Ryan Garner prepared to fulfil his destiny in stadium fight with Michael Magnesi
“I just know me,” said Ryan Garner, looking over the manicured turf of St Mary’s Stadium, home of his beloved soccer club.
“I’m a big believer in destiny. I believe I’m destined to...” Garner pauses and surveys his surroundings once more. “Well, I’ve said it before, the fight’s happening now. I’ve said it before, it even got announced. I’m destined to fight at St Mary’s. I’m destined to win a world title here at St Mary’s and become the first ever world champion for Southampton. I’ve said it before, I’m destined to fight here. It’s happening. Now I’m destined to become the first ever world champion. So I just know it’s going to happen, mate.”
On Saturday, Garner will step back out onto the grass at his favorite place, only a few hundred yards from the gym where he trains each day, and he will walk down the long aisle to face Italian veteran Michael Magnesi for the WBC’s interim super featherweight title.
The unbeaten Southampton man is not alone in feeling destiny awaits. Trainer Wayne Batten also believes it has already been written.
“The route’s normally British, European, then world,” said Garner, who won the European title against Salvador Jimenez, who he’s been sparring with for Magnesi. “So I won the Salvador fight convincingly so it just goes to show what level I’m at. I’m past that level now. Then it’s on to world. You don’t want to get ahead of yourself, but obviously this is a dream.
“My dream was to fight here. But every fighter, British fighter, they do want to fight in America. You see like Ricky Hatton used to go when he went to Las Vegas, took all them fans over there. That’s another dream I want to do. The main focus was St Mary’s. So now I’m ticking that box. Then I want to go on to fight there and fight. Take a look at Ricky Hatton, he was taking 30,000 Brits over there. Hopefully I can do the same.”
Garner was optimistic that some 20,000 fans would come, but after his soccer club was involved in a scandal, spying on rival teams, they were ejected from the Championship play-offs and it has killed some of the buzz around the club.
Had the Saints roared on, won the play-offs and been headed back to the Premier League, the mood in and around the club would have been very different.
Instead, numerous inquests have had to be held and the club’s developed a siege mentality. Unfortunately for the 19-0 (10 KOs) Garner, the bad taste has lingered.
He is all too aware, however, that he has his handful inside the ropes with Magnesi.
“It’s going to be a bit of a war, I think. Michael Magnesi, he’s fit, he comes forward, he’s in your face all night long,” Garner stated.
“So it’s going to be a hard night’s work, but I’m confident in my abilities. I know what I’m made of and I know I can give out. So I believe I’m going to get through this one and then see what doors open. I’m not going to get ahead of myself. We’ll see what happens after I get through this one.”
The sliding doors appear to be opening for Garner once more, but there have been times when it appeared they might have slammed shut. Garner has come off the rails a few times and made a few bad choices in his 28 years and, asked when the St Mary’s dream might have seemed further away than ever, he took a little time over his answer.
“I don’t know,” he said, thoughtfully. “Years ago, when I made a few mistakes, obviously, got suspended for a little while, crashed my car and stuff like that. Yeah, maybe then. I was half going to walk away from boxing. Before I got with my misses, I was thinking, I can’t be bothered with this no more. I’ve done it since I was ten years old. It takes over your life, it’s very hard. Obviously, I’ve got off my misses now. She got pregnant, now we’ve got two kids. But before, I said to her, I think we'd just started seeing each other, I said, ‘I don’t want to box no more. It’s a lot of hard work, it’s a lot of dedication, a lot of sacrifice, isn’t it?’ “Obviously, luckily, I did change my mind and I stuck it out or else I wouldn’t be here today.
“She’s my fiancée now, so if it wasn’t for my missus, if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today now. I was just going down the wrong path, not really enjoying boxing any more, just wanting to quit, if I’m honest, but when we got together, she kind of said I should just stick it out, get with it. Luckily I did because, really, it got me in this position today and it could change me and not just my life, her life, my kids’ lives, so it could give us a good life.”
It is not just his partner, however, but his long-time coach, Wayne Batten, who has been steadfast by his side. He, too, has manifested what is to come on Saturday night.
