Golden contract equals golden opportunity for Darren Surtees.
The Co Durham boxer with a 100 per cent record is just over a couple of weeks away from the biggest chance of his life.
Surtees is one of the eight men doing battle in MTK’s incredible Golden Contract light-welterweight tournament, which launches on Friday, November 22 at the iconic York Hall.
The boxer, trained by Dave Binns in Peterlee and managed by Lewis Ritson’s boss, Phil Jeffries, is not heading to the East End just to make up the numbers.
“I’m training as hard as I can and if the worst comes to the worst and I go out, I know I’ve done my best,” said the 25-year-old. “But we’re not thinking of defeat, we’re going in it to win it.”
The MTK competition, shown live by Sky Sports, is not short on quality, with the entrants including hard-hitting Londoner Ohara Davies, Belfast’s Tyrone McKenna, IBO world champ Mohamed Mimoune, unbeaten Kazakhstan fighter Zhankosh Turarov and former European champion Anthony Yigit.
‘Dazzla’ is the outsider and does not mind the tag but, whatever you do, do not dare to suggest that he has no hope.
“It’s really exciting,” he told punch-lines. “I’m looking forward to seeing how good I am and prove a point really.
“When my name was suggested for the tournament I heard someone say I wasn’t worth a place, so I said to Dave ‘put me in’, I’ll prove a point.
“So far in my career, the only person I look to prove myself to is Dave.
“I do believe Dave when he tells me I’m good enough but I can’t wait to know for myself in this tournament.
“I’m tough enough, I’m strong enough, I’m good enough.”
Pro tournament boxing took off with Prizefighter, a one-night competition featuring eight boxers, with the winner coming through three three-round ‘sprints’.
The World Boxing Super Series lifted it to a new level with the top fighters in the planet coming together in a rare treat for fans – the best actually fighting the best.
MTK’s Golden Contract looks a winner too, with the combatants taking part in 10-round quarters, semis and final.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
