Stourbridge boxer Sam Eggington wins 'fight of the year' - but his next bout won't be on free-to-air TV
The promoter of Sam Eggington has been dropped by Channel 5 – despite the Stourbridge ace again starring in British Boxing’s Fight of the Year.
Eggington’s sensational scrap with Bilel Jkitou last September was awarded the gong by British Boxing’s Board of Control at its annual awards.
It means Eggington, who threw a remarkable 1,317 punches on route to a unanimous points victory over the Frenchman, has picked up the fight of the year prize for the second year running after his 2020 bout with Ted Cheeseman was given the same recognition 12 months ago.
Yet to the disappointment of fight fans, the 28-year-old's next bout won’t be on free-to-air TV after Channel 5 decided to move on from his promoter, Hennessy Sports, in favour of a deal with Wasserman Boxing.
Eggington’s trainer Jon Pegg told the Express & Star: “It’s very frustrating. Obviously boxing is a business and I understand how deals like this happen but as a boxing fan, I think they’re mad.
“Surely you would want to screen the most exciting fighters? Sam has now been in the fight of the year two years running and is arguably the most exciting boxer in the country. Win or lose, you know it is going to be entertaining.”
Eggington, a former European welterweight champion who took his first steps in the sport at Warley ABC, has won 31 of his 38 professional bouts but is unbeaten since stepping up to middleweight in late 2020.
All three of his wins at the weight had been screened free-to-air by Channel 5 but his next bout, due to be announced imminently, is likely to be broadcast by Sky Sports.
Pegg said: “I was never worried about Sam because there are always going to be people who want to show his fights.
“But it is disappointing because being on terrestrial TV is a big deal in terms of getting to a wider audience. Even when Sam was on Channel 5, I never got the impression they were all that keen.
“Can you imagine how many times Sky would have repeated the Jkitou fight had they shown it? I never felt they pushed it as much as they might have done.”
Eggington and Jkitou, who also threw more than 1,000 punches in the bout, were reunited at the awards last weekend.
Eggington said: "Big thanks to Hennessy Sports for believing in me and putting the time and effort in for me. We should have some big news to release pretty soon."
