Ben Shalom: I want Chris Eubank Jr vs Billy Joe Saunders II next
Boxing promoter Ben Shalom also wants to see Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall II and Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall II in 2023
Speaking to BOXXER, Ben Shalom said he wants to make 2023 a for rematches, as well as a big domestic bust-up between cruiserweights Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe.
Wish list for 2023
"This year I want to make Taylor-Catterall 2, Billy Joe Saunders-Eubank 2, Shields-Marshall 2 and Okolie-Riakporhe."
Liam Smith tougher fight than Conor Benn
"Roy Jones, what a great fighter, but I think he knows very little about Liam Smith, he's just guessing really. Smith is a much better boxer than Conor Benn and is probably a much better boxer than Eubank Jr, he's a former world champion.
“Smith has done much more in his career than Eubank Jr, it's a tougher fight than Conor Benn."
Misfits Boxing is a freak show
"It's dangerous to call the Misfits card boxing, it's entertainment, it's celebrity white collar, but make sure it's not called boxing because it's not. It's confusing and misleading and a bit of a freak show.
I've not got anything against it, it what it is – I don't have anything against it. But it's entertainment for their followers. If they were playing football, golf, or swimming they'd have a sold out arena, the people are coming to watch them. I think it's a bit funny when boxing media are covering it because it's not boxing. I've nothing against these guys, but just be upfront about it, it's celebrity white collar."
Sky Sports and BOXXER best option for fighters in UK
"Sky is the biggest platform in the UK; it has millions and millions of sports fans. It's like no other. For boxers, it's not just about how much money you can make but how famous you can become. And ultimately to be a boxer in this day and age you need to be well known. That's how you're going to make your money and there's no better machine, no better place than Sky.
"The job of a promoter is to get his fighter paid and secondarily to be watched by as many people as possible. That's what Sky does better than anyone. Whether it's live programming, all week on Sky Sports News, the build-up programming for massive nights like this, no one does it like Sky."
