FRAN HENNESSY and Ellie Bouttell were locked in a tense first face off ahead of their crunch Boxxer clash.
Undefeated bantamweight, Hennesy, headlines Boxxer’s second show on the BBC at the Copperbox Arena on Saturday night.
Hennessy is the daughter of former British boxing promoter Mick and will lock horns Bouttell for the vacant WBC Silver women’s 118lbs title.
You could cut the tension in the room with a knife as the two faced off with each other for the first time in London.
Both boxers had their game faces on and did not speak a word as they both produced an ice-cool stare into one another’s eyes.
Hennessy was thrust into her first main event off the back of injuries to original headliners Adam Azim and Gustavo Lemos.
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The Kent-born fighter is relishing the opportunity to showcase her talents on the Beeb.
An ecstatic Hennessy wrote on X: “Can’t wait for this Saturday!
“Huge thanks to Ben Shalom and Boxxer for working hard to keep the show on for this Saturday.
“Tune in live – BBC Two / iPlayer.”
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The winner of Hennessy vs Bouttell will be become the mandatory challenger for the WBC’s prestigious green belt, which is currently held by Cherneka Johnson.
In an interview with Punchout Boxing, Hennessy said of a showdown with the Aussie: “Cherneka, all credit to her.
The Home of Boxing in 2026
There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
Tyson Fury is expected to make his return, Conor Benn is closing in on a world title shot and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown.
Canelo Alvarez will be hoping to return after his defeat to Terence Crawford and heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will also need to defend his straps.
Derek Chisora could fight for the 50th and final time and Daniel Dubois is also on the comeback trail.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of Moses Itauma, Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
Up first we have a massive fight with Stateside superstars Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez meeting later this month in Madison Square Garden.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
January
- Sat 24 – Raymond Muratalla vs Andy Cruz – IBF lightweight title – DAZN
- Sat 31 – Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson – WBO super-lightweight title – DAZN PPV
- Sat 31 – Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Josh Kelly – IBF super-welterweight title – DAZN
- Sat 31 – Francesca Hennessy vs Ellie Bouttell – BBC2
February
- Sat 7 – Nick Ball vs Brandon Figueroa – WBA featherweight title – DAZN
- Sat 21 – Ryan Garcia vs Mario Barrios – WBC welterweight title – DAZN PPV
- Sat 21 – Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington – DAZN
- Sun 22 – Claressa Shields vs Franchon Crews-Dezurn – heavyweight unification – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo Nunez – super-featherweight unification – DAZN
March
“A great fighter, respect to her. Very respectable champion.
“But of course, I think you turn pro in boxing, you look at the champion and you look who’s up there and you have your eyes on them, don’t you?
“I think her and Nina Forsland are gonna have a fighter, is what I’m hearing.
“And once I have this fight with Ellie, I’ll be the mandatory for that belt.”
