Have we ever had it so good?
Great Britain has never had so many champions with Anthony Joshua at the top of the pile with four of the world heavyweight belts. Just the WBC to go, AJ!
However, in this corner of North East England life is looking fine and dandy.
No world champions, not yet anyway, though (in alphabetical order) Josh Kelly, Josh Leather, Lewis Ritson and Tommy Ward will have their sights set on winning the big one. It would be a brave man to dispel Glenn Foot, who is Commonwealth champion, a belt which carries good points among the world governing bodies.
Our region is awash with titles, Foot with the old Empire crown, Ritson and Ward (British), Leather (IBF European), Kelly (WBA international) plus Sunderland’s Thomas Essomba (English).
Foot, Kelly, Leather and Ward all have dates coming up and we’ll see at least three of them on home soil.
Talking of home soil, there is a show per month in the North-East.
First up, it’s the return of Babyface, with
former Commonwealth champion, Anthony Nelson, headlining Steve Wraith’s show at South Shields on Saturday, April 28.
It’s a packed programme, with unbeaten Teesside quartet, the Leathers, Josh and Kalam, Joe Maphosa and Jeff Saunders joining Nella and his undefeated team-mates, Paul Gidney and Sam Menzies on the bill at Temple Park.
Wraith rides again in Darlington on Saturday, May 26 when another familiar figure makes his comeback, Chris ‘Hightower’ Burton. Ellis Corrie’s challenge belt derby with Basi Razak tops that event.
Fast forward three Saturdays and Eddie Hearn brings Matchroom back to the Metro Radio Arena for the first time since 2015, with Foot, Kelly and Ritson treading the boards. Expect tickets to go like the proverbial hot cakes.
No announcement has been made yet, but July is the traditional time for the Summer Rumble.
Phil Jeffries was doing stadium shows long before they became trendy and expect to see new North-East talent like Chris Grout and Joe and Tom Hill in action, and hopefully the unbeaten Darren Surtees at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.
Have we ever had it so good?
Words: Roy Kelly Main picture: Lawrence Lustig/ Matchroom
