Lawrence Osueke faces a step up in class when he boxes on the Bad Blood show in Newcastle next month.
The 31-year-old has been matched with former British light-heavyweight championship challenger, Ricky Summers at the Utilita Arena on Saturday, October 19.
It’s a night when Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stages a mouthwatering night of domestic dust headlined by Lewis Ritson v Robbie Davies and Ted Cheeseman v Scott Fitzgerald.
For both Osueke and Summers this represents a significant opportunity – Lawrence has a 100 per cent record of nine wins while Ricky’s log stands at 16-2 with the man from the West Midlands looking to carve out another shot at the British title.
Osueke-Summers is part two of a hectic three weeks for the Geordie who boxes on the MTK show at the Newcastle Eagles Community Arena on Saturday, September 28.
No opponent has been announced yet for the boxer coached by Nik Gittus at the Wallsend Boxing Academy and managed by Steve Wraith.
“It’s a fantastic time, especially with Lawrence also being announced in the MTK show as well ” Wraith told punch-lines.
“It’s time for Lawrence to step up, these are two big fights for him in his hometown in the space of three weeks.
“Hopefully then there will be some bigger news at the end of the year.”
It’s been a splendid 18 months for the former ABA champion, who won over eight rounds last time out at the Summer Rumble in July against Cambridge’s Gianni Antoh.
It has been a case of steady rather than spectacular progress, but his performances have been of the quality to suggest he is ready for Summers.
“To step up to eight rounds at the Stadium of Light was a big thing from Lawrence’s perspective,” said Wraith. “As a team, we’ve guided him, Nik, me, his uncle Manny, and we’ll talk everything through with Lawrence.
“We’re pleased to get him on as many shows as we have since going pro and now we’re ready for this step up.
“It’s been a very good and interesting 18 months for Lawrence and hopefully it will carry on in the same vein.”
No matches on the MTK promotion but fight fans in our region are being spoiled this autumn with Wraith summing things up superbly.
“It’s a helluva month for North-East boxing,” he said. “The top of the bill at the Matchroom show, Ritson and Davies Jnr, is a great fight and so is Cheeseman against Fitzgerald.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
