Olivia Goodwin has made the historic announcement that her first professional boxing event, SEARCH AND DESTROY, is set to take place at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London on Saturday 4th June 2011.
What makes this such an historic moment is that Olivia, who is just twenty years old, becomes the UK’s youngest person ever to promote a professional boxing event by a country mile, the youngest previously was some eleven years her senior.
Olivia also joins Jane Couch and Miranda Carter in an elite clique of women that have managed to break into the male dominated pro boxing promoter ranks.
Olivia’s plans for her first event belies her tender years, it’s clear she has excellent negotiating skills and a cool head, as she has secured not one but two title fights to co-headline her maiden show as well as putting together a substantial quality undercard.
The first of the headline bouts features former English title challenger Ryan ‘Mr Attitude’ Barrett undertaking the first defense of the International Masters Lightweight title he spectacularly won, by way of a sensational first round triple knockdown stoppage finish over Mark ‘The Flash’ Alexander, in September 2010.
Barrett’s opponent, on June 4th, will be former Kenyan Super Featherweight Champion Geoffrey ‘The Tiger’ Munika.
Co-headlining is former IBF Super Middleweight title challenger Toks Owoh, who will take on Romford’s unbeaten Tony Conquest for the vacant British Masters Cruiserweight crown.
One of the UK’s most exciting and talented Super Middleweights of the nineties and early naughties, Owoh, made his return to the ring late last year and after two excellent warm up victories is now set to start his second championship campaign, albeit at Cruiserweight, in earnest.
Throughout the 1990s Owoh established a reputation as one of the toughest and most talented boxers to emerge on the British scene. One thing you could guarantee is plenty of excitement when Owoh fought, his no nonsense all action approach ensured either an early stoppage finish, or if it went the distance an all action full on war to the final bell.
The pinnacle of his first championship campaign see him face Glenn ‘The Road Warrior’ Johnson for the coveted IBF Inter-Continental Super Middleweight title on the 23rd September 2000.
On the other hand this will be Conquest’s first taste of championship competition. Saying that it will not be his first fight against a contender, having convincingly beaten Ghanaian Cruiserweight Champion Prince George Akrong in March this year.
The action packed undercard features some of the best upcoming domestic and European prospects, each looking to establish themselves as championship contenders.
Heading up the support for the double headline bouts sees Beckton based Dutch Cruiserweight prospect Mitchell Balker in action against dangerous southpaw Hari Myles.
Balker will be looking for his second victory on British soil, following his superb shut out points victory over Nick ‘The Ox’ Okoth in January.
Balker’s savvy ring craft proved to be too much for ‘The Ox’. Right from the start he controlled the fight utilising crisp jabs to keep Okoth on the defensive before moving in to land solid jabs and right hands and then stepping aside to thwart any return salvos from the heavy handed Okoth. For four rounds Balker controlled the bout with ease so it was no surprise that come the final bell the referee declared the Dutchman the winner by a clear 40-36 points margin.
Another of the TKO Gym’s big boys, London based Iraqi Heavyweight Ali Adams, will also be taking part on the show.
Coincidentally Adam’s last fight was also against Okoth back in November. The Heavyweight bout headlined a four fight Dinner Show, held in a magnificent marquee set up in Coram’s Field in Bloomsbury.
The first round seemed more akin to a hard sparring session rather than an out and out fight. Round two though was a totally different fight as Okoth stepped things up and went hard on the offensive.
Adams responded with some good stiff jabs to keep the ever advancing Okoth at bay. About thirty seconds or so in to the round Okoth tried to rough up Adams and in doing so left himself open for Adams to throw a big left hook over the top to send Okoth crashing to the deck and out for the count.
Woolwich’s Crowd pleasing Albanian Super Middleweight Eder Kurti will be back in action also on the 4th June.
At the Unleash The Fury event at York Hall on March 5th, Kurti received a rapturous welcome as he made his way to the ring to face Scunthorpe’s Jody Meikle. The cheers barely subsided the whole bout as Kurti gave a magnificent display of boxing.
From start to finish Kurti pressured Meikle, letting rip with heavy lefts and rights to body and head. As early as round two Meikle was already bearing the scars of battle, with blood pouring from a nasty cut to the bridge of the nose.
