Queensberry collect quartet of new recruits
Frank Warren announced the signing of English heavyweight champion Soloman Dacres to the Queensberry platform, along with 4-0 super lightweight Nicola Barke, as well as featherweight and Super-Featherweight newcomers Charlie Hickford and Billy Adams.
Hickford and Adams are both straight out at the York Hall on the Mark Chamberlain-Artjoms Ramlavs Friday fight night on November 24, while Dacres won against unbeaten Michael Webster last weekend to reach 8-0.
Soloman Dacres
Midlander Dacres, 7-0 (2 KOs), is added to the already heady heavyweight mix on TNT Sports, having become English champion in March of this year by overcoming the previously undefeated Robert Ismay via a second round stoppage.
His most recent activity came in August when he outpointed Chris Thompson in Birmingham by a landslide margin. Formerly a member of Team GB, Dacres enjoyed World Series of Boxing experience in 2018, was National champion and Three Nations winner in 2017, along with winning numerous international tournaments.
The Real Deal believes he is now in the right place to push forward and make his own mark in the marquee division of the sport.
“At the minute Frank has really taken over the heavyweight division,” said the 30-year-old. “Queensberry is now where all the heavyweight action is, with the British title and world title on his platform.
“That is where I want to be, where the heavyweight action is, to win titles. I’ve got the English title, I am bringing that to the table and, obviously, I want to kick on and get further titles.
“What will hopefully be the case is another defence of the English title to start us off and then I am looking for the British title fight early next year. I want it in my next couple of fights, definitely.”
Dacres got a taste of what could be on the cards last week when he ventured over to Riyadh to take in the big Fury-Ngannou clash and was suitably impressed with what he experienced.
“Yeah it was good, it was a good experience and another level of production really than anything I have ever seen. It is where I want to be.”
Nicola Barke
The undefeated Barke, who trains out of the Steel City Gym in Sheffield, entered boxing via the sport of Lethwei, which is also known as Burmese Boxing. It is why the 30-year-old goes by the nickname of the ‘Burmese Boss’ in the pro ranks.
Previously a world champion in the sport of Taekwondo, Barke from Bedfordshire, made her professional debut in November 2021 in Maidstone with victory over Tereza Dvorakova and has subsequently recorded a further three wins over six rounds.
Charlie Hickford
Hickford, known as ‘Classy Charlie’, is a four-time National Champion and a two-time European bronze medallist, who clocked up 48 wins from 55 fights as an amateur.
The four-time London champion was on the brink of selection for the GB Podium squad before a motoring accident forced him out of contention and now, back to full fitness, he is solely focused on becoming a success as a professional featherweight.
Billy Adams
Adams, is also a four-time National Champion, the winner of youth and senior ABA titles and a former member of the GB Podium squad who was aiming for the Olympics before the Olympic weight rules left Billy out.
Having been boxing since the age of five, Billy who last boxed in April is ready to go as a professional and is aiming to match the achievements of his sparring partners such as Dennis McCann and Chris Bourke!
Frank Warren
Promoter Frank Warren added: “I am thrilled to add four such quality fighters to the Queensberry ranks. We’ve got the finest crop of heavyweights in world boxing and I am sure Sol Dacres will become a big player in the division moving forward. He is closing in on a shot at the British title and there will be major opportunities for him to progress to the highest level.
“I am delighted to recruit a fourth female fighter to our books in Nicola Barke, who joins up with Raven Chapman, Kristina O’Hara and Hannah Rankin. I am confident that all four of our girls will be world champions before too long and I am very excited over the prospect of seeing Nicola in action and getting her into the title mix.
“Billy Adams and Charlie Hickford were elite-level operators as amateurs and are young fighters who we are teaming up with right at the beginning of their professional careers. Both came highly recommended and we will deliver them the fights they need to develop their career in the right way.”
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