Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn promised to begin the 2026 slate with a series of big fight nights and Friday night, they announced four shows across UK and U.S. markets in January and February.

Having won the purse bid for Andy Cruz's impending world lightweight title shot, it has now been confirmed the Cuban will face newly-minted champion Raymond Muratalla atop a January 24 show at Las Vegas' Fontainebleau. This is the same venue WBO flyweight beltholder Anthony Olascuaga defended his title as part of the Canelo-Crawford fight week festivities in September.

Bozy Ennis-trained contender Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) will fancy his chances against Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs), especially given head coach Robert Garcia's admission the champion could be headed up to 140 pounds after this first championship defence.

The following weekend, January 31, another IBF title will be up for grabs when unbeaten junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev makes his long-awaited second defence against Sunderland's Josh Kelly at Newcastle's 11,000-seater Utilita Arena.

Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) will again venture into enemy territory as he ends a 15-month absence from competition, though that won't faze him as Kelly (17-1-1, 9 KOs) has flattered to deceive at times and will face a serious step-up in competition on his return to Matchroom.

Three weeks later sees a rematch more than two years in the making, when former world champions Leigh Wood (28-4, 17 KOs) and Josh Warrington (32-4-1, 8 KOs) collide at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena. Wood trailed 59-55 on two scorecards and 58-56 on the other, before landing a right hook and flurry Warrington didn't see coming to end proceedings in the seventh round.

They've both suffered humbling defeats and contemplated their future since then, but will run back one of 2023's most entertaining spectacles in Wood's hometown after his ninth-round stoppage defeat by Anthony Cacace in May.

The following weekend, Matchroom head stateside after brokering a deal to ensure the IBF/WBO title unification between Eduardo Nunez and Emanuel Navarrete is the next port of call for both men in Glendale, Arizona - home to one of the country's largest Mexican populations.

Nunez (29-1, 27 KOs) didn't have it all his own way but earned a gritty 12-round decision win over Christopher Diaz-Velez in his September homecoming, having overwhelmed Masanori Rikiishi for the 130-pound strap in Yokohama, Japan four months earlier.

Hearn bemoaned 'Sugar' feeling flat and drained from an emotional week, but he must be sharper next time out after facing off with Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) in the ring post-fight.

The 30-year-old was slated to be facing Philippines' challenger Charly Suarez in an immediate rematch of their May 10 matchup, which ended prematurely due to an accidental headbutt and was later ruled a no-contest after seven completed rounds.

Instead, fans will be treated to an explosive all-Mexican showdown in a weight division needing a jolt like this with high-risk, high-reward opportunities on the horizon.