Third time lucky. That is the scenario for Will Howe, who finally gets to strut his stuff on Saturday night.
The Middlesbrough heavyweight, who fights out of Billingham Boxing Academy, tackles Fouad Shaili on the Eston Leisure Centre show, having seen appearances at the previous two shows collapse at the last minute.
Punch-lines can report that the Frenchman has arrived for duty, which means the ‘Boro Balboa’ can prepare to let his hands go and chase his third pro win and his first in a TS postcode.
On the subject of heavyweights, one Teesside crowd favourite is out to make it a perfect 10.
Michael Webster’s log stands at 9-1 ahead of his bout with Belarus heavyweight Yuri Bykhautsu.
Webba was very unlucky not to pick up the English heavyweight title last time out against Solomon Dacres in Manchester in November and it’s good to see him on home turf here.
The heavies make up nearly a quarter of the bill, with nine fights for the fans to enjoy.
Trimdon also provide two of the home corner as the Billingham Boxing Academy pair Tom Summerbell and Jim Tyers look to maintain their perfect starts as professionals.
Summerbell, just out in front at 6-0, takes on Swindon’s Jenson Irving, while Tyers (4-0) meets dangerous Grimsby operator Tom Ramsden, a stoppage winner last time out.
Tyers was a shut-out winner in his fourth pro appearance against Londoner Robbie Chapman at Eston, while Summerbell was busy in outpointing Rochdale’s Richard Helm. Both will be worth watching.
Sticking with the double theme, punch-lines turns its attention on Darlington as Josh Babb and Liam Copping aim to carry on from where they left off from the most recent event here.
Babb, who began his professional career in style with a shut-out six-round win over Bradford’s Jake Pollard, takes on Stephen Jackson. The Argie Ward-trained 23-year-old goes over six again here.
Copping, coached by Pete Shepperson, let his right hand go regularly in defeating Oliver Brackenbury-Danquah on debut, and he’ll be looking for more of the same against Liverpool-based Lithuanian Genadij Krajevskij.
North-West Durham is also represented by two bright talents of its own.
Sunniside’s Josh Blenkiron, who has won all eight of his rounds at Eston, is up against Manchester’s Harley Marginson.
And Ryton’s Sophie Rodgers, who triumphed against Yorkshire girl Kira Carter on her debut in February, faces Camden Town-based Ukrainian Inna Statkevych, who brings a 5-5-3 record to Teesside. It looks a good match.
From the least experienced on the bill, that brings us on to the home boxer with the most rounds under his belt.
Tom Hill, 19 months since his last outing, makes a welcome return in a six-rounder with Yorkshire-based 2012 Olympian Serge Ambomo.
Click here to read about Hill’s comeback.
The show is set to get under way at 7pm.
Words: Roy Kelly
