Eddie Hearn says he wanted Katie Taylor fight to take place in Belfast

The Bray battler who faces WBA mandatory challenger Firuzi Sharipova at the Echo Arena on Saturday night, is putting her 19-fight unbeaten professional record on the line.

Defending her lightweight titles, the undisputed star will confront Kazakh Sharipova in what could be her last fight before she finally meets Amanda Serrano.

Sharipova, meanwhile, a 27-year-old mother of one who is the first professional female boxer from Kazakhstan, has a 14-1 record and has picked up minor titles at super-featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight.

Matchroom were close to promoting the show in Belfast, which would have been the first for them in over four years, Hearn has revealed.

While Hearn promoted Paul McCloskey, Carl Frampton and Ryan Burnett in the city over the years, but Matchroom have been missing from the capital of Irish boxing since 2017.

Hearn confirmed he attempted to go to Belfast with the Katie Taylor and Conor Benn topped card he is promoting in Liverpool this Saturday night, which will also feature Belfast signing Caoimhin Agyarko.

“I actually tried to get December 11 in Belfast because we got Katie Taylor, Caoimhin will actually go December 11 too,” Hearn said.

“Next year [we will go back to Ireland]. Katie will fight on December 11 [in Liverpool] and then we want to do the big room at the Garden in April for her against Serrano if I can do a deal with Mr Jake Paul.”

Speaking on his latest Belfast signing, Hearn revealed he had the chance to work with the Holy Trinity schooled middle prospect previously but didn’t take it.

“Adan Booth approached me about Caoimhin about four years ago and said ‘I’ve got this kid he is unbelievably special’ but I get them phone calls 10 times a day.

“I just told him we haven’t got space. Then I watched him and I thought ‘f**k’ and he’s got better and better and better. When I got the phone call to say he was available we did the deal in 48 hours.”

“I joked him with saying he has got all his shit fights out of the way. Now we can go and have proper fights, how good is that.”

The Belfast middleweight is well known in Irish boxing circles and fight circles in general but has yet to make massive crossover moves.

That should start to change this week as he makes his Matchroom and DAZN debut in Liverpool.

On Monday, Hearn tweeted that one of boxing’s best kept secrets was about to be let loose.

“Very excited to see this young man @caoimhinagyarko fight for his first title on Saturday in Liverpool - a secret no more!,” Hearn announced.