Frank Smith, the CEO of Matchroom Boxing, has given the names of three fighters he would sign immediately if he could.
Matchroom have promoted some of the biggest boxing events of the last decade, and have superstars like Anthony Joshua and Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez on their books. Still, there’s always room for more at the company that wants to continue to put on events around the globe.
Speaking to Intu Boxing, Smith picked three fighters he would sign given the opportunity.
“Three fights right now to Matchroom Boxing… Gervonta Davis. Deontay Wilder. And, number three… [Naoya] Inoue.”
Not many in the promotional game would turn down ‘Tank’ Davis. Whilst all the signs point to it getting tougher to sell tickets and pay-per-views in the States, Davis brings a crowd every time. The 27-0 Champion is currently in prolonged negotiations with Ryan Garcia – a fight that absolutely anybody on the business side of boxing would jump at.
Wilder is, well, a wildcard in this list. Matchroom have two heavyweights in Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte who have both called on the American knockout artist for a fight. During the back and forth, plenty has been said by both sides. Still, Smith is likely thinking of the excitement ‘The Bronze Bomber’ brings to the division, with a right hand that will go down in history as one of the most powerful.
As for Inoue, it’s more of a fighter’s pick. The Japanese pound-for-pound star may not be the most well-known boxer in the world to the casual viewer, but with championships won in three divisions and incredible power relative to his size, he might just be the best.
Now, whether or not Matchroom pursue these fantasy signings remains to be seen.