Frank Warren has fired the starting pistol on the first British boxing fight week in four months by issuing a challenge to the dazzling array of young talent on show this Friday evening: “This is the opportunity of a lifetime, so don’t screw it up.”
Hall-of-Fame promoter Warren brings British boxing back to life this Friday night on BT Sport with a show stacked full of young, hungry prospects desperate to make their mark at the very top level of boxing.
Live from the BT Sport Studios, the show will be headlined by 22-year-old Brad Foster (12-0-2, 5KO’s) defending his British and Commonwealth Super-Bantamweight titles against fellow Midlander, 23-year-old James Beech Jr (12-0, 2 KO’s).
Action-starved British fans will also be treated to the in-ring returns of 21-year-old Mark Chamberlain (5-0, 3 KO’s), 23-year-old David Adeleye (1-0, 1 KO’s) and 21-year-old WBO European Super-Welterweight Champion Hamzah Sheeraz (10-0, 6 KO’s).
“I can’t believe how young some of these lads are,” laughed Warren. “Hamzah Sheeraz will soon be knocking on the door of World level competition and he was only born in 1999. It’s incredible.”
Sheeraz will defend his European crown against tricky opposition in the form of Dundee scrapper Paul Kean (12-1, 1 KO) – a fight that Warren believes, alongside the Foster/Beech main event, is indicative of what the ‘new normal’ of boxing should look like as Lockdown eases across the UK.
“This is what Queensberry Promotions is all about. It’s nothing new to us. We believe in securing the future of British boxing by investing in and getting behind the next generation of World Champions from this country.
“As British boxing gets back on its feet what fans deserve to see are competitive domestic fights that set the stage for the kids that emerge victorious to become real superstars at the highest level.
“I want fans to get to know these young fighters now from the comfort of their own home so that when audiences are allowed back in they’ll know all about the kids from Lichfield or Notting Hill or Ilford who are fighting for world titles and headlining arenas.
“It’s the first British show in four months so the eyes of the world are on them.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime, so my advice would be ‘don’t screw it up’. If they can grab the brass ring now, they’ll be box office stars when the fans are allowed back through the front doors.”
Avid football fan Warren is hopeful that some of his young hopefuls can mimic the on-field successes of some of the Premier League’s youngsters when boxing returns.
“I want our boys to emulate the successes of Bukayo Sako, Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden. It’s that simple.
“I’ve been watching on BT Sport and the behind-closed-doors environment has done wonders for the Premier League’s young players, so I want to see a bit of that same stardust from our lads.”
The return of boxing to BT Sport begins on Friday night at 7pm on BT Sport 1, and will continue with at least four further shows behind-closed-doors this Summer.
Full details are still to come but plans have been revealed to stage a British Super-Featherweight title fight between Anthony Cacace and Lyon Woodstock, whilst Lerrone Richards is scheduled to defend his British and Commonwealth Super-Middleweight titles against Umar ‘Top Boxer’ Sadiq.
“If you think that’s good” said Warren, “you should wait to see what we’ve got up our sleeve”
“We’ll be announcing details of the next few shows shortly and fans are in for a real treat. We have the sort of fights that are going to keep fans excited throughout Summer.”
“Boxing is back and I couldn’t be happier.”