Alex Farrell will have French opposition when he takes his first steps and throws his first professional punches on international soil.
Punch-lines reported last week how the Newcastle-based Black Diamond, trained in Peterlee by David Binns, had been handed a date on a big world title event in France.
Now the undefeated 23-year-old Phil Jeffries-managed prospect knows his opponent and, hardly surprisingly, it is a Frenchman.
Farrell will take on Stevens Bonicel at Cannes by the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, December 13.
Punch-lines is not sure how “he’s no dummy” translates into Francais but Bonicel is certainly in that compartment.
The 28-year-old is, like Farrell, relatively new to the pro ranks with only seven appearances under his belt, compared to four for Alex.
Bonicel has three wins, two draws and two defeats on his record, with his most recent outing bringing his first victory inside the distance, stopping compatriot Charles Ponze inside two rounds.
All seven contests have been with new or newish professionals and he would appear to be a very live opponent. He hails from Nimes, not a million miles away from the French Riveria location of Cannes so he will be highly motivated, especially as the event is being broadcast live on TV in France by Canal+.
Farrell boasts a 100 per cent record after four bouts, with one of his successes coming early, a third-round stoppage of Kearon Thomas at last December’s Christmas Cracker in Houghton, where the Walsall fighter was down twice to body shots.
It is a great stage for Alex, a former Greek amateur champion who is a student at Northumbria University in Newcastle, to display his talents and, on the evidence so far, those are considerable.
His employment on the show came after training with France’s world number three-ranked light-middleweight Michel Soro, who is part of the bill. The main event sees French/Armenia Arsen Goulamirian defend his WBA world cruiserweight title against Russian challenger Yury Kashinsky.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins/ East Durham Life
