Thomas Essomba is back on the title trail after being handed a shot at the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight championship.
The North-East boxer will fight Scotland’s wonder kid Lee McGregor at London’s York Hall on Saturday, October 13.
It is a huge opportunity for the 30-year-old and a massive stage too with the bout being shown live on Channel 5.
Essomba lost his English title last time out to Kyle Williams in Wolverhampton, but that split decision defeat has not stopped the Commonwealth Council from matching him with McGregor.
This looks like being some scrap.
McGregor, a stablemate of world-class Josh Taylor, is the next Scottish boxer tipped for stardom, but has had only FOUR contests. All wins, of course, and all inside the distance.
The 21-year-old’s stand-out display came in June when he lifted the vacant International Boxing Federation’s Youth bantamweight title with a fourth-round stoppage of Tanzania’s Goodluck Mrema at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro.
McGregor has an imperious amateur pedigree and has the considerable might of Cyclone Promotions and Barry McGuigan in his corner.
Fighting for the Commonwealth title so early in a career is bold but Cyclone Promotions and McGuigan clearly fancy the job.
“This kid is one of the most exciting talents in boxing right now and he’s very keen to continue his knockout performances against teak-tough Essomba,” said the former WBA featherweight champion.
Essomba knows all about winning the Commonwealth title early in is career, he clinched the flyweight crown by stopping Waleed Din in Rotherham in only his sixth bout.
Since then the Sunderland fighter, now living in Stockton, has moved up to bantamweight where he won the English strap with a sixth-round KO of Louis Norman at the King Power Stadium in Leicester.
The former Olympia showed his power again in his maiden defence at the Willows Banqueting Suite in Willenhall in June, only for Williams to get up and come back strongly to win via a split decision.
One judge went for Thomas 96-94 but the other two officials scored for Kyle 96-93.
Kieran Farrell-managed Essomba now has the opening to get back on the title trail.
Words: Roy Kelly
