Matthew Hall (boxer)
Encyclopedia
Matthew Hall is a retired English professional boxer who competed in the light middleweight
division. He comes from Manchester
, is a former Commonwealth champion and has also competed for the European light middleweight belt.
Pedro Thompson, stopping him in the first round at the MEN Arena in Manchester
. His very next fight against the same opponent saw Hall travel to Newcastle
in order to beat Thompson again but this time on points over 4 rounds meaning that at the end of his debut year Hall has compiled an unbeaten record of 2-0. Over the course of the next four years, Hall fought fourteen more times against a host of other journeymen
winning every fight meaning that his record at the end of 2006 stood at sixteen wins with no defeats. Hall's progress at this time was all the more impressive as in 2003 he had been the victim of a stabbing incident which nearly cost him his life. Speaking to the Daily Mirror about the incident Hall said "I had my bowel perforated six times and lost five or six litres of blood...I was in a bad way and it took me about a year to recover. It's not good getting stabbed." Speaking in 2009 Hall preferred to seek positives from the incident saying "It did my career a favour because it held me back a year or two. I could have had meaningful fights when I was younger and not been ready. I could have been and gone."
in London
, Martin Concepcion
stopped Hall in the first round handing him his first defeat in 5 years as a professional boxer. Hall responded to the defeat with a number of wins over worthy opponents. On 3rd December 2007 he defeated Tyan Booth at the Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester and on 22 March 2008 in his first fight of the new year beat the unbeaten Kerry Hope at the International Arena in Cardiff. On 6 September 2008 he beat the former celtic title challenger Taz Jones and on 10 October 2008 returned to Manchester to beat former Irish champion Ciaran Healy at the MEN Arena. On 12 December 2008 in his last fight of the year, Hall capped off a series of four wins in a row following the Concepcion
defeat to stop former Central Area champion Jason Rushton in Widnes
.
to lift the Commonwealth championship knocking Pryce out in the 2nd round. Disappointment following however when on 18 July 2009 Hall lost his title in his first defence at the MEN Arena in Manchester
. He was defeated by Anthony Small
in a fight which also saw the vacant British title on the line, the referee stopping the fight in the 8th round handing both belts to Small. Following the contest Hall split from his long time trainer Brian Hughes and moved to try and rebuild with Bolton based trainer Karl Ince. Speaking of the change in direction Hall said that he had been "embarrassed" by his performance and added that "sometimes you need a change". In his first contest following the defeat on 15 May 2010, Hall scored a 5th round stoppage win over Tony Randell the British Masters champion in a non-title bout.
'Magnificent Seven' card, Hall lost for the third time in his career. The fight, for the vacant European title, had come at short notice for Hall following an injury to Ryan Rhodes
who had been due to defend the belt on the card. The injury had meant that the belt became vacant and Hall stepped in to fight the Czech Republics Lucas Konecny. In the end Konecny proved too much of a step up for Hall and following two knockdowns in the 6th round the referee stopped the fight. A disappointed Hall announced after the fight that it would be his last that he would retire.
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
division. He comes from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, is a former Commonwealth champion and has also competed for the European light middleweight belt.
Early professional career
Hall's professional debut came in September 2002 with a win over boxing journeymanJourneyman (boxing)
A journeyman boxer is defined as a fighter who has adequate boxing skill, but does not have the caliber of a contender or gatekeeper. Outside of boxing, a "journeyman" is a trader or crafter who has completed an apprenticeship, but is not at the level of a master craftsman...
Pedro Thompson, stopping him in the first round at the MEN Arena in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. His very next fight against the same opponent saw Hall travel to Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
in order to beat Thompson again but this time on points over 4 rounds meaning that at the end of his debut year Hall has compiled an unbeaten record of 2-0. Over the course of the next four years, Hall fought fourteen more times against a host of other journeymen
Journeyman (boxing)
A journeyman boxer is defined as a fighter who has adequate boxing skill, but does not have the caliber of a contender or gatekeeper. Outside of boxing, a "journeyman" is a trader or crafter who has completed an apprenticeship, but is not at the level of a master craftsman...
winning every fight meaning that his record at the end of 2006 stood at sixteen wins with no defeats. Hall's progress at this time was all the more impressive as in 2003 he had been the victim of a stabbing incident which nearly cost him his life. Speaking to the Daily Mirror about the incident Hall said "I had my bowel perforated six times and lost five or six litres of blood...I was in a bad way and it took me about a year to recover. It's not good getting stabbed." Speaking in 2009 Hall preferred to seek positives from the incident saying "It did my career a favour because it held me back a year or two. I could have had meaningful fights when I was younger and not been ready. I could have been and gone."