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today,” Garner admitted “He’s been not just a mentor, he’s been like a father-figure, he’s guided me. He stuck up for me when most would have just walked away, do you know what I mean? He’s stuck with me. A lot of other coaches maybe would have walked away years ago, just let me crack on, but he stuck with me because he knew what I had in my ability and also the person I am, do you know what I mean? I’m a nice person, I like to think. And he’s just stuck with me and thankfully he's getting his flowers now as well as me. He deserves it.”
Saturday, Garner insists, won’t be anything new for him. He’s dreamed it hundreds of times. Now he gets to live it. What will be the highlight? The ringwalk and the realisation it’s come true, or having his hand raised? “Both,” he smiled. “Walking out, having all the fans, soaking it all up, the atmosphere and then obviously getting the win.”
Ryan Garner vs. Michael Magnesi | DAZN - 20 June 2026
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Re: Ryan Garner vs. Michael Magnesi | DAZN - 20 June 2026
Time flies for Edmondson, 15 years on from first Garner meeting
Boxing at Shirley Social Club was a rite of passage for many of Southampton’s young amateur boxers when Lewis Edmondson first tried his hand at the sport.
And it was backstage at one of those shows where he first encountered a skinny 12-year-old called Ryan Garner.
On Saturday night, more than 15 years on from that initial meeting, Garner will headline the first ever show at the city’s St. Mary’s Stadium and Edmondson will box on the undercard, live on DAZN.
“I reckon we first met when he was about 12 or 13 and I was 15,” Edmondson, now 30, tells The Ring. “We were boxing on the same show down at Shirley Social Club. It was one of those places, you know the ones, where you can smell the cigarette smoke. It stunk but it was all part of the journey.
“Southampton is a small place so from then on me and Ryan always saw each other here and there. We know a lot of the same people and we know each other well after all these years.
“To now be boxing at the stadium on the same show together is mad. Really it’s just mad how fast the time goes, it’s like you click your fingers and I go from being a kid at Shirley Social Club to being right there, doing the ringwalk in the stadium.”
St. Mary’s became the home of Southampton FC in 2001 when they moved from their historic old ground, The Dell. It has never hosted boxing but Garner, a die-hard Saints fan, has had his heart set on being the first to take a show there for the last few years.
But Edmondson smiles when he is asked about his level of interest in Southampton FC. “I’d say I’m steady,” he says. “I could blag it and say I’m there every week but then it will all go wrong when you start hitting me with questions about their reserve right back.”
Even so, like the majority of the south coast town’s population, football at St Mary’s has been a reasonably regular part of his life. “I’ve been going since I was about 10 or 11,” he says. “I first went with my brother Gary. Then over the years I’ve been there a bit, like most people in Southampton, but I’m not stood there freezing in my thermals every weekend.”
Instead, boxing has been "The Saint’s" primary focus for pretty much as long as he can remember. However, his professional career has been somewhat stop-start with just 12 fights in nearly seven years since his professional debut.
His clash with Lyndon Arthur will be his first fight in 11 months after injury forced him to pull out of his scheduled encounter with Ezra Taylor in October. It means Edmondson has faced a long wait to get back to winning ways following his majority decision defeat to Daniel Lapin at Wembley in July.
But while many boxers find it hard to come to terms with the first loss of their professional career, Edmondson (11-1, 3 KOs) had no trouble moving on from it. When asked to describe his emotions in the immediate aftermath of the fight, he said: “To be fair, I thought I won the fight and I was in Mykonos with a my missus and a couple of friends.
“I wasn’t really that bothered to be honest. I was too busy listening to Black Coffee on holiday. It’s boxing isn’t it? What can we do? I’m not going to sit there crying about it. We move on.
“Whatever's going to be is going to be. Whatever life throws at you, you've just got to get on with it. You can't sit there dwelling on the past, whinging and throwing your toys out of the pram.
“You've just got to crack on, stay busy and wait for the next opportunity and grab it with both hands.”
The former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion has been made a slight underdog against the more experienced Arthur (25-3, 16 KOs), who is coming into this fight off the back of a credible victory over Brad Rea in November.
Rea, Arthur and Edmondson are just three names in a wildly busy light-heavyweight scene in Britain, and the latter believes Saturday’s clash is a case of “winner-stays-on."
“There are so many names in the division in Britain," Edmondson says. “It’s a situation where if you win a fight you just know that the next one will be a big one.
