Darlington’s first show of 2018 is really beginning to take shape.
Steve Wraith promotes at the Dolphin Centre again on Saturday, May 26, following on nicely from the December event when Chrissy Wood met Jamie Humble for the vacant Northern Area super-bantamweight title.
The North-East rivals played out a draw and Wraith has not one but two derbies at the Horsemarket venue.
Darlington’s Ellis Corrie (pictured) will face Newcastle’s Basi Razaq for a challenge belt over eight rounds while there is a local middleweight affair over six as Richard O’Neill, from Ferryhill, tackles the Hartlepool and Horden fighter, Greg O’Neil. Extra spice, if any was needed, comes from the fact the O’Neil/ls are former Gus Robinson Developments team-mates.
The show has more, much more.
British super-bantamweight title holder, Tommy Ward, will have a six-rounder as a tune up for the second defence of the Lonsdale Belt against Jazza Dickens at the end of July in Houghton.
Unbeaten Troy Williamson will box for the second occasion in his home town as he too warms up for a big fight.
The 26-year-old meets Jack Flatley in a battle of two undefeated British middleweights on the Terry Flanagan undercard in Manchester on Saturday, June 9, when a certain Tyson Fury makes his comeback.
Chris Burton is also boxing in his backyard for the second time as he makes his ring return after a six-year absence.
‘Hightower’ was one of Britain’s finest young heavyweights of the ‘noughties’ while based in Hartlepool under the guidance of a former British heavyweight championship challenger, Dave Garside, and trainer Neil Fannan.
But the 37-year-old, now managed by Wraith, is happily back in Darlo with coach Pete Shepperson and looking in fantastic nick for a four-rounder against an, as yet, unknown opponent.
Lower down the age scale two men take to the professional boards for the first time.
Mark Downing, another member of the flourishing Shepperson gym in Darlington, will box Londoner Jordan Grannum over four rounds.
Downing will be heading into his pro debut on cloud nine, having just become a dad after his better half, Farrah, gave birth to a daughter.
Luke Cope is the latest member of the Hartlepool fight family to join the paid ranks, following in the ring steps of Peter (15-5), Daniel (6-2-1) and Adam (1-0).
Rated by some observers as potentially the pick of the Cope crop, the former English lightweight belt holder, is being trained by Imran Naeem. He will face Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudry at the Dolphin Centre.
