Middleweight Danny Shannon preparing for Southern Area title fight
Chatham boxer Danny Shannon (6-8-1, 2KOs) will challenge unbeaten champion Aaron Sutton (12-0, 2KOs) for the vacant Southern Area middleweight title on Saturday, March 26 in Swindon.
The 31-year-old from Kent will occupy the away corner for his first ever professional title challenge at the MECA in Regent Circus on a stacked Neilson Boxing event, with eight unbeaten prospects filling up the undercard.
Danny ‘The Cannon’ Shannon has only ever experienced two fights from 15 in the home corner so travelling 120 miles away to the lion’s den is nothing new.
Despite the distance he’s not travelling alone, “I’ve got over 60 people coming up to support me, so I’m coming mob-handed for this fight,” he enthused. “I prefer to fight on the road than at home, to be honest, because I’m in my element, I love it!”
Trained by Chris Lamontange and Lee Page at Kent Gloves, Shannon is solely focused on this one fight above all else, he affirmed, “I’m not looking past this fight, got to get this one over and done with first before looking ahead at what’s next.
“Me, Chris and Lee have got the game plan. I’ve been ordered to do something and that’s what I’m going to do.
“Everyone is going to see a completely different fighter on fight night. Everything is different, the whole plan, it’s a completely different training camp to normal. I’ve been sparring with Denzel Bentley at the Peacock [Gym], and Louis Greene, who’s fighting for the English next.”
Shannon has been a pro since May 2014, where he became promoter Joe Elfdh’s inaugural signing for his company JE Promotions, now known as Boxing Connected.
That first fight on the road saw the debutant draw with a 2-0 Aston Jolly – a future Central Area title contender – in Doncaster, and in that very same year he defeated two home prospects weeks apart in September before losing to James Metcalf, who remains his hardest opponent yet, he admits, “James Metcalf was my hardest ever opponent, he broke my jaw in the sixth round.”
A full-time scaffolder by trade, Shannon renewed contracts with promoter Elfidh in November 2019 and immediately declared his intention to challenge for Southern Area honours. He fought against ‘Top Boxer Umar Sadiq a month later in December, injuring his right hand in round six of eight which forced him to retire from the fight early, but then the global pandemic side-lined him and his ambitions soon after.
Now free of injury, Shannon is chomping at the bit for his first shot at silverware, “I’m training five times a week with my team and it’s the best camp I’ve ever had. Been training all through Christmas. It’s my first 10-rounder, I’ve done six rounds before, but I’ve been in the gym sparring 10-rounds for weeks now.”
Standing in his way is Bristol’s Aaron Sutton, who is 24-years-old and undefeated in 12 bouts. He comes into his maiden title defence following back-to-back knockout wins and will be the heavy favourite on the night.
“I may be the away fighter with a losing record, and I know he’ll be overlooking me, but the crowd can’t do anything for him in there, it’s just me and him in the ring,” asserted Shannon. “I like being the underdog; they call us journeymen and think we don’t train, we just come to lose, but every time I show up, I turn up to win.”
On paper, the opponents couldn’t look any different. Shannon has won just six from 15 contests while Sutton is undefeated in 12.
Danny believes his contrasting record will work in his favour on fight night, however, “I think a lot of people take a look at my record and think I’m a no one, but you look at the names I’ve lost against and they wouldn’t want to fight them.”
Danny’s debut title challenge will be 88 years since the first ever Southern Area middleweight title fight back in 1934.
Recent winners of the prestigious title that’s so steeped in history includes two-weight world champion Billy Joe Saunders, IBF world champion Darren Barker, and British, Commonwealth and European titlist Howard Eastman. Another recent holder of this belt was Shannon’s friend, sparring partner and stablemate Grant Dennis, also from Chatham.
It’s been an inspiration to him knowing that Dennis won his Southern Area title from the away corner against home favourite Nicky Jenman in Brighton.
Shannon said, “The Southern Area is my achievement in boxing completed, that’s my goal I set. I want to move on and fight for other titles obviously, but it’s an achievement that I’ve always wanted, so this title is going to be the first of many for me.”
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