Jessie Vargas headlines Matchroom show in Chicago

EDDIE HEARN and Matchroom Boxing USA are delighted to confirm the line-up for the first American show live on DAZN at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago on October 6.

World-rated welterweight and former two-weight world champion Jessie Vargasheadlines the bill as he targets world honours again. Vargas’ journey to that goal starts against former world super-lightweight world title challenger Thomas Dulorme, the Puerto Rican looking to derail the Las Vegas man’s ambitions at 147lbs.

“I promise you that I will bring fireworks and I will bring entertainment. I am en-route to becoming a world champion once again. I am a former two division world champion. First of all, October 6 is going to be a great fight, Thomas Dulorme is a contender that always comes to give a showdown. He never lets you down, he always brings you action and when the name came up I said sure let’s do it! It doesn’t matter to me, whoever you want to put in front of me, I’m ready,” Vargas said.

Two great world title battles feature in the Windy City as crunching Russian puncherArtur Beterbiev defends his IBF world light-heavyweight strap against Briton Callum Johnson. Beterbiev has a perfect record of 12-0 with all wins coming via KO, but Johnson is an unbeaten feared puncher himself, having destroyed British champion Frank Buglioni inside a round of their clash in London in March – his 12th KO from 17 wins, pointing to this clash being one that promises to be a ferocious shootout.

“Nobody was taking this fight, nobody wanted to know. You only had to ask me once and I’m here. I’m coming to win the fight and I look forward to it,” Johnson said.

Classy WBA world super-bantamweight champion Daniel Roman defends his crown for the third time against Britain’s Gavin McDonnell. Roman won his title on the road in Japan in brilliant style with a stoppage win over Shun Kobo and was fantastic in both his first defence back in Japan against Ryo Matsumoto and his second against Moises Flores in California. The Californian is hunting unification clashes but will need to be at his best once again against McDonnell, the Doncaster ace having his second crack world honours after learning so much in his majority decision loss against WBC champion Rey Vargas in February 2017 – making for a fascinating clash that could catch fire and steal the show.

Brooklyn heavyweight Jarrell Miller is right in the mix for the big fights. ‘Big Baby’ is looking to add win number 22 to his slate and force himself into the conversation at the top table, and the man in his way is Poland’s Tomasz Adamek, the former two-weight world champion who picked up and defended the Polish title in his last two fights in his homeland.

“He is a legend but when you fight a young stud like me, sometimes parents get their butt whipped. This young man is going to take it to pops. The heavyweight division in booming right now. Adamek stepped up in the blink of an eye to take this fight and I take my hat off to him but bring the ambulance because it’s going to be an early night. I’m not going to spend an extra round in that ring. AJ might be the best in England but he isn’t the best in America and that’s the way I see it. Hard work, dedication, cheeseburgers, let’s get it,” Miller said.

Along with these World stars, Chicago fight fans will be able to back two of their own on the night, with former world lightweight title challenger Jessica McCaskill in action on the bill along with unbeaten bantamweight prospect Shawn Simpson.