Latest news with #BethnalGreen
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Commonwealth cruiser champion Aloys Junior takes aim at Viddal Riley
Newly crowned Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Aloys Junior has set his sights on the British title. Following his victory over David Jamieson at the weekend, Junior is shifting his aim towards a showdown with Viddal Riley. Speaking recently, Junior said that he was targeting the Tottenham man for a bout. Junior, 10-1 (9), made his comments to an interviewer from Queensberry Promotions for the firm's YouTube channel. Junior said: 'I want all the smoke. Whoever wants it can get it. If Vidal wants me, I'm here, baby. If Vidal Riley wants me, I am here, baby. If Vidal Riley wants me, I'm here.' He added: 'He will try to run away from me but I will ******* cut that ring off. He ain't going nowhere. I'll make sure of it.' Junior's fight against Jamieson, now 13-4 (10), ended after a knockdown in the third round that followed Jamieson going to the floor also in rounds one and two. Junior said that he wanted 'the world' and that his victory over Jamieson was just 'one step'. The only loss so far on Junior's record was a close one on points in his debut against the Pole Michal Soczynski at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. Soczynski, 10-0 (7), has so far remained undefeated and last fought also at the weekend at home in Kalisz, Poland when he stopped Cristian Norges Lopez Lopez in three rounds. Junior, meanwhile, has been on a ten-fight winning streak since, with his only fight going the distance being a points decision over the unbeaten Oronzo Birardi, also at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. A fight against Riley might make sense at this point in both his and Junior's careers. BoxRec lists Riley, 13-0 (7), as the second-best cruiserweight in Europe, with Junior at #4. Globally, the pair are respectively ranked at #20 and #27. Riley last fought in April when he won a twelve-round decision over Cheavon Clarke on the undercard of the fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn. Not included in any of the public callouts is Jack Massey, 22-3 (12), ranked #25 in the world and #3 in the UK. Massey last fought in October against Jai Opetaia in Riyadh, losing by stoppage in the sixth round. Also missing from the proclamations is Chris Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13) and the former WBO champion, who also fought on the undercard between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, winning a spirited twelve-round decision. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Recap of all the action from York Hall as Osborne and Forrest headline
York Hall has played host to plenty of big names in British boxing over the years, with the small hall venue a frequent stop on fighter's journey to the top. On Sunday, DAZN viewers were able to catch a glimpse of the action in Bethnal Green with a card provided by Top Tier, the event headlined by James Osborne's points victory over Liam Forrest. Whilst none of the fighters involved are not yet household names, perhaps one or two victorious prospects on the card will go on to have storied careers in the sweet science. Watch over 150 boxing events a year live on DAZN - subscribe now Journeyman Engel Gomez certainly has had a long career, if not storied. Heading into his super-lightweight battle with Rory O'Hara, the Nicaraguan entered the contest with a record of 8-45-3 (4), suggesting that he was meant to ease his opponent into professional boxing life. That did not transpire for debutant O'Hara, who lost each of the four rounds to Gomez in the view of referee Amy Pu. Gomez's fellow journeyman Steve Davies, now 1-14-0 (0), was involved in another tight affair in the following match, but the super welterweight from Neath, south Wales, was outpointed by Thomas Galbraith, now 5-1 (0). Referee Lee Every gave Galbraith three of the four rounds. Dylan Oke pushed his record to 2-0 (1) with a shutout against Jensen Irving. The Londoner came in at the limit of his super welterweight class, with the well-travelled Irving, now 4-25-2 (0), weighing in four pounds heavier at 158lbs. Irving's extra weight as of little benefit, with Oke in total control of the four-rounder. Arjon Basi made his pro debut in convincing fashion, taking all four rounds against Angelo Dragone, a Welsh welterweight with a winning record, now 9-6 (1). Super featherweight Jermaine Dhilwayo had the best unbeaten record on the card, entering his bout with Eliecer Quezada with five wins, one via knockout. Dhilwayo added another stoppage to his CV by halting his Nicaraguan opponent, now 24-36-4 (9), in the fourth of a six-round contest. That would prove to be the only stoppage of the evening, with the rest of the fights decided by points. Dorin Krasmaru improved to 4-0 (2) by soundly outpointing Bosnian heavyweight Milos Veletic. Both fighters landed heavy blows during the six rounds, but Ukrainian Krasmaru did more than enough to take every round in the eyes of referee Every. Every had a much harder job separating Nina Hughes, now 7-2 (2), and Nicholine Achieng in the following bout. The two bantamweights were evenly matched throughout, although former Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion Hughes' class was evident in the early rounds. Achieng managed to cut her opponent before knocking her down to the canvas in the sixth and final round. The Kenyan, now 4-12-1 (3), might have felt she did enough to defeat favourite Hughes, who won 57-56. Lightweight Ross Driscoll, now 3-0 (1), navigated a tough opponent in the form of Ally Lubanja, now 5-3-2 (0). Driscoll took a 58-55 points win but never truly controlled his Tanzanian opponent. The evenly matched bouts continued into the penultimate contest of the evening. Kevin Reavell, who entered the contest with a record of 6-4-1 (2), clearly won the early rounds against Southampton's Morgan Sellamuthu, who was 4-1-1 (0) ahead of the fight. A big shot in the sixth for Sellamuthu proved a turning point, with the man from Hampshire getting the better of the last two rounds. That was enough for the referee to score the bout as an even 56-56 draw, with both fighters post-bout stating they were keen for a rematch. The headlining bout was another keenly contested affair, with James Osborne getting the better of Liam Forrest in an eight-round super-middleweight contest. Osborne was the quicker of the two fighters whilst landing more powerful punches, but Forrest, 3-1-1 (0), showcased a strong chin. However, Osborne's quality shone through, with the Essex man improving to 9-1 (1).
