Daniel Dubois (13-0, KO12) continues his assault on every belt available, as he contests the vacant WBC Silver Heavyweight title, while defending his WBO International belt.
Dubois takes on the 33-year old-colourful Tokyo resident, Kyotaro Fujimoto (21-1, KO13) over twelve rounds at the Copper Box Arena.
Dubois will surely hope to make big waves and gate crash the world scene in 2020, but first he needs to (and should) overcome the challenge of Fujimoto.
It’s the Londoner’s fifth outing of the year, which has seen him pick up four belts. First came the WBO European strap in March, stopping former World title challenger, Razvan Cojanu in two rounds at The Royal Albert Hall.
Richard Lartey was then knocked out in four in April, and then “DDD” picked up the vacant British title, knocking out Nathan Gorman at the O2 Arena in July.
His last visit to the ring was in September, collecting the vacant Commonwealth and WBO International titles with a first round blowout of the over matched Ebenezer Tetteh.
Fujimoto will arrive in London on the back of a sixteen fight winning streak.
The former kickboxer suffered his sole defeat in December 2012, when Solomon Haumono stopped him in five rounds. His winning run since includes an April 2015 split decision win over Nobuhiro Ishida for the Japanese Heavyweight title.
Ishida had twice previously challenged for the World Middleweight title in 2012 and 2013. It’s been largely nondescript opposition for Fujimoto ever since, but he does hold the WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title, making three defences.
Prediction: This fight looks like an early Christmas present for Dubois, and I can’t see Fujimoto derailing him. After a short feeling out process, “DDD” can remove the man from the far east from battle in the first three rounds of the fight.
Liam Williams (21-2-1, KO16) has excelled since his move from Super Welterweight to Middleweight, and he boxes in an eliminator for the WBO World title on the bill.
The Welshman stopped Mark Heffron to win the vacant British crown last December, before defending in ruthless fashion against Joe Mullender in March, knocking him out inside two rounds.
His last fight saw him pick up the WBC silver belt, stopping Karim Achour again inside two. His only losses remain two thrillers with Liam Smith in 2017.
Williams meets the dangerous American, Alantez Fox (26-1-1, KO12) who has already been twelve rounds with current WBO champion, Demetrius Andrade in October 2017, dropping “Boo Boo” in the seventh, before losing widely on the cards. Since then, Fox has won three straight and his last outing was at the end of October, outscoring Bruno Leonardo Romay in Puerto Rico over eight rounds.
Prediction: This is a tough assignment for Williams, but he is improving with each appearance. He may have a few testing moments to survive, before scoring an impressive championship rounds stoppage.
The Lonsdale Belt on the line in London, as Sunny Edwards (13-0, KO4) will face domestic opposition for a change in Marcel Braithwaite (9-1, KO0) for the vacant Super Flyweight crown.
Edwards has been out three times in 2019, stopping Pedro Matos in eight in April, before back-to-back dominant points wins over Hiram Gallardo and Rosendo Hugo Guarneros.
Braithwaite isn’t a known puncher, and Edwards represents the first fighter with a winning record that he will have faced. Braithwaite won every round against the well-travelled Brett Fidoe in March 2018, but six months later the Evesham man gained revenge with a points win of his own.
“The Chosen One” was last seen in October, winning the English title with a majority points win against the always game Craig Derbyshire.
Prediction: Edwards has a glorious chance at the Lonsdale Belt and he should dominate this one against his light punching opponent. I think Edwards can win nearly every round in a wide points victory.
A hastily arranged match has been made at Super Featherweight, with Archie Sharp (17-0, KO9) defending his WBO European belt against the Latvian, Artjoms Ramlavs (11-0, KO6).
Sharp will look to 2020 as a year he makes moves towards a world title shot, or at least a mouth-watering domestic clash with either of Zelfa Barratt, Anthony Cacace or Sam Bowen, although he has exclusively told Pro Boxing Fans he would like to face former world champion Carl Frampton.
2019 has seen Jordan McCorry widely outscored in March and Sharp stopped Declan Geraghty in four absorbing rounds in September.
Prediction: Sharp should be able to stop the visitor in the first half of the fight. The Latvian is limited and Sharp will want to make a statement ahead of bigger and better 2020 challenges.
Lucien Reid (8-0-2, KO4), fresh from his controversial draw in a challenge for the British and Commonwealth Super Bantamweight titles against Brad Foster, ticks over in a six rounder against Stefan Nicolae (3-21-1, KO.1)
Tommy Fury (2-0, KO2) returns from his Love Island stint against an opponent to be announced.
Remaining undercard
James Branch (6-0, KO1) – Cruiserweight
Troy Wiliamson (12-0-1, KO9) – Light Middleweight
Denzel Bentley (11-0, KO9) – Middleweight
Bilal Ali (3-0, KO1) – Lightweight
Sam Noakes (1-0, KO1)- Lightweight
Chris Bourke (5-0, KO4) – Super Bantamweight
Mickey Burke Jr (2-0, KO0) – Welterweight
Louie Lynn (4-0, KO4) – Featherweight
David Adeleye (Pro Debut) – Heavyweight
BT Sport televise in the UK, with Top Rank ESPN broadcasting in the USA.
