# Craig Richards (boxer)

Craig Richards (born 30 April 1990) is an English professional boxer. He has challenged once for the WBA (Super) light-heavyweight in 2021. At regional level, he held the British light-heavyweight title from 2020 to 2021

## Amateur career

Richards started his early boxing career at the South Norwood and Victory club, Charnwood Road, Crystal Palace, London, England. His trainer, Terry Smith, worked with Richards winning the Senior Novices.
Richards then left to box for the Lynn Athletic Boxing Club, where he met Terry Palmer, Richards moved with Palmer to his new club in Bellingham Palmers Boxing Academy.

## Professional career

Richards made his professional debut on 28 May 2015, scoring a first-round technical knockout (TKO) victory over a scheduled four rounds against James Child at the York Hall in London. He ended 2015 with a points decision (PTS) win against Scott Douglas in October.
He tallied up another five wins in 2016; Kieron Gray on PTS in January; a TKO over Richard Horton in June; Dalton Miller and Adam Jones by PTS in September; and a TKO over Bronislav Kubin in November.
On 17 March 2017, Richards fought for his first professional title, winning via ten-round unanimous decision (UD) against Alan Higgins at the York Hall to capture the Southern Area super-middleweight. He secured a PTS win against Rui Pavanito in July and a TKO win over Norbert Szekeres in October. Two days after his win over Szekeres, Callum Johnson pulled out of his British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight unification fight with Frank Buglioni. Richards was brought in as a last minute opponent at five days notice. The fight took place on 28 October at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, and was aired live on Sky Sports Box Office as part of the undercard for Anthony Joshua vs. Carlos Takam. Richards suffered the first defeat of his professional career, losing by UD over twelve rounds. Two judges scored the bout 117–111 while the third scored it 116–113.
Richards came back with three stoppage wins in 2018; Ivan Stupalo in March; Bosko Misic in June; and Michal Ludwiczak in October. He began 2019 with a third-round TKO win against Alan Ball to capture the vacant WBA Intercontinental light-heavyweight title. The bout took place on 2 February at The O2 Arena in London. He had two more fights that year; a twelve-round UD victory against Andre Sterling in June and an eight-round draw against Chad Sugden in December.
It was announced in September 2020 that Richards would make a second attempt at the British title, this time against reigning champion Shakan Pitters on 14 November at the Fly By Nite Rehearsal Studios in Redditch. However, Pitters withdrew from the bout on medical advice after suffering an injury during training, with a new date being scheduled for 18 December at the same venue. Richards scored a knockdown in the fourth round, dropping the champion to the canvas with a right hook. Pitters made it back to his feet before the referee's count of ten to see out the remainder of the round on his feet. Richards scored a second knockdown in the ninth round, this time with a left hook. Pitters again made it back to his feet, but on unsteady legs, prompting referee Victor Loughlin to call a halt to the contest at 2 minutes and 42 seconds, awarding Richards the British title via ninth-round TKO.
In March 2021, it was announced that Richards would challenge for his first world title, facing reigning champion Dmitry Bivol for the WBA (Super) light-heavyweight title on 1 May at the AO Arena in Manchester. As part of the undercard for Joseph Parker vs. Derek Chisora. Richards lost the bout via unanimous decision.

## Professional boxing record

| 23 fights | 18 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 11 | 0 |
| By decision | 7 | 4 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 23 | Loss | 18–4–1 | Willy Hutchinson | UD | 12 | 1 June 2024 | Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | For vacant WBC Silver light-heavyweight title. |
| 22 | Win | 18–3–1 | Boris Crighton | TKO | 7 (10), 2:52 | 10 Feb 2024 | Indigo at The O2, Greenwich, England | |
| 21 | Loss | 17–3–1 | Joshua Buatsi | UD | 12 | 21 May 2022 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 20 | Win | 17–2–1 | Marek Matyja | TKO | 6 (10), 2:34 | 30 Oct 2021 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Won vacant WBA International light-heavyweight title. |
| 19 | Loss | 16–2–1 | Dmitry Bivol | UD | 12 | 1 May 2021 | AO Arena, Manchester, England | For WBA (Super) light-heavyweight title. |
| 18 | Win | 16–1–1 | Shakan Pitters | TKO | 9 (12), 2:42 | 18 Dec 2020 | Fly By Nite Rehearsal Studios, Redditch, England | Won British light-heavyweight title. |
| 17 | Draw | 15–1–1 | Chad Sugden | PTS | 8 | 19 Dec 2019 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Andre Sterling | UD | 12 | 21 Jun 2019 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 15 | Win | 14–1 | Jake Ball | TKO | 3 (10), 2:27 | 2 Feb 2019 | The O2 Arena, London, England | Won vacant WBA Continental light-heavyweight title. |
| 14 | Win | 13–1 | Michal Ludwiczak | TKO | 2 (6), 2:35 | 27 Oct 2018 | Copper Box Arena, London, England | |
| 13 | Win | 12–1 | Bosko Misic | KO | 3 (6), 1:15 | 6 Jun 2018 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 12 | Win | 11–1 | Ivan Stupalo | TKO | 3 (6), 1:46 | 24 Mar 2018 | The O2 Aren, London, England | |
| 11 | Loss | 10–1 | Frank Buglioni | UD | 12 | 28 Oct 2017 | Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | For British light-heavyweight title. |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Norbert Szekeres | TKO | 3 (6), 1:58 | 21 Oct 2017 | The SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Rui Pavanito | PTS | 6 | 1 Jul 2017 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Alan Higgins | PTS | 10 | 17 Mar 2017 | York Hall, London, England | Won Southern Area super-middleweight title. |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Bronislav Kubin | TKO | 2 (6), 2:50 | 26 Nov 2016 | Wembley Arena, London, England | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Adam Jones | PTS | 6 | 29 Sep 2016 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Dalton Miller | PTS | 4 | 10 Sep 2016 | The O2 Arena, London, England | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Richard Horton | TKO | 1 (4), 2:59 | 21 Jun 2016 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Kieron Gray | PTS | 4 | 30 Jan 2016 | Copper Box Arena, London, England | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Scott Douglas | PTS | 4 | 10 Oct 2015 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | James Childs | TKO | 1 (4), 0:49 | 28 May 2015 | York Hall, London, England | |