“We all want these big fights. We all want to face people like Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde, Callum Smith. We want a shot at one of the big boys and Lyndon Arthur is the man standing in my way of one of these big, big fights.”
Boxing at Shirley Social Club was a rite of passage for many of Southampton’s young amateur boxers when Lewis Edmondson first tried his hand at the sport.
And it was backstage at one of those shows where he first encountered a skinny 12-year-old called Ryan Garner.
On Saturday night, more than 15 years on from that initial meeting, Garner will headline the first ever show at the city’s St. Mary’s Stadium and Edmondson will box on the undercard, live on DAZN.
“I reckon we first met when he was about 12 or 13 and I was 15,” Edmondson, now 30, tells The Ring. “We were boxing on the same show down at Shirley Social Club. It was one of those places, you know the ones, where you can smell the cigarette smoke. It stunk but it was all part of the journey.
“Southampton is a small place so from then on me and Ryan always saw each other here and there. We know a lot of the same people and we know each other well after all these years.
“To now be boxing at the stadium on the same show together is mad. Really it’s just mad how fast the time goes, it’s like you click your fingers and I go from being a kid at Shirley Social Club to being right there, doing the ringwalk in the stadium.”
St. Mary’s became the home of Southampton FC in 2001 when they moved from their historic old ground, The Dell. It has never hosted boxing but Garner, a die-hard Saints fan, has had his heart set on being the first to take a show there for the last few years.
But Edmondson smiles when he is asked about his level of interest in Southampton FC. “I’d say I’m steady,” he says. “I could blag it and say I’m there every week but then it will all go wrong when you start hitting me with questions about their reserve right back.”
Even so, like the majority of the south coast town’s population, football at St Mary’s has been a reasonably regular part of his life. “I’ve been going since I was about 10 or 11,” he says. “I first went with my brother Gary. Then over the years I’ve been there a bit, like most people in Southampton, but I’m not stood there freezing in my thermals every weekend.”
Instead, boxing has been "The Saint’s" primary focus for pretty much as long as he can remember. However, his professional career has been somewhat stop-start with just 12 fights in nearly seven years since his professional debut.
His clash with Lyndon Arthur will be his first fight in 11 months after injury forced him to pull out of his scheduled encounter with Ezra Taylor in October. It means Edmondson has faced a long wait to get back to winning ways following his majority decision defeat to Daniel Lapin at Wembley in July.
But while many boxers find it hard to come to terms with the first loss of their professional career, Edmondson (11-1, 3 KOs) had no trouble moving on from it. When asked to describe his emotions in the immediate aftermath of the fight, he said: “To be fair, I thought I won the fight and I was in Mykonos with a my missus and a couple of friends.
“I wasn’t really that bothered to be honest. I was too busy listening to Black Coffee on holiday. It’s boxing isn’t it? What can we do? I’m not going to sit there crying about it. We move on.
“Whatever's going to be is going to be. Whatever life throws at you, you've just got to get on with it. You can't sit there dwelling on the past, whinging and throwing your toys out of the pram.
“You've just got to crack on, stay busy and wait for the next opportunity and grab it with both hands.”
The former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion has been made a slight underdog against the more experienced Arthur (25-3, 16 KOs), who is coming into this fight off the back of a credible victory over Brad Rea in November.
Rea, Arthur and Edmondson are just three names in a wildly busy light-heavyweight scene in Britain, and the latter believes Saturday’s clash is a case of “winner-stays-on."
“There are so many names in the division in Britain," Edmondson says. “It’s a situation where if you win a fight you just know that the next one will be a big one.
“We all want these big fights. We all want to face people like Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde, Callum Smith. We want a shot at one of the big boys and Lyndon Arthur is the man standing in my way of one of these big, big fights.”
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Re: Ryan Garner vs. Michael Magnesi | DAZN - 20 June 2026
Pauls hopes win can push world title aspirations
Brad Pauls hopes a successful defence of his IBF international middleweight belt will put him in line for a world title shot.
The 33-year-old from Cornwall faces Bradley Goldsmith at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium on Saturday as part of the undercard for the Ryan Garner vs Michael Magnesi world title fight.
Former British champion Pauls knocked out unbeaten Shakiel Thompson in his last fight in March to win the vacant IBF international title.
