Briton Hennessy to headline on BBC Two

Bantamweight Francesca Hennessy’s world-title eliminator against Ellie Bouttell will headline Saturday’s event at London’s Copper Box Arena, which will be broadcast live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

The all-British bout has been elevated to the main event after Adam Azim’s light-welterweight contest with Gustavo Lemos was postponed because both fighters picked up injuries.

Unbeaten Dutch fighter Gradus Kraus will face Scottish light-heavyweight Boris Crighton in the co-main event.

“Obviously, we were disappointed to lose Adam Azim as our headliner, but we are thrilled to have two of the most exciting young fighters in world boxing in action on Saturday night,” said Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom.

“Francesca Hennessy and Gradus Kraus have the potential to dominate their divisions and become future pound-for-pound stars.”

It will be the third time professional boxing has been shown on prime-time linear BBC television in more than two decades, following Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva’s victory over Frazer Clarke, which launched the BBC’s partnership with Boxxer in November, and Troy Williamson’s stoppage win against Callum Simpson in December.

Sevenoaks fighter Hennessy, 21, has won all seven of her professional bouts, while 29-year-old Briton Bouttell – who is based in China – has won seven and drawn one.

The contest is a final eliminator for the WBC bantamweight title, currently held by Australia’s Cherneka Johnson.

Trained by Peter Fury, Kraus, 24, has stopped eight of his nine professional opponents. Crighton, 32, has lost six of his 19 fights, with five of those defeats coming in his past eight outings.