Martin Hillman vs Jamie Speight set to clash in Southern Area featherweight title fight
The Southern Area featherweight title became available following former titleholder Josh Kennedy’s (9-0) move to bantamweight to claim the English championship.
Up steps Sidcup’s Martin Hillman (9-3) and Kingsteington’s Jamie Speight (14-11) to contest for the vacant belt this weekend at Mote Park in Maidstone on JE Promotions’ seven-fight card, titled ‘Mayhem’.
Kent’s Hillman has fought for the honours once before at the weight division above against undefeated super-featherweight Boy Jones Jr (10-0-1), losing widely on points.
The 26-year-old has now dropped back down to his natural weight limit of 126lbs in his second crack at the Southern Area championship.
The title that’s on the line has previously been held by Devon’s Speight during 2014-2016. He only lost hold of it last December when Josh Kennedy forced a stoppage in the third round of their meeting at York Hall.
The former Area titlist will be eager to get back his crown and the young contender will be hungrier than ever to win the honours after tasting disappointment in his first crack at the championship belt.
It’s the apprentice versus the master in what will be an exciting, action-packed 10-round headlining contest.
Chief support will see the return of unbeaten heavyweight Dave Jones (7-0) against Tomas Mrazek (10-61-6) from Prague.
Injury has kept the 35-year-old from Queenborough out for almost a full year – it was June 2015 when he last fought, picking up the British Challenge belt with an eight-round points win over Jiri Svacina (12-19).
His opponent is a Czech heavyweight title contender who has experienced 77 bouts and shared the ring with long-term WBO World cruiserweight champion Marco Huck, former undisputed World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Commonwealth champion Gary Cornish, and British Champion Dillian Whyte.
Jones, a former army boxer, is eyeing Southern Area honours and has already triumphed over a Midlands Area champion when he beat Paul Butlin (16-20-1) on points in March 2015. A convincing win on the night could put him in the frame for Dominic Akinlade’s Southern Area strap next.
Former Team GB boxer Luke Gibb (1-0) gets straight back to business in his second pro outing after successfully coming through his debut in February with a shutout points win over seasoned veteran Ibrar Riyaz (4-114-4).
With over 80 amateur fights under his belt, more than a dozen appearances for England, and wins over Ricky Boylan in the amateurs, manager Joe Elfidh has plans to fast-track the rising star to title contention.
The popular super-lightweight gets his next test against Sheffield’s Qasim Hussein (4-72-2), whose last win came against a 1-0 prospect, so Gibbo will have to be on his game on the night.
Unbeaten super-featherweight Chris Matthews (6-0) has competed in every Kent-based JE Promotions show since his debut in July 2015 – the first three at Medway Park, the following three at Mote Park.
The 130-pounder gets his first six-round test against Croatian Antonio Horvatic (10-37). His 30-year-old travelling opponent has only ever won in his homeland with half of those coming by way of knockout.
Southpaw Charlie Shane (3-0) gets back to business in another four-rounder at middleweight against Callum Ide (0-2-1) from Bognor Regis.
The 25-year-old from Chatham missed the last show due to a bereavement but is back to business and firing on all cylinders once again.
Leysdown’s Louis Greene (6-0) is up against Slovakian Rudolf Durica (1-8) is an aggressive fighter that has earned the nickname ‘The Medway Mauler’ for his style of fighting comparable to his idol Jack Dempsey.
The 24-year-old super-lightweight is a former Haringey Box Cup winner and excites crowds with his relentless, destructive style.
Margate’s Ricky Leach (2-18-1) rematches with Jules Phillips (1-6) to try to settle the score after losing to him in March this year.
It’ll serve JE Promotions with their fourth show at Mote Park within 12 months since promoter Joe Elfidh decided to bring boxing back to Maidstone for the first time in over 15 years.
It was back in October 2000 when Lehlo Ledwaba successfully defended his IBF World junior-featherweight title at the sports venue, losing the title eight months later to a young Manny Pacquiao at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
So the venue has a long-association with the sport which convinced the former pro known as ‘The Moroccan Machine’ to revive championship boxing at the site.
The Maidstone shows have steadily built over the past year and this fourth event at Mote Park looks set to be the biggest one yet.
For tickets to the next show, visit https://www.facebook.com/JEsportsnetwork/ or call 07883 943994
JE Promotions would like to thank Kent Trade Frames – Campbell Nutrition – Invicta Gym and PR Manager Tim Rickson