Paddy Gallagher travels to Freddy Kiwitt's backyard for WBO European title clash
Belfast’s Paddy Gallagher will travel to the famous York Hall in London to take on Liberian-born Londoner Freddy Kiwitt for the WBO European welterweight title on February 22 – live on iFL TV.
‘Pat-Man’ (15-4-KO9) claimed the BUI Celtic welterweight back in October with a stoppage of Jay Byrne and looks to add to his collection against Germany’s 'Pretty Boy' (14-2-KO8), who has made the venue his home of late.
Kiwitt, birth name Frederick Gloyluo, is 28-years-old and has knocked out eight of his 14 victims, tasting defeat just twice in his five-year professional career. Five of his last six fights have all been inside the historic walls of the York Hall in Bethnal Green, London. In July 2017, he KO'd Erick Ochieng to win the vacant Southern Area welterweight strap, but he conceded it just two months later to an unbeaten Louis Greene. He bounced back with a points win over former Southern Area lightweight champ Jumanne Camero last February and fought last on Christmas Eve in Accra, Ghana against Frank Dodzi at super-welter and stopped him in the third-roun, which puts him in line for the WBO African super-welterweight title.
But, for now, his focus is firmly on his upcoming fight against Gallagher which he expects to be a good one for fans: “Everyone talks about his punching power but I’ve got a similar number of knockouts, so it should make for a really good fight.”
Freddy is now jointly trained by Lee Manuel Ossie and Mickey Cunningham and is currently training daily at the MBox gym in Forest Gate. “Everything’s going really well and it’s all truly a blessing. Now I am with a good team and, for me, this is a new beginning.” With a strong team behind him and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to climb the world rankings, Gallagher will have his hands full on the 22nd.
Delhi 2010 Commonwealth gold medalist Gallagher said:“To headline for a title is the stuff of dreams. I was saying it’s going to happen and now here we are!
“I was very proud to win the Celtic title but this is another massive step up – both geographically in terms of the size of the area and as a career move. I’m thrilled.
“This is a massive, massive moment for me at this stage in my career. I’ve been to York Hall and fought at the venue before but let’s not go there!
“I’ve watched a few clips here and there of Kiwitt but I’ll leave all the analysis and the tactical decisions to my coach Gerard McManus. He’ll come up with the right game plan and I’ll go and execute it.
“This iFL live-stream MTK Global shows now have is a real winner. It’s free, it’s online and it’s top quality so it’s a platform that’s going to grow and grow. I can’t wait to kick off the year with a win and put myself further up the ladder.”
Joining Gallagher and Kiwitt on the busy bill at the home of British boxing are Danny Dignum, Dan Azeez, Siar Ozgul, Liam Wells, Daniel Egbunike, Josh Adewale, Donovan Mortlock, Jack Ewbank, Michael Elliott and more.
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