UPCOMING ring ace Harry Matthews has signed off 2009 with his eighth straight professional conquest to head into the New Year under new management.

It is out with the old and in with the new for the Pocklington Rocket after he switched his promotional back-up team.

The 21-year-old light-middleweight has signed up to former British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Graham Earl. He is to be his new manager under the GP Promotions banner of which, family friend Steve Goodwin, will be Matthews’ promoter.

And as Matthews crowned his year with a comfortable points verdict over Lincolnshire’s Davey Jones at a gym at Hull City’s KC Stadium, he and his new management team have already agreed his first fight for 2010.

Matthews will be on the under-card of a five-bout bill headed by Earl, who is making his comeback at the MK Dons Stadium next March. The bill is titled “The Champion and his Apprentice” referring to the Earl-Matthews axis.

Earl retired last year after three defeats, which included a stoppage to Amir Khan, one of Britain’s new breed of world champions, who defends his World Boxing Associaion crown against Dmitriy Salita tonight.

Matthews also added he is still staying with his York-based trainer Glenn Banks, though occasionally he will journey south for further training with Luton-based Earl.

The Pocklington Rocket’s eighth consecutive professional triumph was by 59 points to 56 and was a far more convincing display than that which marked his debut in York several weeks earlier when pro boxing returned to the medieval city for the first time in more than a decade.

Originally he was due to fight eight two-minute rounds against Jones only for him to be replaced by Riga-born Alexandrs Spitko. Then Jones was restored as his challenger, though the contest was trimmed to six rounds.

In the fifth round he almost stopped Jones with a flurry of combinations only for the bell to save his opponent.

Then, early in the sixth round, Matthews was caught off balance by his unorthodox foe and was forced to take a standing count of eight. However, more frustrated than hurt, he returned to commanding the ring and gained the verdict.

Said Matthews: “I was disappointed that I did not finish him off and get a stoppage, which is what I was after.

“But I am looking forward to the New Year and the new promotions and management team.

“And Glenn Banks is always going to be there for me as he has already led me to an 8 and 0 record.”