UNBEATEN super-middleweight Zak Chelli is spending time in the gym and class room preparing for his next big boxing examination.
The Fulham fighter challenges for his first professional title at SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday April 27 when he meets Slough’s Jimmy Smith (7-1) for the vacant Southern Area title.
Besides preparing for his title test, live on BT Sport, Chelli is completing a BA in Business Management and Marketing at University of Surrey.
He is adamant his boxing career isn’t suffering, explaining: “The course is flexible so I can get my training done. A lot of my lectures are online which helps.
“I am doing four hours boxing training every day and four hours studying. It has been like that since my SATs, GCSEs and A-levels.
“I don’t have social time at university. A lot of them do stuff at night but I am sleeping.”
One rival he isn’t losing sleep over is Ilford’s Umar Sadiq who he outpointed in a serious needle match last October.
Sadiq (4-1) returned to winning ways in early March and will be in action on Frank Warren’s stacked Wembley card.
He is itching for a return against his bitter rival, but Chelli scoffed: “Sadiq likes to mention my name a lot and speak rematches. He needs the rematch and I don’t.
“He has nothing to offer. If he has a title, I will go for it, but at the moment he has nothing.”
Daniel Dubois v Richard Lartey tops the bill at the SSE Arena, Wembley on April 27 on a card that also includes the Commonwealth super middleweight title fight between Lerrone Richards and Tommy Langford, as well as the Southern Area super middleweight title clash between Zak Chelli and Jimmy Smith. WBO European super flyweight champion Sunny Edwards and WBO European super featherweight champion Archie Sharp also feature.
Rangy Super Welterweight talent Hamzah Sheeraz will be back out after his impressive win over Rod Douglas Jnr. Hard hitting middleweight and Peacock gym product Denzel Bentley (9-0) and Belfast amateur middleweight star Caoimhin Agyarko will also return to action. There are Queensberry debuts for unbeaten welterweight Chris Kongo (10-0) and Sheffield middleweight Shakiel Thompson (2-0) – with Thompson being tipped by sparring partner Billy Joe Saunders as a star for the future. Ilford Super Middleweight Umar Sadiq (4-1) also returns as he looks to rebuild after his first career loss. Tunde Ajayi trained lightweight Bilal Ali (1-0) will have his second professional fight after making a successful start to his pro career, with Hoddesdon super lightweight Alfie Price set for his fifth.
Tickets will be priced as £40, £50, £75, £100 and £150 and are now ON SALE to purchase via Eventim, Ticketmaster, the SSE Arena website and AXS.com.
