Here’s a quiz to start with – how many Northern Area champions can you name?
You don’t need many fingers and the man in the headline you will have already guessed is one of them.
There are, in fact, only three Northern Area belt holders (in alphabetical order) Liam Conroy, Billy Snaith and Darren Surtees.
Few might realise Cumbria is actually part of our boxing region and Conroy is the fighting pride of Barrow-in-Furness after 16 wins and only three losses in an impressive 20-bout career.
Conroy now has the chance to do something really special when he fights Joshua Buatsi for the vacant British light-heavyweight title in London on Saturday, March 23. The pair are pictured above with promoter Eddie Hearn in the middle.
It is one of three domestic dust-ups on the undercard of Charlie Edwards’ WBC world flyweight title defence against Spain’s Angel Moreno at the Copperbox Arena, where Lewis Ritson’s defends his British lightweight crown for the fourth time, against Wakefield KO merchant, Andy Townend.
Conroy, on paper, would appear to have his work cut out given the calibre of his opponent – the bronze medalist from Rio 2016 has made a 100 per cent start as a professional with nine straight wins, seven inside the distance.
But Conroy is not even thinking about his rival, only his shot at glory.
“This is a massive fight but I think it’s been a long time coming,” said the 26-year-old. “I won my British title fight eliminator in 2017 and I’ve just been working relentlessly since.
“This has always been my goal.
“I’m just dead grateful for being on the show.
“I’d like to thank Matchroom for putting on the show against Buatsi, but it’s not about the opponent, it’s about my journey and the British title is my dream so I’m going to give it everything that I can and keep on going relentlessly till the final bell. I won’t stop until I have that belt.
“Like I say, it wasn’t about the opponent, it was about the title and I think no matter who the opponent was I would have taken the fight.
“People seem to think that I’ve been given something here, being in this fight but I haven’t been given anything.
“I’ve kicked down all of these doors and I’ve made myself mandatory challenger to the British title.”
Thumped rather than kicked would be a more apt word.
Since stopping Darlington’s Steve Cooper for that Northern Area belt he has been on the rampage in English championship clashes, stopping Joel McIntyre in round two to take the title before defending it against Chris Hobbs (R9) and Miles Shinkwin (R2).
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
