Matchroom have signed four Olympians this year, and whilst three have made their debut already, one will headline tonight.
Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom have signed four high-profile Olympians this from the Paris 2024 games, with Omari Jones scoring a controversial stoppage, Teremoana KOing an opponent in 57 seconds, and Nishant Dev securing a victory of his own.
The one Olympian who has not yet made his pro debut is Manchester’s Pat Brown, who headlines in Altrincham tonight.
Pat Brown sparred Johnny Fisher’s rival ahead of debut
Brown, who fell short at the first hurdle in the Olympics, losing to Keno Machado in the round of 16.
Brown trained at Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club, home of Jamie Moore and Nigel Travis, who will train Brown for the foreseeable future in his pro career. One man they also train is Dave Allen, who lost a highly controversial split decision to Johnny Fisher in December last year.
The pair are scheduled to run it back in May, and Brown has sparred Allen ahead of both their fights. He told Jnmediauk:
“We had a right ding dong […] Technically, he’s very good, people underestimate his boxing ability and he’s definitely got it and we had a good spar. […] We’ve developed a proper brotherly love.”
Brown did conclude, however: “When it gets to real talk he knows who the daddy is.”
Allen left a hilarious comment on the interview:
“Nigel Travis with tears in his eyes threw towel in after two rounds said I can’t watch Pat take this kind of beating. I said Nige he’s got an Olympic ring tattoo let him take his beating like a man but then I could see through all the blood Pat was also crying so I let it go and went and did 15 rounds bar bag.”
Brown will face 7-4-2 Federico Grandone.
Pat Brown’s undercard sees a bitter grudge match between two undefeated prospects
On the undercard of Brown’s debut, Cameron Vuong and Jordan Flynn finally lock horns. The fight has been scheduled multiple times but postponed due to injury or illness, and is now set to take place once and for all.
Vuong and Flynn have a clear dislike for one another, though the fight is a tough one to call for the fans.
Flynn is 11-0-1 with a draw against journeyman Kane Baker, and his his last five opponents have a combined record of 70-82-11.
Vuong meanwhile won a controversial decision in his last fight against former British and European title-holder Gavin Gwynne, and is 7-0 with his last five opponents holding a combined record of 88-51-5.
Though Brown is sure to entertain, one Olympian Matchroom missed out on signing is Marco Verde, who debuts on Canelo’s undercard.