2024 may be fast approaching, but the sport of boxing isn’t ready to pack up for the year just yet. Before the tinsel and the tree go up next month, boxing has quite the November scheduled. The nights might be drawing in, but so are the fights.
Read on for The Sportsman’s pick of the squared circle action to warm you up through this wintery month.
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Jamel Herring vs Nick Molina
Date: Tuesday 7th November
UK TV: DAZN
Former WBO super featherweight champion Jamel Herring retired in May 2022 after a defeat to Jamaine Ortiz. But he returns this Tuesday in an eight-rounder that DAZN televise in the UK. The former US Marine faces unbeaten Nick Molina, who is 14 years his junior at 24.
Molina is 13-0 but has only faced two fighters with winning records. A bout with Herring, even returning from retirement at the age of 38, is a tall order. The smart pick is for the former world champion to get a soft landing in his comeback. Whether he can go much further in a hot division remains to be seen.
Callum Walsh vs Ismael Villarreal
Date: Thursday 9th November
UK TV: UFC Fight Pass
‘King’ Callum returns this week, as the US-based Irishman faces off with 13-1 Ismael Villarreal. Cork’s Walsh has built an unbeaten 8-0 ledger in the States, knocking out seven of his opponents.
The standout name on Walsh’s ledger is Carson Jones. The Oklahoma native gave Britain’s world class Kell Brook all he could handle in 2012, losing a narrow majority decision. Brook blasted him out in eight rounds of a rematch, but the American established himself as a tough proposition. The fact Walsh stopped Jones in four rounds, even if he is past his best, bodes well for his future.
Harlem Eubank vs Timo Schwarzkopf
Date: Friday 10th November
UK TV: Channel 5
There’s that famous name again. The Eubanks are akin to boxing royalty in the UK. With former world champion Chris Sr retired and his son Chris Jr a proven draw, now Harlem Eubank is the latest off the production line.
The 30-year-old welterweight has built a 18-0 record that is light on knockouts, with seven. But like his uncle and cousin before him, Harlem is a stylish proposition in the ring. Good domestic names like Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd and Tom Farrell have fallen to his fists. Schwarzkopf is a step-up, having decisioned former world champion Miguel Vazquez last time out. But Eubank looks ready for the jump in class.
Shakur Stevenson vs Edwin De Los Santos
Date: Thursday 16th November
UK TV: Sky Sports Arena
It might not be against the opponent he wanted, but Shakur Stevenson finally gets his shot at the WBC lightweight championship. The 26-year-old had wanted undisputed champion Devin Haney in the opposite corner, in one of the tastiest fights that can be made in boxing today. But Haney’ vacated his WBC title to move up and try and win Regis Prograis’ light welterweight version.
So Stevenson goes in with De Los Santos instead. It is hard to glean from his record quite why he has landed this shot. Stevenson should go through him quite easily on the way to a world title in a third weight class. Hopefully, once Haney’s business is done, he’ll come back and fight Stevenson for his old belt.
Nick Ball vs Isaac Dogboe
Date: Saturday 18th November
UK TV: TNT Sports 1
This bumper Manchester Arena card is one of the best top-to-bottom British shows of the year. The main event sees unbeaten Nick Ball take on ex-WBO champion Isaac Dogboe in a final eliminator for the WBC featherweight championship.
The chief support comes from Denzel Bentley, fresh off his first-round knockout of Kieran Smith to win the British middleweight title. The belt will be on the line again against undefeated hope Nathan Heaney. There will be world title action on the card too, when Hannah Rankin vies for the vacant WBC light middleweight belt against Ema Kozin.
The title action doesn’t stop there. Ekow Essuman puts his British, Commonwealth and IBF European welterweight titles up against Harry Scarff. Liam Davies defends his European super bantamweight title against undefeated Italian Vincenzo La Femina. There is quality everywhere you look on an outstanding card.
Diego Pacheco vs Marcelo Esteban Coceres
Date: Saturday 18th November
UK TV: DAZN
Another deep card comes in from Stateside on the same night as the Manchester extravaganza. The time difference means you can easily take in both, for a truly stacked night of boxing in front of the box.
Unbeaten knockout artist Pacheco is well-known to UK fans, having come to Liverpool and stopped Jack Cullen in four rounds in March. Opponent Coceres is dangerous, having knocked down Edgar Berlanga on the way to a decision defeat in 2021. He’s likely being brought in to lose, but he’s a tough proposition.
The card boasts some cracking supporting action. Britain’s former WBA super flyweight champion Kal Yafai is in action against Jonathan Rodriguez. In perhaps the highlight of the card, Mayerlin Rivas puts her WBA super bantamweight title on the line against former Amanda Serrano foe Erika Cruz Hernandez.
Franck Petitjean vs Adam Azim
Date: Saturday 18th November
UK TV: Sky Sports Arena
Saturday night’s alright for fighting, with the 18th proving particularly strong. Boxxer’s offering for this date sees their prodigy, Adam Azim, get a shot at European light welterweight champion Franck Petitjean.
After a run of blistering knockouts, the 21-year-old Azim has been taken the distance in his last two fights. That’s natural with a step-up in class. Petitjean represents his biggest jump yet. An experienced fixture at European level, the champion is likely to teach Azim a thing or two. This will be our best indication yet of how far ‘The Assassin’ can go.
Chantelle Cameron vs Katie Taylor II
Date: Saturday 25th November
UK TV: DAZN
The month ends with an absolute bang, as Katie Taylor looks to avenge her sole professional defeat. Cameron boxed brilliantly to beat Taylor by majority decision back in May, retaining her undisputed light welterweight championship. There was a solid argument that Chantelle deserved a far wider verdict on the cards, having thoroughly outboxed Taylor.
Now the Irish icon looks to do something she has never done before. Katie Taylor must bounce back from a pro loss. The Bray-born superstar is 37 now and you imagine if she loses, there won’t be many more chances. As far as stakes go, these are the highest of Katie’s illustrious career.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change