James Martin Tennyson (born 6 August 1993) is a Northern Irish former professional boxer who competed from 2012 to 2021. who challenged for the IBF super-featherweight title in 2018 and the IBO lightweight title in May 2021. At regional level he held the Commonwealth and European super-featherweight titles in 2018 and the British lightweight title from 2020 to May 2021.
James Tennyson | |
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Statistics | |
Nickname(s) | The Assassin |
Weight(s) |
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Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
Nationality | Northern Irish |
Born | (1993-08-06) 6 August 1993 (age 29) Lisburn, Northern Ireland |
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 32 |
Wins | 28 |
Wins by KO | 24 |
Losses | 4 |
Tennyson is a two-time super-featherweight Irish champion. In 2013, he became the youngest ever modern era Irish champion by defeating former champion Mickey Coveney by knockout (KO) in the second round in what was only his sixth professional contest at the now demolished old St. Kevins Hall.[1] In 2017, he won the title for the second time with a sixth-round technical knockout (TKO) over Dublin's former highly decorated amateur stand out Declan Geraghty at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast, live on BoxNation.[2]
He became Celtic featherweight champion in 2015 by way of disqualification after his opponent, Kris Hughes of Scotland, continued to hold after having already been deducted three points in the fight for persistent holding while heavily behind on points. This contest was also a final eliminator for the British featherweight title.[3]
Tennyson challenged Ryan Walsh for the British featherweight title, losing by fifth-round TKO after having been dropped twice in the fight by body shots. This contest proved to be his last at featherweight having struggled to make the weight.[4]
After a fifth round TKO loss at Super-Featherweight to then IBF Champion, Tevin Farmer in 2018 (once again via body shots), it became apparent that Tennyson was still having to drain himself significantly to make weight and it was affecting his performances in the ring.[5] He made the smart decision to move up to Lightweight the next year. Since making the move, Tennyson had won six straight fights by knockout, including wins over the likes of Atif Shafiq, Craig Evans, Gavin Gwynne (against whom he won the vacant British Lightweight title), and previously unbeaten Josh O’Reilly,[6] before losing to unheralded Mexican Jovanni Straffon by 1st-round TKO.[7]
On December 4, 2020, Tennyson fought Josh O'Reilly, who was ranked #7 at lightweight by the WBA, in a world title eliminator. Tennyson won the fight easily via a first round TKO.[8]
In his next bout, Tennyson faced Jovanni Straffon. Tennyson started the fight aggressively but Straffon retaliated with a few power punches of his own. As the pair went toe-to-toe, Straffon had more success, landing the better shots and dropping Tennyson twice before the referee decided to wave the fight off and award him the victory.[9]
32 fights | 28 wins | 4 losses |
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By knockout | 24 | 4 |
By decision | 3 | 0 |
By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
32 | Loss | 28–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (12), 2:10 | 1 May 2021 | ![]() |
For vacant IBO lightweight title |
31 | Win | 28–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (12), 1:37 | 4 Dec 2020 | ![]() |
|
30 | Win | 27–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (12), 2:30 | 1 Aug 2020 | ![]() |
Won vacant British lightweight title |
29 | Win | 26–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 11 (12), 2:00 | 23 Nov 2019 | ![]() |
|
28 | Win | 25–3 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (10), 2:51 | 31 Aug 2019 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBA International lightweight title |
27 | Win | 24–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6), 2:01 | 18 May 2019 | ![]() |
|
26 | Win | 23–3 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (10), 3:05 | 9 Feb 2019 | ![]() |
|
25 | Loss | 22–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (12), 1:44 | 20 Oct 2018 | ![]() |
For IBF super-featherweight title |
24 | Win | 22–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (12), 2:24 | 5 May 2018 | ![]() |
Retained WBA International super-featherweight title; Won Commonwealth, and European super-featherweight titles |
22 | Win | 21–2 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (8), 0:59 | 3 Feb 2018 | ![]() |
|
22 | Win | 20–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:24 | 21 Oct 2017 | ![]() |
Retained WBA International super-featherweight title |
21 | Win | 19–2 | ![]() |
RTD | 6 (10), 3:00 | 10 Jun 2017 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBA International super-featherweight title |
20 | Win | 18–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (10), 2:53 | 10 Mar 2017 | ![]() |
Won vacant BUI featherweight title |
19 | Win | 17–2 | ![]() |
PTS | 4 | 5 Nov 2016 | ![]() |
|
18 | Loss | 16–2 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (12), 2:34 | 30 Apr 2016 | ![]() |
For British featherweight title |
17 | Win | 16–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6), 2:07 | 6 Feb 2016 | ![]() |
|
16 | Win | 15–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6), 1:50 | 14 Nov 2015 | ![]() |
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15 | Win | 14–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (8), 2:18 | 17 Oct 2015 | ![]() |
|
14 | Win | 13–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (6), 2:43 | 6 Jun 2015 | ![]() |
|
13 | Win | 12–1 | ![]() |
DQ | 7 (10), 2:31 | 28 Mar 2015 | ![]() |
Won Celtic featherweight title; Hughes disqualified for persistent holding |
12 | Win | 11–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6), 1:23 | 7 Feb 2015 | ![]() |
|
11 | Win | 10–1 | ![]() |
PTS | 8 | 10 May 2014 | ![]() |
|
10 | Win | 9–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (4), 2:57 | 18 Apr 2014 | ![]() |
|
9 | Loss | 8–1 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6), 0:41 | 19 Oct 2013 | ![]() |
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8 | Win | 8–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6), 2:49 | 28 Jun 2013 | ![]() |
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7 | Win | 7–0 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (6), 1:41 | 24 May 2013 | ![]() |
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6 | Win | 6–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 1:41 | 27 Apr 2013 | ![]() |
Won vacant BUI super-featherweight title |
5 | Win | 5–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (8), 0:57 | 9 Mar 2013 | ![]() |
|
4 | Win | 4–0 | ![]() |
PTS | 6 | 7 Dec 2012 | ![]() |
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3 | Win | 3–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (4), 1:14 | 3 Nov 2012 | ![]() |
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2 | Win | 2–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (4), 0:52 | 13 Oct 2012 | ![]() |
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1 | Win | 1–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (4), 1:57 | 8 Sep 2012 | ![]() |
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)Sporting positions | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Regional boxing titles | ||||
Vacant Title last held by Anthony Cacace |
Irish super-featherweight champion 27 April 2013 – 2014 |
Vacant Title next held by Himself | ||
Preceded by Kris Hughes |
BBBofC Celtic featherweight champion 28 March 2015 – 2016 |
Vacant Title next held by Nathaniel Collins | ||
Vacant Title last held by Himself |
Irish super-featherweight champion 10 March 2017 – May 2017 |
Vacant | ||
Vacant Title last held by Xu Can |
WBA International super-featherweight champion 10 June 2017 – September 2018 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by John Joe Nevin | ||
Preceded by | Commonwealth super-featherweight champion 5 May 2018 – September 2018 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Zelfa Barrett | ||
European super-featherweight champion 5 May 2018 – September 2018 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Samir Ziani | |||
Vacant Title last held by Devin Haney |
WBA International lightweight champion 31 August 2019 – January 2021 |
Vacant Title next held by Artem Harutyunyan | ||
Vacant Title last held by Joe Cordina |
British lightweight champion 1 August 2020 – December 2020 |
Vacant Title next held by Maxi Hughes |