MTK Global’s first UK offering of 2021 is a cracker, with quality, 50/50 fights all the way down the card.
Top of the bill is a clash for the vacant Commonwealth Lightweight title, where a hot prospect is pitched in with a man used to the domestic scene, with two previous unsuccessful bids for the Lonsdale Belt.
Sean McComb (11-0, KO5) is the up and comer, and the 28-year-old from Belfast has gradually been stepping up in readiness for an opportunity like this one.
‘The Public Nuisance’ turned over in August 2018, and his last four outings have seen him increase in class.
After outscoring the tricky Renald Garrido in August 2019, McComb had to get off the canvas in the fourth to eventually take an eight round points win over Emiliano Rodriguez two months later.
2020 saw two fights for the Irishman, and after a simple retirement win against Mauro Maximiliano Godoy, he was last seen in August, impressing in a clear points win over the experience Siar Ozgul.
His opponent in Bolton is the tough Welshman, Gavin Gwynne (12-2, KO2) and the Treharris native will be coming to Lancashire to win.
The tall and rangy 30-year-old is a former Welsh Area champion, but has lost two of his last three in good company.
Gwynne gave Joe Cordina a tough nights’ work in a challenge for the British and Commonwealth belts in August 2019, eventually losing on the cards.
In his last bout, in August 2020, he put in a spirited effort for the vacant Lonsdale Belt, before the ruthless James Tennyson wiped him out and stopped him in six.
Prediction: McComb has shown plenty of heart so far in his career, and is prone to cuts that make his task that much harder on occasion.
Gwynne is as tough as they come, and tall for a Lightweight, and he will make this as tough as possible for McComb, possibly looking at exploiting his proneness to bleed.
I think McComb will come on strong down the stretch after a competitive opening, and he can become the new champion with a clear enough points win.
The vacant English title is on the line at Welterweight, and it’s another well matched contest.
Bradford’s Darren Tetley (20-1, KO9) was last out in August 2020, and suffered defeat for the first time in a thrilling points loss to Liam Taylor, with Tetley down twice before rallying to tighten the scorecards.
Here, ‘TNT’ meets Samuel Antwi (12-1, KO5). A Londoner who is a former two-time Southern Area champion.
Antwi has also only previously lost once, back in July 2018, travelling to Harare, Zimbabwe, and stopped in two by Emmany Kolombo for the WBF Intercontinental Super Welterweight crown.
Tetley for me will just have too much experience and seasoning here, and he can stop Antwi in a lively affair in the later stages.
The third title fight on the bill comes at Super Featherweight, where Kent’s DP Carr (11-0-1, KO4) defends the belt for the first time that he won in March 2019.
His opponent is fellow unbeaten, Dean Dodge (9-0-1, KO3). Carr won the belt nearly two years ago, in his last fight, defeating Lewis Adams by a single point.
This will be Dodge’s first fight scheduled to go past eight, and he hasn’t previously been past six so far in his professional career. The pick is for Carr to retain on points.
22-year-old Irishman, Paddy Donovan (5-0, KO3), takes a considerable step up in class as he takes on Siar Ozgul (15-5, KO3) over six rounds at Welterweight.
Ozgul has only been stopped once, and that took ten rounds, and he has been the distance with the likes of Viktor Postol and Anthony Yigit, so should prove a tough nut for Donovan to crack.
The man from Limerick is certainly one to watch, but it’s likely he’ll need all six rounds to win on the cards here.
In well matched action down the card, Mark McKeown (3-0, KO1) takes on Brad Daws (6-0, KO2) over six at Featherweight.
The two are unbeaten and hungry, but McKeown looks a talent, and can take a competitive fight on points.
Another battle of the unbeaten comes at Welterweight, where Jamie Stewart (2-0-1, KO0) fresh from upsetting Michael Hennessey Junior and holding Florian Marku to a draw in the last few months, will face Elliot Whale (3-0, KO1) over six.
This could be a really tight affair, and one I think Whale can edge on the scorecard.
At Super Lightweight, Pierce O’Leary (5-0, KO2) will also likely need the long route to beat Irvin Magno (5-3-1, KO1) over six.
Finally, at Middleweight, Peterborough’s Mohammed Sameer (1-0, KO1) can halt Kearon Thomas (1-9-1, KO1) inside the distance of their four rounder.
