Eddie Hearn reveals first Co-op Live Manchester boxing event could be Leigh Wood-Josh Warrington rematch

Co-op Live could soon be about to host its first boxing show - with a big fight being lined up for Manchester’s new arena. 

UFC 304 has been confirmed as the maiden sports event for the £365million venue on July 27. It will see the biggest stars from the world of MMA - including Atherton’s Tom Aspinall - in action for a pay-per-view audience. 

And now top boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has expressed an interest in holding a huge all-British clash at what is now Europe’s biggest indoor arena with a capacity of 23,500. 

Nottingham’s Leigh Wood knocked out Leeds’ Josh Warrington in a thriller back in October with a rematch having been in the works since. Nottingham Forest’s City Ground was eyed as one potential venue but with that off the table, Matchroom boss Hearn - who promotes Anthony Joshua, Campbell Hatton and others - is looking at Co-op Live as an ideal venue on neutral territory. The fight could happen at the end of August, around a month after the UFC event. 

It would represent the arena’s first major play in a sport that has found its home at the AO Arena in the city with Ricky Hatton, Anthony Crolla and others having legendary nights there down the years. 

“The new Manchester Arena we’ve been talking to, I’d love to do it there”, Hearn told Boxing Social about Wood-Warrington II. “I think we can fill it up. There’s no world championship on the line but it’s still a big fight. Let’s see if we can get it over the line.”

After a troubled start, Co-op Live finally opened its doors with Elbow earlier this month with Barry Manilow among those to have also taken to the stage.