo Nunez vs Masanori Rikiishi, Richardson Hitchins vs George Kambosos Jr, and more in the coming months

Matchroom Boxing and DAZN have officially revealed the four shows that will anchor their early-summer lineup.

May 28th features a phenomenal IBF super featherweight title fight between Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez (27-1, 27 KO) and Masanori Rikiishi (16-1, 11 KO), which is slated to co-headline a Lemino Boxing show lead by WBO bantamweight champion Yoshiki Takei’s rescheduled defense against Yuttapong Tongdee. Matchroom’s press release makes no mention of said main event, so I’m guessing they only have the rights to Nunez’s fight.

Whatever the case, you do not want to miss this one. I’ll be shocked if it’s anything but absolute mayhem.

The following Friday, May 30th, sees Manuel Gallegos (21-2-1, 18 KO) rematch former top light heavyweight prospect Khalil Coe (9-1, 7 KO) in Guadalajara. Coe’s obvious skills had long been hampered by apparent dedication issues that caused more than one weight miss and they finally caught up to him last November when Gallegos walloped him in nine.

Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela (30-4-1, 17 KO) and Christian Medina (24-4, 17 KO) highlight the undercard in separate bouts.

As revealed earlier this month, Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KO) will defend his IBF super lightweight title against George Kambosos Jr (22-3, 10 KO) on June 14th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

“June 14, NY we are here baby!” said Hitchins. “The 140lb king returns home, headlining my first show at MSG, as a world champion. Just saying it aloud gives me chills. I dreamed of moments like this as a kid and now we are here.

“George Kambosos is not on my level. Never has been, never will be. He’s talked himself into this fight, and now he’s going to pay the price for running his mouth. He had the biggest win of his career and crowning moment in this building, and on June 14 I end his career in that same building.

“This is my time, my division, and I plan on putting on a spectacular performance and showing the world that I am one of the best fighters on the planet.”

“The stars align again, history always repeats, I head back to a place I created legacy at, a home where I may be regarded as an underdog again but a familiar place that i thrive in,” said Kambosos Jr.

“I stand 2-0 at Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, and on June 14, I will make it 3-0 when I rip Hitchins’ belt off him and break his will, take his heart and ruin his undefeated career.

“He has never been in a fight with a fighter like me, I have stepped to the absolute best, a resume unlike any. This is my sixth world title fight. I’ve built countless experience and at my new weight of 140 pounds I feel tremendous and very motivated to become a two-weight world champion.

“He likes to talk for a man that deep down hasn’t achieved much, so I look forward to taking him to a place he has never been and seeing how much of the talk is real and how much of it is fake like others in the past. See you June 14, S—tchins.”

Finally, the recently reported June 19th Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KO) vs Phumelela Cafu (11-0-3, 8 KO) super flyweight unification in Frisco is official, with Diego Pacheco (23-0, 18 KO) fighting Trevor McCumby (28-1, 21 KO) in the co-main event.

“I’m excited to finally step back into the ring,” said Rodriguez. “I cannot wait to fight in front of my home state fans. I’m looking forward to unifying in another weight division.

“I know Cafu is a tough opponent, but these kinds of fights bring out the best in me and I’ll be ready for whatever he brings. July 19th tune in and witness greatness.”

“This is awesome, man, because once again I get to step in with an elite fighter and prove the world wrong, showing people that I’m also an elite fighter,” said Cafu. “I’ve always wanted to fight him because people think he is the bogeyman of the division and say he is unbeatable, but I’ll prove to the people that no one is unbeatable. Beating him will put me on the pound-for-pound list, and I will be King of the division.”

“I’ve been working my entire life to get to this point in my career where I’m facing the best fighters in the world,” said Pacheco. “Ahora si ya empezó lo bueno y venimos con todo y por todo.”

“I’m very excited to be back,” said McCumby. “There’s a lot of hype behind my opponent, that I will put to rest. The world hasn’t seen the best Trevor McCumby and I plan show them come fight night #Tenacious.”