Ben Shalom and BOXXER have come under fire recently after a fighter has bowed out of a scheduled fight due to feeling disrespected by the promoter.
BOXXER, the Sky Sports promotional boxing outfit, has faced much criticism under the leadership of Ben Shalom. From pulling fighters out of purse bids for much-anticipated fights, such as Frazer Clarke vs Fabio Wardley and Richard Riakporhe vs Jai Opetaia, to what some might call a risk-averse attitude to matchmaking, with the Adam Azim vs Dalton Smith fight feeling more like a fantasy than something that may come to fruition.
However, the company has recently come under fire again, after two female fighters have described feeling disrespected by their promoter. One of the two, rising star Francesca Hennessy, described her trouble with BOXXER, claiming in an interview with iFL TV, ‘I’ve been told to come here today because I’m gonna be announced on the card, and then I’ve not been announced […] Surely there should be more respect for me than that.’
In a different interview, with Boxing King Media, Hennessy said, ‘I feel very disrespected […] I was meant to be in a world title fight’.
Hennessy was said to be in talks for a fight with Shannon Courtenay, who has lost two of her last three fights, but holds a win over Ebanie Bridges in their world title fight.
Hennessy is just one of two fighters who were snubbed at the Jonas Price press conference.
Hartlepool Fighter Refuses to Fight on BOXXER Card
Savannah Marshall, best known for her entertaining bout against Claressa Shields, was also set to fight on the Natasha Jonas vs Lauren Price undercard.
Marshall wrote in a post on social media ‘I was told I was fighting on March 7th on the all-female card for Boxxer. Opponent agreed and I’ve been in camp since December 14th. I was also asked to travel to London for the press conference where I was told my fight would be announced. Instead I was sidelined and left feeling humiliated an confused.’
The Hartlepool fighter concludes, ‘Due to disputes with Boxxer I WILL NOT be fighting on March 7th’.
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