Terrestrial TV in the UK holds its first behind closed doors event this Saturday night, as Channel 5 and Hennessey Sports host a night of championship action.
A purpose built studio in Redditch, Worcestershire is the venue, where a vacant Lonsdale Belt is up for grabs in the main attraction.
Birmingham’s Shakan Pitters (13-0, KO4) has greatly enhanced his profile in the last two years, and the 6 foot 6 inch Brummie looks to pick up the British Light-Heavyweight crown against Newark, Nottingham’s surprise package, Chad Sugden (11-1-1, KO4).
Pitters has only been a professional since March 2017. Appearing in the majority of his fights on dinner shows at Villa Park but after seven straight wins he received an invite to take part in Ultimate Boxxer at the IndigO2, London in November 2018.
Shakan swept his way to the Golden Robe with three impressive wins, ending with a win in the final against the tough Dec Spelman.
Pitters dropped Spelman in the opener on his way to a clear points win over three in what was a thriller.
It wasn’t an immediate lift off for Shakan though, as he took two routine six round assignments in the aftermath.
His coming out party came in his last fight in September last year, when he met Spelman in a rematch for the English title.
It proved to be another classic, and Pitters took a 97-93 win on all three cards.
He was originally slated to challenge for the belt left behind by Joshua Buatsi earlier in the year, but a combination of an opponent withdrawal and the Coronavirus Pandemic put an end to that.
The former West Brom youth footballer was originally scheduled to meet Craig Richards, but Chad Sugden has barged his way into contention by coming in at a weeks notice to hold ‘Spider’ to an eight-round draw in December 2019.
Pitters vs Richards was still on, but Richards was forced to withdraw from a March 28 meeting with Pitters due to a viral infection, and Sugden agreed to step in.
Lockdown then took hold, but ‘2 Slick’ Sugden still gets his chance, with Richards waiting in the wings for the winner.
Sugden comes from an accomplished kickboxing family, and moved into professional boxing in March 2016.
His best win came in July last year, outscoring former Commonwealth champion Luke Blackledge over eight, although his stock rose considerably in his draw with Richards at the York Hall, where he gave the Londoner all he could handle.
Prediction: Pitters looks a real talent, and is massive for the weight as well as tall. Sugden dealt well with 6 foot 1 Richards, but Pitters is five inches taller, and should be able to use his attributes to his advantage.
Sugden will attempt to walk through Pitters and fire shots of his own as he did in the Richards fight, but I feel the element of surprise won’t be present with Pitters, and he should be alert to the danger.
Pitters should be crowned here in a wide points triumph.
A Midlands Area title clash at Welterweight is on the undercard, as Birmingham’s Kaisee Benjamin (10-1-1, KO2) defends against Wolverhampton’s Conah Walker (7-0-1, KO2).
Benjamin has mixed in much better class than his opponent, and his last outing was a points win over ten against the then 13-0 Shaquille Day back in March. He won the belt in November 2018, stopping Alex Fearon in seven.
Walker has one blemish on his record, a four round draw with Ohio Kain Iremiren in Dudley in July 2019. He has won two straight since. Benjamin should be able to halt Walker after halfway here.
