Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium will host the largest non-football audience in its history on Saturday, May 27th when 15,000 fans will pack the venue to witness hometown hero Chris Billam-Smith (17-1-0, 12 KOs) challenge former team mate Lawrence Okolie (19-0, 14 KOs) for the cruiserweight championship of the world.
The ground usually hosts 11,300 seated fans for the Premiership football games of AFC Bournemouth, but BOXXER has received licensing permission from Bournemouth authorities to expand seating provision for Billam-Smith’s title tilt, the biggest boxing event ever to take place in the south coast region.
And it’s not only the fans who benefit – in addition to allowing thousands more people to experience this landmark event in person, the expanded seating allocation will also create extra funding for local charities set to receive a portion of the profits from this event.
WHEN IS THE OKOLIE VS. BILLAM-SMITH FIGHT?
- Date: Saturday, May 27
- Start time: 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. ET
- Main event ringwalks (approx): 10 p.m. BST / 5 p.m. ET
- The fight takes place at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, England.
- The event is set to get underway at 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. ET with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 10 p.m. BST / 5 p.m. ET. These timings could change due to the length of the undercard fights.
- Sky Sports will broadcast the fight in the UK
Bournemouth-based entrepreneur Joe Ashford-Eliis – BOXXER’s local partner in the region – has played a key role in bringing BOXXER events to Bournemouth, hoping it will provide inspiration for local youngsters to channel their time and energy into sport “instead of just hanging around on the streets”.
A partner in the May 27th event, Ashford-Ellis will be donating his profits from the event to an amateur boxing club in the city and a charity which works with Bournemouth’s street-homeless population. (In 2022, determined to bring BOXXER to Bournemouth, he assumed massive financial risk to himself by personally underwriting the cost of every ticket.)
Last year, he covered the costs of BOXXER’s first event in Bournemouth because he was so determined to bring an inspirational spectacle for the town’s youngsters.
And he will be ringside in the centre of the pitch as the evening’s event plays out, paying particular attention to the boxers from his management stable who are competing on the card, including Southampton’s Joe Pigford.
“Bournemouth is my home city and where my children have been born and raised. I love the city, I love the people and I wanted the chance to do something for the community here. I strongly believe in sport as a pathway to a better life for young people and I hope that this event – and the two prior BOXXER events in Bournemouth – have shown what it’s possible to achieve when you are on the right path,” said Ashford-Ellis.
“This event is a landmark moment for the city but for me it’s about the chance to give something back. I’m looking forward to the sold-out atmosphere in the Vitality Stadium on fight night but I’m looking forward even more to the moment when I take my share of the event revenue and hand it over to these vital community projects. That’s going to be a proud moment for me and I’m just delighted to be able to give something back.”
Ben Shalom, BOXXER Founder and CEO, “Bournemouth has turned out to be a sleeping giant of the British boxing scene. Our visit absolutely blew us away, the crowd was unbelievable and to this day it’s an event BOXXER staff still talk about. The atmospheres at both our Bournemouth events have been indescribable and I really cannot wait to see what level things go to when the main event fighters are walking out at the Vitality Stadium on May 27th.
“We are unbelievably fortunate to have Joe Ashford-Ellis as our partner in Bournemouth. He was so passionate about bringing us here and he’s moved heaven and earth to make these events happen, motivated by his desire to do something for the young people here. That motivation gives him limitless energy and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better partner as we prepare to stage the biggest non-football sports event in Bournemouth history.”
This event will be presented in association with official partners Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, Village Hotels and Who Dares Gyms.
The card for BOXXER: OKOLIE vs BILLAM-SMITH
Lawrence Okolie: 14st 3 lbs
Chris Billam-Smith: 14st 3 lbs
Sam Eggington: 10st 13 lbs
Joe Pigford: 10st 13 lbs
Kariss Artingstall: 8st 13 lbs
Jade Taylor: 9st 2 lbs
Lee Cutler: 10st 13 lbs
Stanley Stannard: 10st 13 lbs
Michael McKinson: 10st 8lbs
Lebin Morales: 10st 6lbs
Isaac Chamberlain: 14 st 3 lbs
Daniel Bocianksi: 14st
Mace Ruegg: 9st 10 lbs
Dean Dodge: 9st 10 lbs
Lewis Edmonson: 12st 13 lbs
Petar Nosic: 12st 13 lbs
Tommy Welch: 15st 12 lbs
Amine Boucetta: 16 st
Alireza Ghadiri: 9st 1 lb
Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira: 9st 4 lbs