With the IBF's world middleweight belt vacant, Pauls hopes victory this weekend will push him up from his current eighth-placed ranking into the reckoning for a shot at the title.
"I never look past an opponent, but I understand that defending this belt will set me up for bigger fights, potentially a world title," he told BBC Sport.
"But there's nothing if I don't beat Goldsmith on Saturday, I get none of that. There's loads to gain and I like fights where there's loads to gain."
Having handed Thompson his first defeat a few months ago, Pauls now faces a fighter in Goldsmith who is six years younger and has had just one loss in his 16-fight career.
"I think it's a difficult one," Pauls said of his opponent.
"He's a well-rounded fighter, he's a dangerous fighter and when I signed up with Queensbury they said 'no easy fights' and they've got me a hard fight straight away.
"Full respect to him but I'm here to defend my belt on Saturday night."
Known as the 'Newquay Bomb', the fight represents a great chance for Pauls to compete as close to his native Cornwall as possible.
He expects to be cheered on by a large section of support from his home county as he aims to improve on a professional record of 21 wins, two losses and a draw.
"It's a massive chance to defend my belt and progress me on," he said.
"They've got me a real tough fight on Saturday night and we've got a few Cornish coming up, it's going to be noisy and it's going to be a good night.
"As soon as I knew about a Southampton card it made sense to get me on it. You don't get many shows close to the south west and this is probably as close as I'm getting.
"So it just made complete sense and this opportunity came and I had to take it with both hands."
Brad Pauls hopes a successful defence of his IBF international middleweight belt will put him in line for a world title shot.
The 33-year-old from Cornwall faces Bradley Goldsmith at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium on Saturday as part of the undercard for the Ryan Garner vs Michael Magnesi world title fight.
Former British champion Pauls knocked out unbeaten Shakiel Thompson in his last fight in March to win the vacant IBF international title.
With the IBF's world middleweight belt vacant, Pauls hopes victory this weekend will push him up from his current eighth-placed ranking into the reckoning for a shot at the title.
"I never look past an opponent, but I understand that defending this belt will set me up for bigger fights, potentially a world title," he told BBC Sport.
"But there's nothing if I don't beat Goldsmith on Saturday, I get none of that. There's loads to gain and I like fights where there's loads to gain."
Having handed Thompson his first defeat a few months ago, Pauls now faces a fighter in Goldsmith who is six years younger and has had just one loss in his 16-fight career.
"I think it's a difficult one," Pauls said of his opponent.
"He's a well-rounded fighter, he's a dangerous fighter and when I signed up with Queensbury they said 'no easy fights' and they've got me a hard fight straight away.
"Full respect to him but I'm here to defend my belt on Saturday night."
Known as the 'Newquay Bomb', the fight represents a great chance for Pauls to compete as close to his native Cornwall as possible.
He expects to be cheered on by a large section of support from his home county as he aims to improve on a professional record of 21 wins, two losses and a draw.
"It's a massive chance to defend my belt and progress me on," he said.
"They've got me a real tough fight on Saturday night and we've got a few Cornish coming up, it's going to be noisy and it's going to be a good night.
"As soon as I knew about a Southampton card it made sense to get me on it. You don't get many shows close to the south west and this is probably as close as I'm getting.
"So it just made complete sense and this opportunity came and I had to take it with both hands."
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Re: Ryan Garner vs. Michael Magnesi | DAZN - 20 June 2026
Lyndon Arthur enjoys new lease of life
A large mural covers a wall in the main room at the famous old Collyhurst and Moston gym.
An image of the gym’s sadly missed founder, Brian Hughes MBE, is flanked by paintings of its current figurehead, Pat "The Black Flash" Barrett and Collyhurst stalwart Thomas "Storm Boy" McDonagh.
Lyndon Arthur hasn’t yet earned a place on the wall, but the light heavyweight is well on the way to doing so.
As Arthur (25-3, 16 KOs) winds down training for Saturday’s fight with Lewis Edmondson (11-1, 3 KOs), Barrett, who is Arthur’s cousin and trainer, and another of the gym’s former stars, Matthew Hall, recount his journey from the streets of Moston and wonder whether he might be the most accomplished fighter the gym has ever produced.
