Calling this show a blockbuster simply does not do this justice.
Newcastle is going to host not one, but TWO final WBA world championship eliminators on Saturday, February 25.
Forest Hall hero Lewis Ritson will tackle arch-rival Ohara Davies in a mouth-watering all-English light-welterweight confrontation at the Utilita Arena, while Tommy Ward faces Uzbekistan sensation Otabek Kholmatov at featherweight.
They are fights that have been in the offing for some time, but the announcement finally hit social media (where else?) on Friday.
Phil Jeffries, the manager of ‘The Sandman’, will promote the show and believes it will be the stage where Ritson and Ward will make the ultimate breakthrough.
“It’s a huge night for North-East boxing,” Jeffries told punch-lines.
“I’m confident Lewis and Tommy are ready to set up world championship shots and they are going to be doing it on home soil.
“This is their big chance and with a North-East crowd behind them they will take some beating.”
For ex-British lightweight king Ritson, this will be his third world title eliminator and it looks just as hard as the others.
Davies is placed at two in the World Boxing Association’s ratings, two spots above the Geordie.
The Londoner, in an interview last year, claimed Ritson is “bang average” and doesn’t “see him lasting more than three or four rounds”.
Both rivals have incredibly similar fight logs, Davies boasting a 24-2 record as opposed to Ritson’s 23-2, with the Hackney boxer ahead on stoppages 17-13.
Ritson beat a fighter by the name of Davies in his first WBA world title eliminator, outpointing Robbie Davies Jar at the Utilita Arena in October 2019, before being stopped by Jeremias Ponce at the Eagles Arena in the summer of 2021.
The 29-year-old, trained by dad Davy, has rebuilt superbly since losing to the Argentinian, stopping Christian Uruzquieta at the Rainton Arena before a unanimous points verdict against Dejan Zlaticanan at the Utilita 11 months ago.
This promises to be some fight.
So too does Ward v Kholmatov as the 28-year-old from Co Durham finally gets within sight of a world title tilt after four years in the world top 10.
The unbeaten Dave Garside and Neil Fannan talent is the WBA’s number one-rated featherweight and is matched against the man at two.
Florida-based Kholmatov has made a quick and dramatic rise, the southpaw having won all 10 of his bouts, nine early, while Ward is undefeated in 34 contests.
Probellum, the company who promote the likes of Ritson, Ward, Troy Williamson and IBF World flyweight champion Sunny Edwards, among others, were expected to stage it a year on from their huge event of February 2022 when Williamson made the maiden defence of his British light-middleweight title against Mason Cartwright.
But it will be veteran North-East fight figure Jeffries whose name will be above the proverbial door for this one, which will provoke speculation as to Probellum’s future.
Probellum were only formed in September 2021 and made an instant impact with some high-profile signings and in president Richard Schaefer they had a man at the top with a wealth of experience and expertise after his time as CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.
Little though has been seen or heard of the company over the past month.
Boxing politics, however, is unlikely to be on the minds of North-East fight fans with two world title eliminators to focus on.
Words: Roy Kelly
