The third instalment of MTK Fight Night at the Production Studios in Wakefield on Wednesday night sees domestic belts up for grabs in some intriguing clashes.
Topping this bill is a British and Commonwealth Super-Lightweight titles showdown in what looks on paper a tough one to call.
Commonwealth champion, Phillip Bowes (20-3, KO3) attempts to add the vacant Lonsdale Belt to his collection as he takes on the undefeated Akeem Ennis-Brown (13-0, KO1) in a contest that has been postponed three times, and should have taken place more than nine months ago.
The original meeting was set for November 2019 at York Hall, but Bowes withdrew after the weigh in due to an alleged adverse finding on a medical.
They were then set to clash in March on an MTK Golden Contract bill, but the Pandemic ensured the fight and card was scrapped. With this bill originally set for the 1st September, it’s now hopefully fourth time lucky for the pair.
Bowes knows time isn’t on his side in his quest to climb the ranks, and, at 36, defeat here would be disastrous.
The Leytonstone native has been a professional since 2011, and had an early career points win over Paul Appleby which moved him up the rankings.
He would suffer back to back defeats though starting with an unsuccessful challenge for the Southern Area Belt, stopped by Joe Hughes in ten.
He challenged again, this time against Johnny Coyle, losing a decision.
Five straight wins earned an English title shot, but Glenn Foot controversially took a two point win on all three cards.
Bowes is undefeated in five since, and he picked up the Commonwealth strap in February last year, stopping Benson Nyilawila in two rounds.
He has defended once, in his last outing, in March last year, outclassing Tom Farrell on the cards.
Ennis-Brown has some decent names on his record already, and the 24-year-old has made the traditional steps up on the way to this title shot.
The Gloucester man defeated Freddie Kiwitt in just his seventh fight in November 2016, and two fights later, he picked up the English title with an impressive points win over Glenn Foot.
He also holds a win over current British and Commonwealth Welterweight champion, Chris Jenkins, winning a technical decision on the cards in May 2018.
‘Riiddy’ has only fought twice since then, and his last fight was way back in March last year, defending his IBF European belt in a wide points win against the previously unbeaten Bilal Rehman.
Prediction: This one could be a messy affair, with both men being out of action since March 2019. There will be much ring rust to shed, and it could take a few rounds to get going.
Both men are not noted punchers, and I side with the fresher Ennis-Brown to use his boxing skills to negotiate his way to a points win.
The English Light-Heavyweight title is on the line as Dan Azeez (11-0, KO7) takes on Andre Sterling (11-2, KO4) in an all London affair.
Azeez came to wider prominence on a big pay-per-view bill at the O2 Arena in London last July, when he dominated Charlie Duffield in six rounds to win the vacant Southern Area belt.
Five months later he became English champion in what was his last contest, widely outscoring Lawrence Osueke in Brentwood last December.
Sterling is a former Southern Area champion himself, but has come up short when stepping up domestically.
He got off the canvas to defeat Ricky Summers in February 2019, but then suffered successive defeats to Craig Richards and Liam Conroy, again tasting the canvas in both fights.
His last outing came in January, a four round points win against Darryl Sharp. Azeez has real power, and he can make a statement here with a stoppage win against Sterling.
Old amateur rivals renew hostilities at Super-Lightweight, where Harlem Eubank (9-0, KO2) takes on Martin McDonagh (8-1, KO0).
McDonagh currently holds a 2-0 record over Eubank from their amateur days which makes the fight even more intriguing to see how both men have handled the transition to the professional ranks.
At Super-Middleweight, Padraig McCrory (10-0, KO4) meets Mickey Ellison (12-2, KO4) and at Super-Welterweight, Elliot Whale (2-0, KO0) and Corey McCulloch (4-0, KO0) clash in a battle of unbeaten.
Scottish Featherweight Mark McKeown (2-0, KO0) is also in action.
