Darren Surtees has been handed the biggest date of his professional career – an appearance on the World Boxing Super Series final in Saudi Arabia.
The unbeaten light-welterweight, from Thornley in Co Durham will box Giorgi Gviniashvili on Friday, September 28 at the King Abdullah Sports City, where George Groves faces Callum Smith in the climax to the WBSS super-middleweight tournament.
Coach Dave Binns told punch-lines: “What an opportunity for Darren.
“This is one of the biggest shows in the world and the Sauerlands who are promoting the event want him on it.
“Darren is looking really well, he did 12 rounds with [Commonwealth champion] Glenn Foot at East Durham College this morning and he’s bang up for it.”
Surtees seems to have struck gold by getting a spot on the card in Jeddah, against the do-or-die Georgian who, like Darren loves a stoppage victory.
Gviniashvili has won 16 times, 12 inside the distance, with 12 losses and a draw also on his record.
Surtees, meanwhile, boasts eight straight victories, five coming early.
Binns has done his homework on Gviniashvili and is predicting a huge scrap in Saudi Arabia.
“I’ve watched him on You Tube and he’s a bit of a rough handful,” he said.
“He likes to have a go and he has a bit of a bang on him.
“But I have every confidence in Darren, he’s looking great and, fingers crossed, for a top performance here.”
‘Dazzla’ made some entrance as a professional, stopping five of his first seven victims, including a belting Northern Area title triumph over Ross Jameson in Houghton in May 2017.
The Peterlee-trained prospect’s career was interrupted by a year out when misfortune struck.
Injury cost him an appearance on ITV on the World Super Series show in Liverpool against Adam Little while, a mouth-watering collieries derby with old pal, Anth Hardy, fell through.
He was then ruled out of the March show at Rainton Meadows after the British Boxing Board of Control did not pass his medical, but he returned in July when he outpointed William Warburton at the Summer Rumble.
ITV Box Office will show the event from Jeddah.
Words: Roy Kelly