Round three see Kurti set about Meikle with heavy rights to the head and body. Somehow Miekle managed to survive the constant onslaught, but at a cost as the cut on his nose had visibly worsened, so much so that the referee took a long hard look before allowing Meikle to come out for the fourth.
Kurti was magnificent throughout the final round to earn a 40-37 points victory.
TKO Boxing Gym’s Nathan Weise makes his welcome return to the ring, after an eighteen month sabbatical from the sport with a near career ending shoulder injury.
Weise is a stylish boxer, but don’t think that means pitter patter boxing as the youngster from Thamesmead packs a serious punch – just ask Lloyd Smith who not only suffered being dropped by a heavy right hand in the first but then succumbed to a heavy left hook in the second which sent him crashing to the canvas – out cold!!!
Kris Agyei-Dua will get his third pro outing, against a yet to be named opponent at the Search and Destroy event.
Back in March, at Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Agyei-Dua fought like a seasoned pro. From start to finish Agyei-Dua dominated the proceedings with some beautiful boxing. He never put a foot wrong, he jabbed with confidence and was happy to stand and trade when needed.
Byrne is a tough opponent at the best of times but didn’t seem to trouble Agyei-Dua at any time. Unsurprisingly Agyei-Dua secured his second win by a shutout 40-36 points margin.
Luton’s Michael ‘The Real Chunky’ Devine is another big hitter on on the bill. On June 4th Chunky will face Walsall’s highly experienced battler Steve Gethin
Back in March, after a long layoff following a bad stoppage against Mark Alexander last year, Chunky returned to the fray against Sid Razak.
Devine was divine, he plain out boxed the resilient Razak throughout. Razak is no walk over at the best of times but Chunky outclassed him from start to finish to earn a shutout 40-36 points victory.
Joining his TKO Boxing Gym team mates, Balker, Adams, Weise, O’Callghan and Standing, on June 4th is MItcham, Surrey’s Danny ‘Cassius’ Connor, who will face yet another tough test when he comes face to face with former WBF Intercontinental title challenger James Todd from Swansea.
Minster, Kent’s Dan ‘Woody’ Woodgate gets his third professional outing, mind you it’s hard to believe that has had only two professional bouts as his performance at York Hall on March 5th was more in keeping with a seasoned championship campaigner.
Classy and slick are words that come to mind to describe Woodgate’s performance against Newark’s Jamie Norkett. From start to finish Dan dominated proceedings and in the later rounds looked as if he could have finished the fight at will, having rocked the durable Norkett on various occasions.
Don’t go thinking Norkett hadn’t come to fight, he had, just Woody was in a class of his own and rightly deserved the 40-37 point victory. Sure to have more of the same from Woodgate on June 4th
Making his second pro outing on June the 4th is TKO Gym’s nineteen year old Brett O’Callaghan .
It will be a full six month’s since O’Callaghan made his professional debut against the vastly experienced Billy Smith following Gary Cooper pulling out at the last minute.
Back in December the youngster showed maturity beyond his tender years by controlling his much older opponent with fast hands and solid jabs. As the fight moved into to the second half Smith tried to bully O’Callaghan back onto the ropes without success as the savvy youth used smart footwork and his solid jabs to keep Smith at bay.
O’Callaghan’s debut justifiably ended with a nice 39-37 points victory in his favour.
TKO’s Sam Standing will be in action for the second time in just over a month, having made his pro debut on May 7th against Nuneaton’s highly experienced Kristian Laight.
Standing received a real baptism of fire, as Laight took the fight to him big time. Standing, who was forced to fight on the back foot throughout the bout, kept a cool head and picked off the ever advancing Laight with stiff jabs and double handed counter attacks. Whilst it was without doubt Laight putting in the majority of the work, it was Standing that enjoyed the bulk of success with quality punches landed and rightly earned his first win, albeit by a very close 39-38 margin.
Also on the show are two fighters making their professional debuts – Lightweight Marcin Merceck and Middleweight William Cayzer.
Tickets, priced £35 (Standard seated) and £50 (Ringside) for the Search and Destroy event are available on-line now at www.tkoboxoffice.com, call: 07960 850645 or in person at The TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.
