Bescot date will be a test for mighty Matty

Matty Harris…two opponents in mix for Walsall contest

THE addition of man mountain Matty Harris to the November 16 Bescot Stadium, Walsall, show is quite a coup for promoters BCB.

I was surprised by the news.

The 6ft 8ins heavyweight, from Coventry, is signed to major outfit Wasserman, is trained by Peter Fury and has played out his eight fight career in front of TV cameras.

“Wasserman had a show in Bolton that was cancelled. Matty needed a fight and I went and got him a local show,” manager Max McCracken explained. “They were fine about it.

“This is the opportunity to fight locally and build a support base. He’s boxed all over the country and quite a few are coming to watch this one.”

It’s going to be no mere tick-over for 24-year-old Harris, who was tipped for very big things – even groomed for stardom - after scoring a succession of early stoppages. Three of his first five fights were over inside a round.

He was to have faced Lamah Griggs at Bescot, but that fell through when Griggs was stopped by Lewis Williams at the weekend.

Two opponents are now being considered for the Black Country date.

Venezuela Jose Luis Marin Garcia is 15-8, but has mixed it with very good fighters.

The other, I understand, is an Indian heavyweight who is unbeaten in four. “Matty will have to be switched on for either of those,” Max said.

Harris made an immediate dramatic impact on the domestic heavyweight division when he turned pro in 2021, with only one of his five wins going beyond the second round.

Then his stock slumped with shocking defeat to Ukraine’s Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko in Edinburgh last year. After dropping Dovbyshchenko, he appeared to run out of gas and was halted in the fifth.

The alarm bells rang. It was back to the drawing board, Fury was brought in and Harris has rebounded with two wins this year.

“He didn’t prepare properly and has learned from the mistakes,” Max said. “He is now having regular sparring with good names, he is coming on.”

Next year will be a defining one for Harris. Wasserman, I understand, want to stage a Midlands title fight between Matty and unbeaten Simon Ibekwe. There’s also a proposed rematch with Dovbyshchenko, the only man to beat him in eight outings.

The future again looks bright and Harris, whatever the future holds, will bring some serious beef to the Bescot.