European title double header and Sky Sports cameras are coming to Belfast

Matchroom are currently laying the foundations for a return to Belfast.

Irish-boxing.com understands Eddie Hearn and MHD boss Mark Dunlop are currently working on plans for a late Autumn early Winter show in the capital of Irish boxing.

Matchroom fighter James Tennyson cemented his status as a lightweight of serious note with a fifth straight knock out win live on Sky Sports and DAZN on Saturday night – and within a matter of days his managerial stablemate Tommy McCarthy was handed a European cruiserweight title fight by the European Boxing Union.

There is a belief within Matchroom that a big European title double header is strong enough to pack the SSE Arena and worth bringing the Sky Sports cameras back to Belfast.

There is now talk of a November show although that may be reliant on a significant change pandemic wise.

British champion Tennyson would also have to persuade Francesco Patera to travel and put his title on the line in Belfast.

The Belgian, a former foe of ‘Tenny’s’ managerial stablemate Paul Hyland Jr, has worked with Matchroom before both in Britain and Italy and could be open to the challenge.

McCarthy’s continental clash would be easier to make considering he is mandatory for the blue belt. The EBU will confirm his opponent once they issue their updated rankings and will give both parties a deadline to reach agreement, otherwise promotional rights will be settled via purse bids.

Matchroom haven’t been to Belfast since 2017, when Eddie Hearn promoted Ryan Burnett’s WBA and IBF bantamweight unification fight against Zhanat Zhakiyanov.

There was rumour with regard to a NextGen show coming to the city, but that never materialized. Matchroom also promote Katie Taylor and Belfast could prove an avenue to get one of Ireland’s greatest ever fighters to fight on home soil for the first time as a pro.

The likes of Hyland Jr and Eric Donovan would benefit massively and their would be a clamour of names and prospects looking to appear should conformation come anytime soon.

Regardless to whether a Matchroom show comes off in 2020 or not James Tennyson has star man ambitions and plans to become a main attraction on the island.

“That’s the plan — that’s what I want to be doing, you know?” Tennyson said ahead of stopping Gavin Gwynne over the weekend.

“Being able to top bills in the SSE Arena. And I think with the platform of Matchroom and they progress we’re making, we’re going the right way about it, too. In the next few fights, if things clear up with Covid and everything, I think it’d be possible to achieve it, yeah,” he adds before expressing awareness of the opportunity he has to win new fans on the only show in town tonight.”