How to watch the MTK Golden Contract finals
Ohara Davies meets Tyrone McKenna at long last!
The Golden Contract finals* have finally been confirmed, after the eight-man tournaments kicked off back in October 2019.
*UPDATE: The featherweight final between Ryan Walsh and Jazza Dickens has since been cancelled after Dickens and trainer Derry Mathews both tested positive for COVID-19… Read more
BBN have provided all the details you need to know about the upcoming super-lightweight final, as well as one of the light-heavyweight semi-finals:
Date
The finals take place Wednesday, September 30.
Venue
It's located behind closed doors at the Production Park TV Studios in Wakefield.
Rounds scheduled
10 three-minute rounds at super-lightweight for Ohara Davies and Tyrone McKenna.
Titles
McKenna's WBC International super-lightweight is on the line, as well as his WBC No.15 ranking, but more importantly the winner stands to land a lucrative six-figure contract with MTK Global as their prize.
Ringwalks
UK fight fans can expect the main event to take place any time after 10pm (GMT), but boxing events can often subject to delays.
TV Coverage
Coverage will start at 7:15pm on iFL TV, then live on Sky Sports in the UK from 8pm, and also on ESPN+ in the US.
Live Stream
Go to YouTube and subscribe to the popular iFL TV channel.
You can watch online via the Sky Sports website here: https://www.skysports.com/watch
There is one other way that you can watch if you are not a Sky TV customer, or if you are just out and about on Saturday night by simply finding a suitable pub that is showing the event by visiting pubfinder.sky.com
Undercard Highlights
There will be one of the two semi-finals of the light-heavyweight Golden Contract tournament on the undercard featuring German Serge Michel (10-1, 7KOs) and Cumbria's Liam Conroy (18-5-1, 9KOs).
Hosea Burton will be travelling to Riga, Latvia to face Ricards Bolotniks in the other semi-final on September 26. UPDATE: Bolotniks bossed it on points… Read more
Related Articles
Everything you ever need to know about Davis-McKenna HERE
Everything you ever need to know about Walsh-Dickens HERE
Quotes
Davies said: "I'm really pleased to finally have a fight date. This fight was meant to happen in June but due to the situation we're in we've had to wait a few more months, so it's meant I've had extra time to focus and study to beat Tyrone McKenna. I didn't need that extra time though, as I've always known what I've got to do to go in there and destroy this clown. All this has been is more time until he faces defeat."
McKenna said: "I'm over the moon to get this confirmed. It's something to focus on and work towards, so thanks to MTK Global for getting 'The Mighty Celt' back on everybody's screens at the end of September. I've used the last few months to improve my flaws and get myself in the best shape that I can. Ohara Davies cannot change, we know what to expect. A big right hand and slow footwork. There are other weaknesses too, and it's going to be an interesting fight."
Walsh said: "I'm massively excited. I'm delighted it's back at York Hall too. That venue is my home and it's a very familiar stomping ground. I've had nothing but success there. I'm expecting a really good fight against Jazza. It can't be anything but a good fight. I'll come to win and Jazza will come to win. This date will come nine years to the day that my brother Liam and Paul Appleby had their Fight of the Year at York Hall, so that's a good omen for fight fans."
Dickens said: "I've been ready for a long time and I can't wait. This is a once in a lifetime chance, so thank you so much to MTK Global who haven't played it safe and have honoured their word. The delay has given me more time to prepare myself. Through lockdown I have made changes in my life that have helped me so much. I've kept active and healthy and I will take my chance."
Background
Davies and McKenna already share bad blood from their initial meeting, which turned into a scrap around the back of York Hall – find out what really happened HERE
Walsh and Dickens are far more respectful to each other and their skills, making them the polar opposites to their co-event stars.
Ohara Davies (21-2, 16KOs), 28 from Hackney, is a former WBC Silver, WBC and WBA International super-lightweight champion and English lightweight titlist. Now trained by Angel Fernandez, 'Two Tanks' stopped both his opponents to reach the finals, with a seventh-round retirement of unbeaten Hawaiin Logan Yoon (15-1), then sixth-round TKO of plucky Londoner Jeff Ofori, who just pushed WBO World #4 Archie Sharp all the way to 96-95 decision in his last fight.
Belfast's Tyrone McKenna (21-1-1, 6KOs), aged 30, completely outclassed Romford's Mikey Sakyi (8-3) in the November quarter-finals, but then only just edged past Frenchman Mohamed Mimoune (22-4) in the semis in February this year, with many calls of a robbery.
Trained by Danny Vaughan, the charismatic southpaw has held the Celtic Nations super-lightweight title and is the current WBC International super-lightweight champ, placing him at 17 in the WBC World rankings.
34 from Cromer, Ryan Walsh (26-2-2, 2KOs) is a former English featherweight champion and outright owner of the British featherweight belt. He has held the national title for five years since since September 2015 and defended the prestigious honours on six occasions. His first defence was to Carl Frampton's last opponent, Darren Traynor (16-4) back in January 2016, which ended in a fifth-round TKO for Walsh. On one of his many defences, he was held to a draw by Isaac Lowe (20-0-3) in February 2018. Two notable names in James Tennyson (27-3) and Reece Bellotti (14-4) were conquered in their quest to win Walsh's Lonsdale belt.
To reach the finals, the Norfolk man beat two undefeated fighters – Cuban Hairon Socarros (22-1-3) via TKO9, and NI's Tyrone McCullagh (14-1).
Closely matched ring rival, Jazza Dickens (29-3, 11KOs), 29 from Liverpool has also won English and British titles, simlilarly to Walsh, but at bantamweight. Both boxers are signed to Frank Warren and are both evenly matched on paper.
Jazza defeated Spaniard Carlos Ramos (11-2) via UD in the quarters, then edged Leigh Wood (23-2) on a mixed decision to reach the final.
The odds don't lie – this contest is going to be very close and gripping, and will have fight fans on the edge of their seat all fight long.
Predictions
Tim Rickson, BBN Editor: "Right now, I'm picking Ohara Davies and Ryan Walsh to win, which could seem like a bit of a cop-out as they're both the early favourites. My reasons – I have always been a fan of Walsh, I think he is a fantastic fighter, probably the best featherweight in Britain, domestically. There's a reason why the odds for a draw are so low at 14-1, as that could be one of the most likely outcomes.
With 'OD', he just seems to be a different person; he has more drive and less need to play a persona. I think his boxing is coming first now and that will result in a really good performance on the night."
Read what others are predicting HERE
Betting Odds Supplied by 888Sport
2/9 Ohara Davies
3/1 Tyrone McKenna
22/1 Draw
4/6 Ryan Walsh
6/5 Jazza Dickens
14/1 Draw
Running Order
Ohara Davies vs Tyrone McKenna
10×3 Super-lightweight contest
CANCELLED:
Ryan Walsh vs Jazza Dickens
10×3 Featherweight contest
Serge Michel vs Liam Conroy
10×3 Light-heavyweight contest
Steven Ward vs Jone Volau
8×3 Cruiserweight contest
Ben Fail vs Robbie Chapman
4×3 Middleweight contest
William Hamilton vs Genadij Krajevskij
4×3 Cruiserweight contest
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