Get ready for one hell of a Tyne-Tees match between Ewan Mackenzie and Tom Hill.
The welterweights are to meet for the Northern Area title on Saturday, July 27 on the Jobes Boxing event at Rainton Arena.
It is hoped the Jarrow v Redcar (or Jarra v Redcu as they are known locally) will also have an English championship eliminator tag to it too.
Hill’s ultimate goal is of British title glory so this will be a key chance for him to take a major step forward.
It is not going to be easy at the Houghton venue.
Mackenzie, who now boxes out of Forest Hall, just north of the Tyne, presents a tricky hurdle for the Redcar star to clear.
Macca has won eight of his nine bouts and, while beaten last time out, his display against Ishmael Davis in an English title eliminator in Newcastle last November won him a considerable number of new supporters.
Hill says he is an admirer of the 26-year-old southpaw he has sparred previously, though he believes he will outbox him on the night.
“I’ve sparred Ewan a few times,” Tom told punch-lines. “But fights are a completely different thing.
“Sparring means nothing really.
“Boxing-wise Ewan is not great, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t rate him.
“He’s a game, tough lad who keeps coming forward and fights with a lot of heart.
“I watched his fight with Ishmael and while he got outclassed by the bigger man he gave a really good account of himself and was even pushing on at one point. “He got hit by some big shots but kept coming forward.
“It’s going to be a test, but I’m very excited to be back in a 50-50 fight. I can’t wait.”
Hill has not been shy to tackle live opposition – in recent years he has lost on points to undefeated prospects Jack Rafferty and Paddy Donovan on away turf which sandwiched an excellent points success against unbeaten Irishman Rohan Date in Dubai.
‘One Bomb’ left the scene after defeat to Donovan in Belfast in the summer of 2022, but resumed in April as the main attraction on the show at Eston Leisure Centre, just up the A66 from his Redcar home.
The 28-year-old outclassed the Yorkshire-based former Olympian Serge Ambomo, his first pro bout under his old Redcar ABC coach Nikey Wiley, having had the irrepressible David Binns in his corner for his first 13 bouts.
“I didn’t want to box a journeyman but needed a tick-over fight that night,” explained Tom. “When I came back, my aim was to chase down the English title route and I’m hoping the British Boxing Board of Control will ratify our fight as an eliminator.
“I don’t want to leave boxing without a British title and this fight is so important towards that.
“It was nice to get back in last month and it felt really good to be honest.
“Serge is as tough as they come and has the hardest head I’ve ever hit, but it was good to get the rounds under my belt.”
Words: Roy Kelly