Barrett proudly describes Arthur, 35, as a veteran of the sport.
“I suppose I am,” Arthur told The Ring.
“I've been professional 10 years in September. So, I don't know, maybe I am a veteran of the pro game. I've had about probably 10 or 12, 12-round fights — or I’ve booked in for that many — I probably could class myself as a veteran, I suppose. I'm near the end.”
Those last words, “near the end” are accompanied by a smile.
“I've got a few years left. As long as I don't get any serious injuries, touch wood. Pause.”
This time last year, Arthur found himself at a crossroads after losing his trilogy bout with Anthony Yarde.
Boxing in front of around 60,000 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Arthur fought well but began to stay longer on the ropes and dropped a close but unanimous decision.
In November, Arthur answered questions about his remaining desire when he got off the floor to beat his Manchester rival, Brad Rea, in a European title fight.
The exciting win breathed new life into his career and put him back into the mix for big fights.
Ten days out from this weekend’s fight with Edmondson, Arthur looks fit, healthy and happy. The hooded anorak that would once be pulled tight as fight week approached is nowhere to be seen, and whilst he is pleased training is coming to an end, Arthur looks like he has plenty left to give.
“I've got a nutritionist,” he laughed. “I never had one and the last few fights I've been in the best shape I've probably been in my whole career.
“Ishmael Davis is one of my best friends and when I was speaking to him in camp and I was watching his routine and seeing the plan that he had, I was thinking, 'That looks kind of professional. Maybe I need to adapt that into my regimen' and I did that, and it's worked.”
Arthur is a career light heavyweight. He doesn’t tend to dwell on previous fights but has wondered about what he might have achieved had he started his program earlier.
“I think I could have done a lot better. I used to kill myself. I tell my nutritionist now what I used to do to make weight. He doesn't understand how I even got to where I've got to.”
If Arthur is enjoying an Indian Summer in the ring, he also changed his approach outside of it. Publicly anyway.
Over the past year, Arthur has become a constant presence on social media and a growing audience watches his skits, practical jokes and “Someone’s Gotta Say It” videos where he lets loose and gives his opinions and advice on whichever topic enters his head.
Those who spent years trying to figure out what mood Arthur was in before approaching him for an interview or working out how to get him to expand on a topic might be surprised by the sudden change, but away from the camera carriers and boxing business he has always been a joker and a wind-up merchant.
“I never really let the personality show. Not that I didn't have a personality — I’ve always had a personality — it just came about,” he said.
“It just kind of stuck, 'Lyndon's laid back,' so I thought because I actually am laid back, unless you actually know me personally, but that's obviously not on social media. I thought I'd delve into it a little bit and see how it goes and it's kind of done alright. It’s given people a different side of me.
“You need a life after boxing. I know for a fact that people used to look at me and I don’t know if they thought I was arrogant or unapproachable or moody or whatever, but now a lot of people know me for the other thing. They will be able to approach me — and they do — and not think that I'm just a guy that fights and boxes. ... I'm glad that's happened.”
Arthur was 17 and sat on the pavement where his brother, Zennen, had been shot when Barrett found him and persuaded him to try the gym.
As an amateur he reached two Elite national finals and represented Great Britain. He battled his way up from the small halls and has boxed in arenas, stadiums and Saudi Arabia. He has fought for world titles, dragged himself back from disappointing losses and is still in the mix for big fights.
Arthur has enjoyed a real career. And it isn’t over yet.
“It’s definitely one that, when all's said and done, I'll look back and think, 'I did that,'” he said.
“It’s one my kids will look back on. They can be proud of something. Also kids from around here, from the estate. My gym is 30 seconds from my mum’s house so I'm a product of my estate. Any kid that wants to do something, whether it's boxing or whatever they want to do, can see that it's reachable and attainable.
“I've had speed bumps. I've been through s—t and I've been through s—t in boxing with the politics of it, the ups and downs, but you've just got to keep grinding out. I've always been good at that.”
A large mural covers a wall in the main room at the famous old Collyhurst and Moston gym.
An image of the gym’s sadly missed founder, Brian Hughes MBE, is flanked by paintings of its current figurehead, Pat "The Black Flash" Barrett and Collyhurst stalwart Thomas "Storm Boy" McDonagh.
