Bilal Fawaz Signs

With Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing!

(January 16th) British-Nigerian boxer Bilal Fawaz has signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, a major milestone in the 37-year-old’s long and unconventional career. Fawaz, who holds the English super-welterweight title, will now campaign under one of the sport’s top global banners as he seeks higher-profile fights and broader exposure.

Fawaz’s, 10-1-1, 3Ko’s journey to this point has been marked by adversity. Born in Nigeria to parents without clear citizenship ties, he was brought to the U.K. as a teenager and later spent years in legal limbo over his immigration status. Despite representing England in amateur competition six times and winning the Amateur Boxing Association’s national title, his lack of a passport and travel documents hindered his early professional opportunities.

He eventually turned professional in 2022 after securing a work permit and has since captured domestic honors, including the English junior middleweight championship in a hard-fought bout in Sheffield.

Under the Matchroom banner, Fawaz aims to step onto bigger stages and compete against deeper opposition, with details of his first fight under the new deal expected in the coming weeks.

An overcome Fawaz told Eddie Hearn, "You have saved my life... the moment this gets out, my whole life changes".

Fawaz isn't just joining the roster; he is stepping straight into the deep end when he challenges Leeds, Yorkshire's, Ishmael "the Black Panther" Davis, 15-3, 6Ko's for the British and Commonwealth titles in the co-main event on the  massive Leewood vs. Josh Warrington card in front of 8,000 fans February 21st at Nottingham, Arena.

While humble and grateful throughout the signing, Fawaz eventually found his confidence, declaring to Hearn, "I am the man," and promising to "finish" Ishmael Davis in their upcoming bout.

Eddie Hearn emphasized that this wasn't a handout, stating that Fawaz "earned it" through hard work, character, and staying in fight-ready shape.

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About Matchroom Boxing

After the success of snooker in the 1980s, Matchroom Sport moved into boxing with two small hall shows followed by Frank Bruno v Joe Bugner at Tottenham Hotspur’s ground – the biggest boxing event of 1987. That launched the company into the boxing big-time, a position it has maintained ever since.

Through the 1990s Matchroom Sport’s boxing roster featured many of the biggest names in the sport including Lennox Lewis, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Steve Collins and Naseem Hamed, all in world title fights and it continues to work with some of the biggest names in UK boxing including Audley Harrison, the 2000 Olympic Super-Heavyweight gold medalist.

Over the years, Matchroom Sport has built up long-standing relationships with broadcasters around the world and with the advent of the Prizefighter phenomenon, the company’s boxing division has never been in a stronger position.

From fantastic six round scraps between the sport’s journeymen, up to multi-million-dollar World Championship contests featuring the above fighters, the Pro Box series has it all. Each show is packed with the very best in boxing action in a series that encompasses almost 25 years of Matchroom Sport’s commitment to bringing the highest quality to the global television market.