Lenny Fuller headlines Leap Year event
Boxing Connected have an incredible night of boxing lined up on the quadrennial date of February 29 at Mote Park in Maidstone, featuring two Ultimate Boxxer finalists, five unbeaten prospects and an exciting debutant.
BBN previewed the stacked show:
Doors open: 6pm
First bell: 7pm
Keiron Spice (0-0) vs JJ Smith (0-2)
4×3 Cruiserweight contest
Debutant Keiron Spice competes in his first professional fight over four rounds at cruiserweight. The elusive southpaw from the Invicta Gym in Sheerness was meant to debut last September but failed to receive his pro license from the BBBofC in time.
He has over 20 amateur bouts and an English kickboxing title to draw on from experience as he opens the show against Maidstone’s JJ Smith.
Spice: “So, I’ve been in camp since last year for this fight, I feel fit, training has gone well, been running some fast miles, and I feel strong.
“I’m fighting at cruiserweight for this one, but I want to look at stripping down to super-middle in the future, if I can. I’m fit and in shape, but I feel with the right diet I can strip down even further.”
Paul Brown (4-0)vs Andy Bishop (0-12)
4×3 Light-heavyweight contest
The Ramsgate ‘Bomber’ is another aggressive southpaw, like the aforementioned Shane, who also only fought once in 2019 and wants to get momentum going again. A perforated ear drum forced the 30-year-old to take time out to recover but he’s ready to make up for lost time and fight at least four times during 2020.
A former Southern Counties ABA champion, Brown claims to have a new lease of life under new trainer Sammy Holloway at Ramsgate ABC and is keen to show off his new skills against Rochdale’s Andy Bishop, who is also a southpaw.
Brown: “I’m fitter, stronger, slimmer, so yeah I’m sky high at the minute, 100 per cent more confident than ever! I think people are gonna’ see a massive difference in me on fight night.”
Charlie Shane(8-0) vs Darryl Sharp (5-71-1)
4×3 Super-middleweight contest
‘The Animal’ from Chatham is chomping at the bit to be let off the leash after experiencing only one fight during the past 16 months.
Despite that stat, the unbeaten super-middleweight only fought on the last weekend of November last year, so he is keeping the momentum going by fighting exactly three months on.
The 28-year-old British Challenge belt winner is raring to go against a former Central Area middleweight champion in Manchester’s Sharp.
It’s a battle of the southpaws, which Shane will want to win convincingly if he aims to attain title shots this year.
Martin Hillman(13-6) vs Nabil Ahmed (0-8)
4×3 Super-bantamweight contest
Three-time Southern Area title contender, Martin Hillman, is back in action after fighting just two weeks before Christmas.
The 29-year-old from Orpington has already publicly promised fans an exciting fight with Batley’s Nabil Ahmed, but it’s actually a given, however, as anyone who has seen Hillman in action before will know that he is as entertaining as they come. He throws plenty of punches, is aggressive as they come, and is always looking to finish fights early. Despite the talent on show throughout the evening, this clash could be show-stealer!
Hillman: “I’m coming straight out fast and hard for this fight, my opponent has an aggressive style so we gonna’ meet him with some bombs and knock him back!”
Brooklyn Tilley(1-0) vs Luke Middleton (2-9)
4×3 Welterweight contest
19-year-old super-lightweight talent, Brooklyn Tilley, heads into his second pro bout against Langold’s Luke Middleton.
The youngster from Rainham, a former amateur boxer at Snodland ABC, is a hardworking student of the sport and possesses an outstanding engine, discipline and workrate.
His commitment and eagerness to learn will stand the teenager in good stead during his career – one to watch!
Tilley: “Camp has gone really well apart from losing a really close friend I classed as a brother due to mental health. I’ve been sparring with Martin Hillman and Lenny Fuller so I’m in top shape for this and can’t wait to get going!”
Chris Davies (13-0) vs TBA
6×3 Super-middleweight contest
Chris ‘The Spartan’ Davies, 30 from London, aims to stretch his unbeaten streak to 14 fights, as he competes in yet another six-rounder.
Prior to his last fight against Andy Bishop in October last year, he floored Borislav Zankov in a six-round points win last March, and scored his first KO victory in the fight before that in December 2018.
The Mote Park crowd will be hoping to see more knockdowns and knockouts from ‘The Spartan’ on the night.
Co-Feature
Grant Dennis (14-2) vs Jordan Grannum (5-69-2)
4×3 Middleweight contest
Another Ultimate Boxxer finalist, 36-year-old Grant Dennis, tackles the teak-tough Jordan Grannum from London.
A former Southern Area champion and English title contender, the ‘Go-Getter’ is poised for big fights this year, but has been widely avoided by many in the past, resulting in spells of inactivity, added to by injury issues also.
The middleweight from Chatham gets his first back from a shoulder injury against the ‘The Brown Eagle’, a 27-year-old journeyman who has never been stopped in his 76-fight career, so will very likely provide Dennis with some much needed rounds as he prepares for a big year.
Dennis: “Camp has gone exactly how it should and I’m ready to get the win and move onto the next.”
Main Event
Lenny Fuller (9-1) vs Berman Sanchez (29-12-3)
8×3 Super-welterweight contest
Ultimate Boxxer super-welterweight finalist Lenny Fuller, 25 from Chart Sutton, takes a courageous leap up in class in the headlining fight against former WBA Fedebol champion Berman Sanchez, who has clocked up 21 KO’s from 29 victories and shared the ring with pound-for-pound superstar Miguel Berchelt and three-weight world champion Jorge Linares in back to back contests.
The 36-year-old Central American won the WBA Fedebol super-featherweight title in his 30th contest and will likely provide the ‘Gypsy Warrior’, trained by Lee Page, with a tough test in what will be the busy man’s 11th fight in just 21 months as a pro.
Fuller: “We have been focusing on eight and 10 rounds for a while now. I don’t want to be one of them boys doing four rounds for the rest of my career. We are not looking past this opponent, he is dangerous! But I want the big names at light-welter or welter.”
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