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Matchroom looks to be staying busy while the rest of the boxing world grinds to a halt. The promotion today announced its signing of 20-year-old junior lightweight prospect Aqib Fiaz.
Absolutely ecstatic to announce that I have now signed to @MatchroomBoxing on a multi-year fight deal, the best boxing platform in the world ✍ Can not wait to bring big time boxing back to MCR‼️ @SkySports @DAZN_USA @EddieHearn @JamieMoore777 #teamFIAZ pic.twitter.com/B5NciH8AjR
— Aqib Fiaz (@AqibFiazBoxing) April 1, 2020
“I’ve worked my whole life for a deal like this,” said Fiaz. “I’d like to thank Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing. I can’t thank them enough for giving me this opportunity. I’m only 20-years-old and I’m already being trained by one of the best trainers in the country in Jamie Moore. Now on top of that, I’ve been signed to the best boxing promoters in the world.”
“Dillian Whyte vsA lexander Povetkin is the next show in Manchester, so I’d love to get on that one for my first fight with Eddie. It’s absolutely massive and one of the shows that I’d be at as a fan if I wasn’t boxing. You’ve got Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano and Callum Johnson in a European Title fight. If I’m on that then it will be the icing on the cake.”
“I’m delighted to add exciting Super-Featherweight prospect Aqib Fiaz to our growing stable of talent,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “I was very impressed with his performance on the Jono Carroll vs Scott Quigg undercard last month and Jamie Moore has been raving about his talents for a while. It always helps to be a big-ticket seller in this game and Aqib has already got a huge following in Oldham. I’m looking forward to watching his career develop over the next few years.”
Fiaz (5-0, 0 KO) has spent his 12 months as a pro dominating the endless collection of “easy to beat, tough to finish” guys that seem to grow on trees in the UK, starting with 6-155-4 Ibrar Riyaz and culminating with 1-26 Dean Jones on last month’s Jono Carroll-Scott Quigg card. Even if the record doesn’t inspire confidence, his training situation should; he works with Jamie Moore alongside guys like Jack Catterall, Rocky Fielding, and Carl Frampton, the last of whom he was brought in to spar against in preparation for “The Jackal’s” bout with Josh Warrington.
Whyte-Povetkin, originally scheduled for May 2nd, is now tentatively planned for July 4th.