Inspired Luke McCormack is looking for another night of Great Britain boxing magic.
The North-East fighter has been named in the British Lionhearts team to tackle Italia Thunder in the next World Series of Boxing event on Friday, March 2.
Having watched twin brother, Pat, captain GB’s side to a 5-0 rout of the Croatian Knights last weekend, Luke will now fight in Liverpool at the Auditorium, at the Echo Arena.
Luke already has a WSB victory under his belt this year, having clinched a point in the defeat to the French Fighting Roosters, but he has been buoyed by that success at Gateshead Leisure Centre.
“Pat, and clubmate, Calum French, were in the team for the last home match in Gateshead so I went to watch it and the atmosphere was absolutely brilliant,” said the light-welterweight, from Washington.
“I am hoping it is going to be the same in Liverpool.
“It’s great that we have a local lad in the team, in Peter McGrail, but hopefully the fans will really get behind all of the Lionhearts boxers and create a great atmosphere on the night.”
McGrail is something special having won at the European Championships last summer.
The bantamweight will be joined by three fellow members of the GB Boxing Olympic programme including, Rio 20-16 competitor, Galal Yafai (light-flyweight) and rising star, Ben Whittaker (middleweight). Overseas selection, Radoslav Pantaleev (heavyweight), of Bulgaria completes the line-up.
Tickets for British Lionhearts v Italia Thunder in WSB priced £20 are available at www.echoarena.com and www.gboxing.org.uk/tickets.
McGrail added: “In the last week I have had a lot more people contact me about the WSB match so it seems to be creating a real buzz now.
“Liverpool is a sport mad city and the people here know their boxing, so I reckon they are going to love WSB. My preparations are going well and I can’t wait for the 2nd March.
“WSB is much more like professional boxing with more round rounds and all of the extra bits of show, like the ringwalk and the weigh-in the day before.
“The matches feature five good quality bouts between top-class boxers so it is not like some pro-show undercards where you know who is going to win the fight before the boxers get in the ring.”
Words: Roy Kelly
