Congratulations Joe Maphosa, who is winning inside and outside the ring.
The unbeaten Thornaby boxer has been named as Teesside’s Future Star at the Evening Gazette Sports Awards in Middlesbrough.
Maphosa has made a super start to life in the professional ranks with six straight wins including three in 2018, the most recent being an excellent four-round points success over Gyula Dodu in Leicester.
The 24-year-old received his Gazette prize at the 21st Annual Awards, which were held at the Jurys Inn in Middlesbrough.
Commonwealth Games gold medalists Aimee Willmott and Charlie Tanfield were the principal winners last night with judges unable to separate them as the Gazette Sports Awards Sportsperson of the Year.
Watch out for Maphosa as a future champion in the main category.
Trained by Imran Naeem at the NPBA gym in Stockton and one of the brightest prospects of Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, ‘Smokin’ Joe hosts a 100 per cent record since turning pro.
He was highly impressive against Dodu, a young, ambitious, winning fighter who holds the little-known Universal Boxing Organisation international super flyweight title.
Maphosa, a graduate of the Tees Active Sports Academy, will have his first six-rounder at the bill dubbed ‘Xmas Cracker’ in Dunston on Saturday, November 24.
Joe is scheduled to be joined on the Steve Wraith/ Phil Jeffries event by NPBA team-mates Luke Cope, Terry Tyers and Mohammed Waqas plus Ellis Corrie John Green, Lawrence Osueke and Troy Williamson.
Stand-out bout, to date, is the North-East derby between new pro Reece McAllister and Tom Whitfield.
McAllister, from Newton Aycliffe, made a successful debut at the Lancastrian Suite last month, while South Shields star Whitfield is making a welcome return after a ring absence of 16 months.
Words: Roy Kelly
