Owen Rees believes the fresher fighter rather than the pressure fighter will prevail in Saturday’s Northern Area title showdown with Jordan Ellison.
Rees and Ellison collide for the vacant lightweight belt on the Jobes Boxing event at Rainton Arena.
It is a fascinating match up at the Houghton venue between a boxer very much on the way up and an experienced campaigner who has mixed it with a vast array of talent.
At 25 Rees is only four years Ellison’s junior but the 29-year-old has more miles on the clock. A lot more.
While Owen is chasing his seventh professional win in a row and his first pro title, his opponent, from Seaham is having his 67th paid outing.
“I’m very excited,” said the Newbiggin talent, insisting he in no way underestimates the Co Durham fighter, an always-strong competitor, who went the distance with Thomas Hodgson in a cracking 10-round derby last year.
“I just want to get the weigh-in done and then fight. I can’t wait.
“Jordan is good and I know he’s a tough lad, but I just feel he has been in a lot of hard fights.
“I’ve seen him box Tommy and watched his fight with Adam Azim when he was one of Adam’s first bouts as a professional.
“I’m prepared for Jordan being there for 10 rounds, trying to push the pace.
“But I’m the fresher man and I think that will be the big difference.”
That Rees is flying is no shock.
Having begun as a junior at Newbiggin his career took off at Birtley ABC, where he emulated elder brother Ben in becoming an ABA champion.
His move into the pro ranks was also under the Birtley umbrella, guided by the incomparable Graeme Rutherford.
There was a spectacular entrance in Newcastle in July 2023 when, as Boxing News reported, he ‘dished out a systematic beating’ to Marius Istrate, who had never been stopped in 20 bouts. Floored twice, the Romanian was rescued by referee Neil Close in round three.
Rees was equally destructive next time out with Poland’s Konrad Czajkowski halted in five rounds.
Since then there has been a change of direction and emphasis for Rees. With Rutherford no longer available, Owen switched to the Matty Jobes gym in Newcastle.
The winning streak has carried on with four Ws, though with a little less violence – all four going to the referee’s corecard.
“I’m loving it and I feel I’m getting better and better,” said Owen.
“I first went there to stay fit and that kind of thing. I liked it there and they put a lot of time into me, so it was the natural decision to stay.
“When I boxed at Birtley, it was all-out, non-stop [aggression] but you can’t box like that over 10 rounds.
“More work has gone into my boxing and I feel I’m a better boxer.
“Stoppages are nice but you also need the experience of doing the distance when you have the big championship fights.”
Rees says he is “not going looking” for an early finish, but refused to discount the possibility.
“I feel when you are boxing over six rounds there isn’t much time to get someone out of there,” he explained. “But when you get into the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds when people start to tire then openings can come.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
