Frankie Gavin has signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing and will headline a show at The Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on May 9, live on Sky Sports.
Gavin will fight under Hearn for the first time on the undercard of Kell Brook’s IBF Welterweight World title defence against Jo Jo Dan at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield on March 28 before heading home in May in front of a huge crowd with a brilliant line-up in support.
World rated Middleweight Matthew Macklin boxes in Birmingham for the first time in almost five years as he looks to bounce back from defeat to Jorge Sebastian Heiland, unbeaten Super Flyweight sensation Kal Yafai will be in title action on the card and his brother Gamal will continue his rise in the pro ranks and all-action Stourbridge youngster Sam Eggington will be hoping for a major title bout on the bill should he beat Shayne Singleton in Hull on March 7.
It’s the first major show in the second city for Matchroom Sport for 13 years since Nigel Benn and Prince Naseem Hamed featured on a bill in May 1992, and Hearn is delighted to be bringing big-time boxing back to Birmingham.
“I can’t wait to get going with Matchroom,” said Gavin. “I don’t think many people have seen me fight recently, but I am back in Birmingham and back on Sky Sports and the sky is the limit.
“The fight against Kell Brook is the aim for me. I am number five in the IBF rankings, and he is the champion, hopefully by the end of the year or the start of 2016 I can fight him for the title.
“You’ve got Matthew, the Yafai brothers and Sam on the May 9 bill already – we’re all from different parts of Birmingham and we’re all going to bring great support to the shows, there’s going to be space for a lot of young local lads to get on the bill and make a name for themselves so it’s great news for boxing in Birmingham.”
“Firstly to Frankie Gavin – welcome to the team!” said Hearn. “Frankie has long been one of the most talented fighters in the country and now its time to shine. I haven’t seen him smile for a long time, and now it’s ‘Funtime’; time to enjoy his career, the exposure and the big lights. Frankie will defend one of his three titles on the huge Kell Brook card on March 28 at Sheffield Arena and then headline at the NIA in Birmingham on May 9. I have lost count of the number of tweets and messages I have had asking us to come to Birmingham, and now the waiting is over!”
