Steve Wraith dubbed Darlington’s first show of 2018 ‘For whom the bell tolls’ but perhaps it should be the ‘magnificent seven’.
The Newcastle promoter has put together a belter of a card for the Dolphin Centre on Saturday night.
There are two cracking derbies, the appearance of two of the North-East’s most gifted operators, the return of a heavyweight giant and the debut of two of the region’s newest talents.
Bragging rights and a challenge belt are at stake at the top of the card where Darlington meets Newcastle.
A miss-match if it was football, but this match between hometown ace
Ellis Corrie and Newcastle’s Basi Razaq looks fascinating.
Corrie has come into boxing from an MMA background and looks a natural, winning two of his first three fights, with his third appearance a very close defeat in Wales to Maredudd Thomas in Ebbw Vale.
Razaq’s career began in sensational fashion with three stoppage wins in 2014, but he’s only boxed six times in the last three and a half years.
His 7-1-1 record would suggest he would have the edge, but Corrie looks a very bright operator.
It could be a eight-round classic.
Expect fireworks in the second local affair which pits two old team-mates and pals together.
Unbeaten Richard O’Neill, from Ferryhill, is faced by Hartlepool-based Horden middleweight, Greg ‘Real Deal’ O’Neil.
The duo were comrades at Gus Robinson Developments before O’Neill (with two Ls) moved to the flourishing Pete Shepperson gym and under the management of Wraith.
Richard has a 3-0-1 record while Greg is at 5-4 though comes into the clash off the back of two stoppages. This will be no chess match.
Two quality North-East performers will be boxing in the Dolphin Centre as preludes to bigger dates.
European super-bantamweight challenger Martin Ward (pictured) will have a six-rounder against Spanish-based Nicaraguan, Jose Aguilar.
It was expected that Tommy Ward would warm up here ahead of the second defence of his 8st 10lb title against former champ Jazza Dickens at Houghton on July 28. Instead, it’s elder brother Martin who will be flying the Ward flag in his first appearance since his defeat to Abigail Medina in Hartlepool in September.
Undefeated Darlington middleweight Troy Williamson meets a second Barcelona-based Nicaraguan, Michael Mora.
‘Trojan’ is in action again on Saturday June 9 in Manchester, where the 26-year-old will hope to make his breakthrough by beating unbeaten Jack Flatley on the Terry Flanagan world title. Williamson has established a six-bout winning run, four via stoppage.
Fellow Darlington fella, Chris Burton, is taping up his gloves for the first time since 2012.
‘Hightower’, now 37, has been matched with rugged Romanian, Gheorghe Danut, over four rounds.
Two North-East talents box for the first time in the paid ranks.
Mark Downing, part of the Jeff Saunders gym in Fishburn, tackles Londoner Jordan Grannum over four rounds.
Luke Cope, from Hartlepool but boxing out of Imran Naeem’s Stockton takes on Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudry, again over four rounds.
It all should be magnificent.
Words: Roy Kelly