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What is The York Hall, the breeding ground of British boxing?
Small halls are the lifeblood of the British boxing scene, local venues that enable fighters to take the first steps into a professional career. Boxers will have fond memories of their nearest small hall, often making their debuts in ballrooms or leisure centres in their towns they grew up in. But no other small hall captures the imagination like York Hall, a 1,250-capacity venue in east London. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN York Hall - breeding ground for world champions Last year, 37 boxing events were staged at the leisure centre, showcasing just why so many fighters get a chance to box at The York Hall. It would be far easier to name the notable British fighters that have not fought at York Hall than reel off the stars who passed through Bethnal Green. Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, Joe Calzaghe, Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, Carl Froch, Alan Minter, and John H. Stracey show that world champions across multiple eras have visited York Hall in the early stages of their careers. First opened in 1929 by the Duke and Duchess of York, explaining its name, York Hall was like many other early boxing venues, in the sense that it was never designed with boxing in mind. Originally it housed baths for working-class locals to use; promoters and boxers realised you could place boards on top and construct a canvas to fight in. Crowds were big enough to justify the expense, with baths used all over the country to stage boxing bouts. The first professional nights of boxing at York Hall sprung up in the 1940s, with the venue just another small arena. But as other baths were replaced and neglected for more suitable venues, York Hall managed to survive. In the 1950s the main pool was completely boarded over to be used permanently for boxing, indicating how the sweet science had ingrained itself into the fabric of the venue. In 2004, it appeared that York Hall had reached the end of its lifespan, with the council feeling that the cost of upkeep far outweighed the benefits of maintaining the venue. Tower Hamlets Council planned on demolishing the venue, with the view of allowing the development of penthouses. After campaigning from notable boxing names, including promoter Frank Warren, Greenwich Leisure stepped in, carrying out a refurbishment that saw York Hall become a leisure centre. Subsequently listed as a grade II building in 2013, York Hall remains a firm fixture in the landscape of British boxing. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
Sky News
15-05-2025
- Sky News
Manslaughter charges over woman killed by falling bricks as she walked on pavement
A building company and four men have been charged in connection with the death of a woman killed by falling bricks in 2018. Michaela Boor, 29, was hit by a pallet holding more than two tonnes of bricks which fell from a tower crane at around 9am on 27 March that year. She had been walking on the pavement past a building site at the time of the incident and died in hospital the next day. The Metropolitan Police said the tower crane was on a building development site run by Higgins Homes PLC on St Paul's Way in Bethnal Green, east London. On Monday, the force said Higgins Homes had been charged with corporate manslaughter and offences under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The Met Police said four men were also charged with gross negligence manslaughter and offences under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Those charged include: • Alexander McInnes, 32, of Islington, a crane operator on the day of Ms Boor's death; • Dawood Maan, 59, of Ashford, Kent, also a crane supervisor; • Stephen Coulson, 68, of Hemel Hempstead, who was responsible for compiling the lifting plan for the site; • Thomas Anstis, 68, of Banstead, Surrey, who worked as the site manager and temporary works coordinator.
Sky News
12-05-2025
- Sky News
Four men and construction company charged with manslaughter over woman killed by falling bricks
A building company and four men have been charged in connection with the death of a woman killed by falling bricks in 2018. Michaela Boor, 29, was hit by a pallet holding more than two tonnes of bricks which fell from a tower crane at around 9am on 27 March that year. She died in hospital the next day. The Metropolitan Police said the tower crane was on a building development site run by Higgins Homes PLC on St Paul's Way in Bethnal Green, east London. On Monday, the force said Higgins Homes had been charged with corporate manslaughter and offences under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The Met Police said four men were also charged with gross negligence manslaughter and offences under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Those charged include: • Alexander McInnes, 32, of Islington, a crane operator on the day of Ms Boor's death; • Dawood Maan, 59, of Ashford, Kent, also a crane supervisor; • Stephen Coulson, 68, of Hemel Hempstead, who was responsible for compiling the lifting plan for the site; • Thomas Anstis, 68, of Banstead, Surrey, who worked as the site manager and temporary works coordinator.
