Muhammad Ali already eyeing big fights
Featherweight hope Muhammad Ali (2-0) is already thinking of greatness after just two professional fights.
He might share his name with ‘The Greatest,' but the Bradford boxer believes he is also heading to the top.
Ali, 25, hopes to make it a hat-trick of professional wins when he faces former Masters champion Lee Glover (11-4, 3 KOs) at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday July 10, live on BT Sport.
The 2016 Olympian is already talking of moving up in class and conquering the best with the ultimate target American ace Shakur Stevenson.
First he fancies challenging Queensberry stablemates Louie Lynn, the WBC International Silver Featherweight champion, and WBO World ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp.
Sharp is also in action on the impressive Royal Albert Hall bill on July 10th, when he faces Marcio Soza for the WBO Global belt.
“I wanna go all the way. I have dedicated my life to this sport,” insisted Ali (2-0).
“I have got no animosity towards Archie. I just want to fight him. It will be entertaining.
“We sparred when we were on Team GB when I was a Flyweight and he was a bit heavier but we’re almost the same weight now.
“Louie Lynn is also very good. He has a similar style to myself – is busy and throws a lot of punches.
“I beat him quite easily in the Senior ABAs but that was five or six years ago. Time moves on and anything could happen.”
Stevenson is tipped to become an all-time great, and Ali who is trained in Manchester by Anthony Farnell accepts that dream match is some way off still.
He added: “If I keep doing well and get up to that level I would love to fight him. Hopefully we can that fight on down the line.
“If I keep winning and move up to that weight, I would love that down the line.
“I am a big Featherweight and it will be natural for me to move up. I don’t think I will have to try too hard.”
Ali turned professional in February 2020 with a disqualification win against Stefan Sashev, and followed that up in December by outpointing Jamie Quinn.
He hopes two-time English title challenger Glover will be more ambitious than his previous professional opponents.
Ali said: “For my last opponents I might as well have stayed in the gym and punched a bag. Hopefully this guy throws something back.”
Arthur vs Faraci
Commonwealth Light-Heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur (18-0, 12 KOs) headlines the Royal Albert Hall bill on July 10th. He makes the first defence of his WBO Inter-Continental title against Italian Davide Faraci (15-0, 7 KOs).
The Mancunian’s bitter rival Anthony Yarde (20-2, 19 KOs) faces unbeaten German Emin Atra (17-0, 12 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.
Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).
WBO ranked number four Super-Featherweight, Archie Sharp (19-0, 9 KOs) meets Nicaragua’s Marcio Soza (21-6-2, 12 KOs) with the vacant WBO Global championship on the line.
Prodigious bantamweight talent Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) faces Tanzanian John Chuwa (20-4, 10 KOs).
Lightweight KO-artist Sam Noakes (5-0, 5 KOs) and Light-Heavyweight former Olympic Youth champion Karol Itauma (2-0, 1 KO) also featuring.
Also on the bill WBO ranked number one Super-Middleweight Zach Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his WBO International belt against Uzbek Sherzod Khusanov (22-2-1, 10 KOs).
HÖRFA are proud sponsors of British Boxing News