How to watch Ellis Zorro, Willy Hutchinson and Masood Abdulah headline at the Hall
Queensberry host yet another Friday Fight Night Live at the York Hall in Bethnal Green as Ellis Zorro and Willy Hutchinson make the first defences of their newly won titles, with Masood Abdulah stepping up to a 10-round championship fight for the first time in his unbeaten career.
Everything you need to know about headliner Ellis Zorro's maiden title defence below:
Fight Details
Date: Friday, September 15, 2023
Venue: It takes place at the iconic York Hall in Bethnal Green
Times: TV coverage begins at 7:30pm
Rounds scheduled: 12×3 championship rounds at cruiserweight (200 lbs)
Titles: Zorro's WBO European cruiserweight title is on the line
Ringwalks: Ringwalks expected approximately 10:30pm (GMT), but boxing events can be subject to delays
Tickets: Tickets are are on sale now from ticketmaster.co.uk
Undercard Highlights: Willy Hutchinson co-headlines in a maiden defence of his WBC International light-heavyweight belt, and Masood Abullah provides chief support in his first ever 10-round contest
How to Watch
TV Coverage: TV coverage is from 7:30pm to 12am on TNT Sports (Channel 413) – £25 per month subscripton fees.
Live Stream: You can live stream the Queensberry Promotions event online via TNT Sport website or TNT Sport app – available to download for free on iOS and Android phones and tablets.
You can also keep up date with the action by following the TNT Sport Boxing account on Twitter, as well as the official Frank Warren Twitter account
BBN will be providing LIVE updates on the night HERE
Background
Ellis Zorro vs Luca D'Ortenzi: Cruiserweight Zorro (16-0, 7KO) took ownership of the WBO European championship in May, applying a spectacular finish following a gruelling battle with former British light heavyweight champion Hosea Burton. Now he defends the belt for the first time to former Italian heavyweight champion D'Ortenzi, 34 from Roma.
Willy Hutchinson vs TBA: Light heavyweight Hutchinson (16-1, 12KO) parted Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna from his WBC International title in a brutal fashion, knocking down the Argentinean twice ahead of a fourth-round stoppage.
Masood Abdulah vs Marc Leach: A third title fight of the night will see undefeated featherweight Masood Abdulah (8-0, 5KO) fight for the vacant Commonwealth Silver championship, which will represent a maiden title shot for the Islington man.
Quotes
Ellis Zorro: “I think this is the quickest turn-around I’ve had since I was fighting on small hall shows. I think that is what I was looking forward to with winning a title and then defending it.
“I’ve gone from, trying to get on a card and sitting around after winning the Boxxer, to headlining and winning a title and now headlining again to defend it. I am over the moon, to be honest with you, I am happy it is at York Hall again and my last two have been good fights for the fans.
“I am looking forward to it, I am not being over-confident, I am just over the moon to be this active because I haven’t been since I was fighting journeymen. I am just really happy.”
Willy Hutchinson: “Oh, I am looking forward to it, of course I am. Obviously, with being a champion this time, it is good to defend and start pushing on. It is not so much different now, but it is all new to me, it is another experience in my life, and I am sure there will be plenty more of them.
“I can start getting up those rankings now and start chasing, start chasing the big names. That is the plan, I am 25 in a couple of days, and it is time to start pushing on now, isn’t it? It is time to start smashing these fellas.
“My last fight was all well and good, but you still haven’t seen the best of me, that is the truth. The best is yet to come. It was a step forward in my career and, step by step, I am getting better and better. In this next one I am going to get even better.”
Predictions
Tim Rickson, BBN Editor: “Friday fight nights are always such a treat for fans and none more so when it's at the York Hall. Zorro and Abdulah are still both unbeaten, so they have that confidence about them, but Abdulah has been matched hard against a former British champion in Marc Leach, so that will be a real acid test for him.
“Zorro has had two tough fights in a row and found himself under pressure but able to come through both – a hard-fought points win against Dec Spelmen, then a real firefight with Hosea Burton in March. Against the italian, who only has four knockouts from 20 bouts, I think he will be able to win comfortably, knowing that his last three outings against Burton, Spelman, and the BOXXER tournament where he won three fights in one night, will have been harder night's work.
“Willy Hutchinson has looked more comfortable at light-heavyweight, beating in-form Ezequiel Maderna in four rounds in his last fight, who had just scored back to back fifth round KOs – the latter being the huge upset over Karol Itauma, so that was an impressive win for 'Braveheart'. Three out of three at light-heavyweight so far, so fingers crossed he keeps on his winning ways.”
Weights
Check back one day before fight night
Running Order
Undercard:
Sam King vs TBA
4×3 Middleweight contest
Natty Ngwenya vs TBA
4×3 Cruiserweight contest
Sean Noakes vs TBA
6×3 Welterweight contest
Joshua Frankham vs George Davey
8×3 Super-welterweight contest
Carl Fail vs TBA
8×3 Super-welterweight contest
Chris Bourke vs TBA
8×3 Super-bantamweight contest
Karol Itauma vs Dmytro Fedas
8×3 Light-heavyweight contest
Chief Support:
Masood Abdulah vs Marc Leach
10×3 Commonwealth Silver featherweight title
Co-Main Event:
Willy Hutchinson vs TBA
10×3 WBC International light-heavyweight title
Main Event:
Ellis Zorro vs Luca D'Ortenzi
10×3 WBO European cruiserweight title
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