Re-Matchroom – Jono Carroll links back up with promoter Eddie Hearn
It is proving to be a massive week for Jono Carroll [16(3)-0].
Yesterday it emerged that the Dublin super featherweight had moved in line for an IBF final eliminator versus Frenchman Guillaume Frenois and this evening it has been announced that Carroll has rejoined with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
‘King Kong, now 26, shot to prominence on Matchroom bills back in 2015, first upsetting Declan Geraghty on the Return of the Mack bill in Dublin before sensationally winning Prizefighter Lightweights as a rank outsider the following month.
An association with Matchroom followed, the highlight of which saw him take a short-notice step up to ten rounds to provide chief support to the Tyson Fury v Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight title clash in Duesseldorf in November 2015.
Carroll, who fought four times under the Matchroom banner between December 2014 and September 2016, was left unimpressed with his lack of activity and progression with the British promotional giant and would leave the outfit – and manager/trainer Paschal Collins – to link up with Macklin’s Gym Marbella [now MTK Global].
Appearing recently on Frank Warren-promoted bills, Carroll’s last three fights have seen him edge Johnny Quigley in a Fight of the Year contender, obliterate Humberto De Santiago in a statement performance, and dominate Declan Geraghty in a grudge rematch. All of this has seen the Marbella-based pressure fighter become the third-highest ranked boxer with the IBF.
Carroll’s return to Matchroom comes at a crucial moment in time.
His new promotional stablemate is IBF champion Tevin Farmer, who defends the red belt against Carroll’s countryman James Tennyson on Saturday October 20th in Boston.
The Dunshaughlin-raised fighter had previously looked close to a fight with ‘The American Dream’ but Farmer’s team opted for European and Commonwealth champion Tennyson.
Carroll will now look to ensure a shot at the winner of the fight at the TD Garden by claiming the mandatory position.
With Guillaume Frenois having seen Devis Boschiero pull out of their final eliminator, the slot is now set to pass to Carroll and negotiations for this fight will begin shortly if they have not already.
While the card is already quite stacked, it would seem to make sense to put the bearded boxer on the same card as Farmer-Tennyson. Headlined by Billy Joe Saunders’ WBO middleweight title defence versus Demetrius Andrade, the DAZN/Sky Sports show also features Wicklow’s WBA-IBF lightweight champion Katie Taylor and Carroll’s former Celtic Warriors stablemate Niall Kennedy.
Matchroom boss Hearn said that “I’m delighted to welcome Jono to the team, it’s going be a lot of fun.”
“I watched Jono win Prizefighter and I’ve been very impressed with his recent rise and he is now on the verge of challenging for a World title.”
“Next up will be a final eliminator for the winner of Farmer vs. Tennyson and I believe UK fans on Sky and US fans on DAZN are going to love getting to know Jono Carroll.”
Carroll joins world champions Taylor and WBA bantamweight titlist Ryan Burnett as an Irish fighter in the Matchroom stable.
Fight news for ‘King Kong’ is expected soon.
