Eddie Hearn Names All-British Blockbuster Fight He's Hoping To Make At The Brand-New Co-op Live Arena

Eddie Hearn Names All-British Blockbuster Fight He’s Hoping To Make At The Brand-New Co-op Live Arena

The £365,000,000 Co-op Live Arena officially opened last week in Manchester,

It is Britain’s largest indoor arena with a 23,500 capacity, making it bigger than the 21,000 AO Arena in Manchester and the 20,000 O2 Arena in London.

The 23,500 Co-op Live Arena is Britain's largest indoor arena
The 23,500 Co-op Live Arena is Britain’s largest indoor arena

The Co-op Live Arena was funded by Oak View Group (OVG) and City Football Group (CFG), who own Manchester City, in an equal joint venture.

The venue has yet to host either a boxing or a sporting event although UFC 304 will be the first to do the latter on July 27. And Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing hopes to be the first to stage a boxing event there.

Eddie Hearn Could Stage First Boxing Event At Co-op Live Arena

Leigh Wood sensationally knocked out Josh Warrington in their first fight at a packed-out Sheffield Arena last October.

Wood was behind on the scorecards and considered by many to be out of the fight but he changed it with one combination in the seventh round and produced a dramatic finish in one of the most eagerly-anticipated fights of the year.

A war of words has ensued between the pair since and with them both looking to move up to 130 pounds, the rematch seems the natural fight to make.

Nottingham Forest’s City Ground was the ideal venue for the former two-time Featherweight champion Wood but the club has ruled out the possibility of staging a boxing event there this year.

Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing hopes to be the first boxing promoter to stage a fight at the country's new largest indoor arena
Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom hopes to be the first boxing promoter to stage a fight at the country’s new largest indoor arena

So now the pair are looking at alternative venues and the rematch could be headed to neutral territory.

“The new Manchester Arena we’ve been talking to, I’d love to do it there”, promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing Social about the rematch, “I think we can fill it up. There’s no world championship on the line but it’s still a big fight. Let’s see if we can get it over the line.”

By Darshan Desai