The National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace plays host to championship boxing promoted by Hennessy Sports this Friday, with Isaac Chamberlain boxing for the vacant IBF International cruiserweight title over a scheduled ten rounds in the main event against Dilan Prasovic, live on Channel 5 in the UK.
Chamberlain (13-1, KO7) has had a slow rebuild since his sole loss in lopsided 2018 points defeat to Lawrence Okolie, where he was on the canvas twice in rounds one and six. He rebounded to outscore Luke Watkins by a point, but then took nearly two years out of action due to injury and the pandemic, and then resurfaced under the promotional guidance of Mick Hennessy. It’s been a slow process, and he has scored three early wins against journeyman trio, Antony Woolery, Matt Sen and Ben Thomas.
He now gets a test against Montenegro’s Prasovic (15-1, KO12). The 26-year-old is best remembered for his most recent fight, where he was hammered to a third round knockout loss to the aforementioned Lawrence Okolie in a challenge for the WBO title, and it displayed his limitations.
Lawrence Okolie finishes Prasovic with a vicious body shot 😮#OkoliePrasovic pic.twitter.com/J8cWT98Y64
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 25, 2021
Prediction: This one looks a decent bit of match-making, and could well be just the win that Chamberlain needs to get back into contention. I think once Prasovic feels the power of Chamberlain, this could be over within the first few frames.
Stephen McKenna (10-0, KO9) boxes for a title for the first time, with the vacant IBF Youth welterweight title at stake against Abdul Aziz Quartey (19-5, KO18) of Ghana. Both men are heavy handed, with McKenna notching nine knockouts from ten starts and Quartey finishing 18 of his 19 wins early.
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Prediction: McKenna looks a special talent, and I can see him halting Quartey in the first half of this scheduled ten rounder.
Stephen’s brother Aaron McKenna (13-0, KO7) also goes for a first title, and ’The Silencer’ can take the vacant WBC Youth middleweight title with an inside schedule win over Mexico’s Carlos Gallego (8-1, KO6).
Prediction: Aaron McKenna KO.
Birmingham super lightweight Kaisee Benjamin (14-1-1, KO5) is improving with each fight, and he gets a decent test over eight against Wiston Campos (33-8-6, KO19). Campos was stopped in three in 2018 by Josh Taylor, but lasted the ten round distance with Josh Kelly a year later.
Prediction: Benjamin is on a run of seven straight wins, and can take a points win here.
The brash Idris Virgo (11-0-1, KO1) sees action, also over eight, having only just fought less than a month ago against Gregory Trenel. He faces Spain’s Adam Trend this time around.
Prediction: The light heavyweight should take a points win over (6-2, KO0).
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The six rounders are headed by heavyweight hope, Tommy Welch (6-0, KO5) and the Brighton native can stop Mladen Manev (3-12, KO2) after a few rounds. At super welterweight, Brett McGinty (4-0, KO1) may need all six rounds to take care of Angel Emilov (10-36, KO6). Michael Hennessy Junior (8-1-1, KO1) is also set to be on the bill.
In four round action, Naylor Ball (7-1, KO2) can score a knockout win against Italy’s Andrea Pesce (7-15-3, KO2) at heavyweight, while at bantamweight Alfie Clegg (1-0, KO0) can take a points win against Poland’s Patryk Burkiciak (0-1). Nathan Mizon (2-0, KO1) could need the distance to take victory against Petar Aleksandrov (3-13, KO2) at welterweight.