Defeat and fightback
Hall's perfect record however was about to be shattered in his first fight of 2007. The fight in July was to come a full year after the last time Hall had stepped into the ring when he had beaten Kevin Phelan with a 1st round stoppage. A year later the boot was to be on the other foot when, at the O2 ArenaThe O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Martin Concepcion
Martin Concepcion
Martin Concepcion is a professional boxer.Concepcion began boxing professionally on 6 December 2003, with his first bout being won by knockout, a theme that would be repeated 6 more times until 3 December 2004, when he won his first bout by decision. He racked up another KO before two more points...
stopped Hall in the first round handing him his first defeat in 5 years as a professional boxer. Hall responded to the defeat with a number of wins over worthy opponents. On 3rd December 2007 he defeated Tyan Booth at the Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester and on 22 March 2008 in his first fight of the new year beat the unbeaten Kerry Hope at the International Arena in Cardiff. On 6 September 2008 he beat the former celtic title challenger Taz Jones and on 10 October 2008 returned to Manchester to beat former Irish champion Ciaran Healy at the MEN Arena. On 12 December 2008 in his last fight of the year, Hall capped off a series of four wins in a row following the Concepcion
Martin Concepcion
Martin Concepcion is a professional boxer.Concepcion began boxing professionally on 6 December 2003, with his first bout being won by knockout, a theme that would be repeated 6 more times until 3 December 2004, when he won his first bout by decision. He racked up another KO before two more points...
defeat to stop former Central Area champion Jason Rushton in Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
.
Commonwealth Champion
Hall's winning run was to pay dividends as on 14 March 2009 Hall defeated defending champion Bradley PryceBradley Pryce
Bradley Pryce is a Welsh professional boxer. He usually fights at light middleweight or the divisions either side, is a two time challenger for the British title and is a former Commonwealth champion....
to lift the Commonwealth championship knocking Pryce out in the 2nd round. Disappointment following however when on 18 July 2009 Hall lost his title in his first defence at the MEN Arena in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He was defeated by Anthony Small
Anthony Small
Anthony Small is a professional boxer who has held both he British and Commonwealth belts at light middleweight. He goes by the alias 'Sugar Ray Clay Jones Jr.' , in homage to Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Cassius Clay, and Roy Jones Jr. Small converted to Islam at the age of 24 and is...
in a fight which also saw the vacant British title on the line, the referee stopping the fight in the 8th round handing both belts to Small. Following the contest Hall split from his long time trainer Brian Hughes and moved to try and rebuild with Bolton based trainer Karl Ince. Speaking of the change in direction Hall said that he had been "embarrassed" by his performance and added that "sometimes you need a change". In his first contest following the defeat on 15 May 2010, Hall scored a 5th round stoppage win over Tony Randell the British Masters champion in a non-title bout.
European title attempt
On 18 September 2010 as part of Frank WarrensFrank Warren (promoter)
Frank Darren Warren is an English boxing manager and promoter.-Early life and early career:The son of a bookmaker, Warren trained as a solicitor's clerk with J Tickle & Co on Southampton Row in London....
'Magnificent Seven' card, Hall lost for the third time in his career. The fight, for the vacant European title, had come at short notice for Hall following an injury to Ryan Rhodes
Ryan Rhodes
Ryan Rhodes is an English light middleweight boxer. Rhodes took up boxing at a young age, training at Brendan Ingle's gym in the Wincobank district of Sheffield.-Professional career:...
who had been due to defend the belt on the card. The injury had meant that the belt became vacant and Hall stepped in to fight the Czech Republics Lucas Konecny. In the end Konecny proved too much of a step up for Hall and following two knockdowns in the 6th round the referee stopped the fight. A disappointed Hall announced after the fight that it would be his last that he would retire.