Just weeks after Ben Rees produced a spectacular early finish to wow a North-East audience it is time for little brother Owen to go under the spotlight.
Unbeaten Owen Rees headlines Jobes Boxing’s event in Houghton on Saturday night when he faces European-based Nicaraguan Cristian Narvaez.
It will be ex-Birtley ABC star Owen’s first appearance for the Jobes team following the brothers switch to the Newcastle gym.
Ben’s opening salvos for Matty Jobes were brief but brilliant as he knocked out Tanzania’s Hussein Itaba in just 47 seconds as he followed up two body shots with a right to the head.
That made it four wins (three coming early, as well as a technical draw) for ‘Big Tasty’ and now Owen is bidding for victory number four at Rainton Arena.
The 24-year-old has a penchant for an early night himself, having halted his first two opponents in his 3-0 fight log.
Owen was one of those to catch the eye on Wasserman’s Josh Kelly show in Newcastle in July 2023, when Boxing News described him handing out a ‘systematic beating’ in a third-round stoppage of Romania’s Marius Istrate, who had never been halted in 20 contests.
He was at it again last November, when he opened Matchroom’s event at the Utilita Arena with a fifth-round hammering of Poland’s Conrad Czajkowski.
The Newbiggin talent heard the final bell sound for the first time in March when outpointing slippery Rotherham southpaw Nathan Darby at the Rainton Arena.
Three other unbeaten North-East prospects make their third professional appearances on Saturday evening.
Seaham’s Joe Miller is chasing a Rainton hat-trick against Erick Omar Lopez as he boxes over six rounds for the first time.
Having beaten Luke Fash on debut and then Jack England, the Mexican presents a more exotic test, with the 30-year-old bringing a record of 16-14-2 with 10 of his victories coming early.
Also going over six rounds for the first time is Co Durham’s Billy Wade who, previously had outpointed the tricky Tom Ramsden and serial Latvian loser Genadij Krajevskij over four.
The Newton Aycliffe super-middle has an interesting test on Saturday night against Manchester-based Iranian Bahadur Karami, who pushed Ferryhill’s Callum Walton all the way in a tremendous tussle in Newcastle last month
Cramlington’s Connor Samms goes over four rounds at Houghton against the above-mentioned England, from Brentwood.
Samms, who boxes under the moniker ‘Chaos’, has won impressively twice at Rainton, first against Liverpool’s Ricky Starkey, and then against Worcester’s retiring Michael ‘Mad Man’ Mooney.
Cramlington features again is a professional debut for Dylan Faill, who tackles Newark’s ‘Pitbull’ Connor Meanwell.
The ‘Cramlington Cobra’ made the news at the end of last year when he ran the 150 miles from Manchester to his home in Northumberland with the twin aim of raising awareness of mental health and raising case for the Hope Centre food bank in his home town.
On Saturday he won’t be travelling as far as he looks to capture the headlines for his boxing skills.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Mark Robinson/ Matchroom
