Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom promote a NXTGEN bill at Planet Ice in Altrincham this Friday evening, as 2024 Olympian Pat Brown tops the bill, with the Manchester cruiserweight making his professional bow against Federico Javier Grandone.
DAZN televise Brown vs Grandone live worldwide.
Brown was a stellar amateur, and after wins in the National Championships and a two-time reign as North West champion, he was awarded a place on the Team GB podium squad.
The 25-year-old represented Great Britain at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he went down to a first round defeat to the experienced Brazilian, Keno Marley Machado.
The Sale man gets a pretty straightforward-looking opener against Argentina’s Grandone (7-4-2, 3 KOs), who has won just once in his last six bouts.
The Buenos Aires man was halted twice in 2023 and last year saw him lose decisions over six and then eight rounds, the last a wide points defeat against Eduardo Ezequiel Casalicchio last November.
Prediction: Brown should enjoy the usual look-good professional debut here, and can remove Grandone from battle in the first few rounds.
Vuong faces Flynn
A long-awaited grudge match heads the undercard, as Cameron Vuong and Jordan Flynn finally clash, with the vacant WBO European lightweight title at stake.
The pair have been exchanging barbs for some time, with each pulling out of scheduled fights against each other due to injury.
Vuong (7-0, 3 KOs) has impressed as a professional, and has been ten rounds twice, both in 2024.
The 22-year-old was last out in November last year, and had to battle past former British, Commonwealth and European champion, Gavin Gwynne, before taking a close win on the cards.
Flynn (11-0-1, 1 KO) has completed ten rounds once, where he was held to a draw by Kane Baker in an August 2023 rematch, with a final round point deduction for the Oxford native proving pivotal in the end.
The 28-year-old has won twice since, the last a comfortable points success over the durable Brayan Mairena last December.
Prediction: I lean towards the talented Vuong to be on the right end of a close decision to take the belt.
Dickinson-Farhill meet for English crown
The second ten rounder of the evening comes at super middleweight, where Mark Dickinson can dethrone English champion Reece Farnhill (11-0, 4 KOs), who is making the first defence of his title.
Prediction: Dickinson (7-1, 2 KOs) can come through on points.
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Remaining Undercard
Super welterweight prospect, William Crolla (7-0, 6 KOs) has won his last three fights all inside a round, and it should be another early victory in this week’s assignment against Emmanuel Zion (6-3, 3 KOs), who has never previously been halted.
At light heavyweight, Conner Tudsbury (1-0, 1 KO) may need all six rounds to take the win against former Scottish title challenger, Robbie Connor (3-4-2, 2 KOs).
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Super middleweight novice, Taylor Bevan (2-0, 2 KOs) should have too much for Ales Makovec (5-3-1, 3 KOs), and can win inside schedule.
Welterweight Liam Taylor (27-2-1, 14 KOs) features against an opponent still to be announced.
