Matchroom will unveil one in every of its hottest new prospects for the primary time Saturday at Wells Fargo Middle in Philadelphia throughout a boxing occasion DAZN will broadcast.
In Jalil’ Main’ Hackett, the promoter has one of many sport’s future stars. A most well-liked coaching companion of Gervonta Davis, Hackett is among the few fighters capable of take a look at ‘Tank’ in sparring. Hackett is a prospect so gifted an organization like Matchroom might construct a part of its future tentpole occasion providing across the 21-year-old.
As World Boxing Information beforehand reported, Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis helped persuade Hackett to hitch him at Matchroom. And although they each compete in separate welterweight fights in Philly this weekend, they may by no means struggle each other. “I wouldn’t entertain it,” Hackett advised us. “And neither would he.”
One Matchroom stablemate Hackett would entertain combating, although, is Conor Benn. And if Hackett defeats Saturday’s opponent, Peter Dobson, in fashion, then comparisons could be drawn between the 147-pounders.
Hackett, you see, has already completed seven of his eight opponents up to now, and may he lengthen that sizzling streak this weekend by knocking Dobson down or out, then he’ll have one-upped Benn, who might beat Dobson solely by lop-sided determination after they fought at a Las Vegas present earlier this 12 months.
On the potential match-up, Hackett advised World Boxing Information that “it’s positively doable” he at some point fights Benn.
Hackett, although, refuses to name anybody out — Benn or in any other case — and prefers to depart the matchmaking to “Eddie [Hearn] and the workforce at Matchroom. It’s all as much as them to make it occur.”
WBN ran the potential match-up previous Matchroom brass. “Although they’re in the identical division, we haven’t provided that any thought simply but,” the corporate’s COO, Shaun Palmer, who has performed a pivotal position within the development of Matchroom USA, advised us.
Hackett “may be very younger, with a comparatively quick file,” stated Palmer, who added that it could be an announcement ought to he even take out Dobson.
The Dobson struggle is Hackett’s first underneath the Matchroom banner and the primary all 12 months as he shakes off the ring rust and appears to compete repeatedly by the remainder of the 12 months and into 2025.
Ought to he field 12 instances within the subsequent 18 months, then he’ll have prolonged his file into his twentieth contest — and will have Prospect of the Yr honors underneath his belt, very like Ennis did in 2020.
“That will be an enormous accolade and an enormous step in the precise route,” he stated.
He has his eyes set on even larger accolades, although — a world championship title. And it’s one he envisions successful earlier than he’s even turned 23 years previous.
“I predict between 18 and 24 months, I’ll be prepared [for a world title shot] with a resume that the world will consider I’m prepared.”
Alan Dawson is World Boxing Information Lead Author, a 2 x Sports activities Journalist of the Yr finalist, and 5 x BWAA awards winner. Comply with Alan @AlanDawsonSport.
