Heavyweights Bennett and Healey set to clash over four-rounds
Unbeaten heavyweight Mark Bennett (3-0) hopes to continue his meteoric rise through the rankings as he takes on tough southpaw Chris Healey (8-4) in only his fourth professional contest. at the Harvey Haddon Sports Centre in Nottingham on a Scott Calow Boxing and JE Promotions co-promotion event, titled ‘No Hype Required’.
Doncaster's Bennett has already dispatched the likes of Dorian Darch (12-6-1) and Kamil Sokolowski (5-13-2) in his previous two outings and has now worked his way into the mandatory position for Kash Ali’s (15-0) Central Area heavyweight title, who next faces David Price on March 30 in Liverpool.
His next test comes in the form of ABA finalist Chris Healey, who beat the likes of Matty Clarkson and Matty Askin to reach the prestigous competition finals back in 2010. He originally turned pro under the expert guidance of Oliver Harrison with Martin Murray and Rocky Fielding as stablemates.
Now the 31-year-old Stopfordian trains at his old amateur gym, Roy Richard’s Boxing Academy, put through his paces by his old gym mate Louie Arrowsmith and managed by his brother Dale Arrowsmith.
Shared opponent, Dorian Darch, was blasted away by Bennett in just four-and-a-half minutes, but Healey went a full eight-rounds with the Welsh dangerman in 2017, winning 78-75 on points from the away corner.
The 31-year-old Doncaster destroyer commented on his next opponent, “Healey’s a tricky fight because he’s a very good, experienced boxer. Southpaw, which is always going to be awkward, but it’s another tick in the box and step in the right direction.
“I’m feeling good. My weight’s just where I wanted it to be. I’ve had a good camp with some top sparring with likes of David Price, Nathan Gorman and Dave Allen.
“I’m not here to fight journeymen, as you can tell with this fight and my last two against Darch and Sokolowski. I’m mandatory for the Central Area and I want to be fighting for that at the next opportunity.”
‘Bad News’ only started boxing in his mid-twenties so is in a hurry to claim titles and break into the top 10, and he is on track to achieve that if he can get through this latest test with Stockport southpaw Healy next.
Unbeaten Ekow Essuman (9-0) also makes a statement of intent as he defends his English welterweight title against former British champion Tyrone Nurse (35-5-2).
‘The Engine’ returns to the site where he was crowned English champion in October last year by stopping two-weight Midlands Area champion Andy Keates in five.
The Botswana-born boxer, trained by Barrington Brown, is now looking to further boost his chances of landing the mandatory spot for the new British welterweight champion Chris Jenkins’ title.
The seasoned Nurse defeated the aforementioned Jenkins to win the British super-lightweight belt, which he held for nearly two years between November 2015 to October 2017, before he conceded the strap to Jack Catterall.
He has won Central Area, English and British titles during his 10-year career, as well as being a Prizefighter finalist and Commonwealth title challenger.
As Nottingham’s Essuman prepares for his 10th professional contest, 29-year-old Nurse will be entering the ring in what will be his 10th title contest. He has experienced as many fights as his opponent has had rounds, who hasn’t gone past eight-rounds during his two-year-long pro career.
On the undercard, Radford’s Omari Grant (7-0) can’t afford to have any slip ups as he takes on the durable Jamie Quinn (4-79-2), over six-rounds at super-lightweight, in his quest to contest the Midlands Area title this year.
Worksop’s super-middleweight talent Dylan Clegg (2-0) looks to make it three from three, as he makes his first outing of 2019.
The former schoolboys finalist, trained by Michael White at the Fighting Fit Gym, looked impressive in his first couple of outings, stopping his first opponent and flooring his second. No doubt, the 20-year-old will be looking to continue that momentum in his third pro contest against Lewis van Poetsch (8-94-1) over four-rounds.
Nottingham’s Paul Thompson (2-0) tackles Chris Adaway (8-52-4) and Clifton’s Ryan Amos (1-0) clashes with Karim Khan (0-8) in four-round contests.
Kyle Hughes of Ilkeston, Newark’s Regis Sugden and local lightweight Joe Underwood Hughes all make their professional boxing debuts on the undercard.
Promoters Scott Calow and Joe Elfidh have once again joined forces to deliver a stacked show full of young, up-and-coming talent.
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