Lyndon Arthur hasn’t yet earned a place on the wall, but the light heavyweight is well on the way to doing so.
As Arthur (25-3, 16 KOs) winds down training for Saturday’s fight with Lewis Edmondson (11-1, 3 KOs), Barrett, who is Arthur’s cousin and trainer, and another of the gym’s former stars, Matthew Hall, recount his journey from the streets of Moston and wonder whether he might be the most accomplished fighter the gym has ever produced.
Barrett proudly describes Arthur, 35, as a veteran of the sport.
“I suppose I am,” Arthur told The Ring.
“I've been professional 10 years in September. So, I don't know, maybe I am a veteran of the pro game. I've had about probably 10 or 12, 12-round fights — or I’ve booked in for that many — I probably could class myself as a veteran, I suppose. I'm near the end.”
Those last words, “near the end” are accompanied by a smile.
“I've got a few years left. As long as I don't get any serious injuries, touch wood. Pause.”
This time last year, Arthur found himself at a crossroads after losing his trilogy bout with Anthony Yarde.
Boxing in front of around 60,000 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Arthur fought well but began to stay longer on the ropes and dropped a close but unanimous decision.
In November, Arthur answered questions about his remaining desire when he got off the floor to beat his Manchester rival, Brad Rea, in a European title fight.
The exciting win breathed new life into his career and put him back into the mix for big fights.
Ten days out from this weekend’s fight with Edmondson, Arthur looks fit, healthy and happy. The hooded anorak that would once be pulled tight as fight week approached is nowhere to be seen, and whilst he is pleased training is coming to an end, Arthur looks like he has plenty left to give.
“I've got a nutritionist,” he laughed. “I never had one and the last few fights I've been in the best shape I've probably been in my whole career.
“Ishmael Davis is one of my best friends and when I was speaking to him in camp and I was watching his routine and seeing the plan that he had, I was thinking, 'That looks kind of professional. Maybe I need to adapt that into my regimen' and I did that, and it's worked.”
Arthur is a career light heavyweight. He doesn’t tend to dwell on previous fights but has wondered about what he might have achieved had he started his program earlier.
“I think I could have done a lot better. I used to kill myself. I tell my nutritionist now what I used to do to make weight. He doesn't understand how I even got to where I've got to.”
If Arthur is enjoying an Indian Summer in the ring, he also changed his approach outside of it. Publicly anyway.
Over the past year, Arthur has become a constant presence on social media and a growing audience watches his skits, practical jokes and “Someone’s Gotta Say It” videos where he lets loose and gives his opinions and advice on whichever topic enters his head.
Those who spent years trying to figure out what mood Arthur was in before approaching him for an interview or working out how to get him to expand on a topic might be surprised by the sudden change, but away from the camera carriers and boxing business he has always been a joker and a wind-up merchant.
“I never really let the personality show. Not that I didn't have a personality — I’ve always had a personality — it just came about,” he said.
“It just kind of stuck, 'Lyndon's laid back,' so I thought because I actually am laid back, unless you actually know me personally, but that's obviously not on social media. I thought I'd delve into it a little bit and see how it goes and it's kind of done alright. It’s given people a different side of me.
“You need a life after boxing. I know for a fact that people used to look at me and I don’t know if they thought I was arrogant or unapproachable or moody or whatever, but now a lot of people know me for the other thing. They will be able to approach me — and they do — and not think that I'm just a guy that fights and boxes. ... I'm glad that's happened.”
Arthur was 17 and sat on the pavement where his brother, Zennen, had been shot when Barrett found him and persuaded him to try the gym.
As an amateur he reached two Elite national finals and represented Great Britain. He battled his way up from the small halls and has boxed in arenas, stadiums and Saudi Arabia. He has fought for world titles, dragged himself back from disappointing losses and is still in the mix for big fights.
Arthur has enjoyed a real career. And it isn’t over yet.
“It’s definitely one that, when all's said and done, I'll look back and think, 'I did that,'” he said.
“It’s one my kids will look back on. They can be proud of something. Also kids from around here, from the estate. My gym is 30 seconds from my mum’s house so I'm a product of my estate. Any kid that wants to do something, whether it's boxing or whatever they want to do, can see that it's reachable and attainable.
“I've had speed bumps. I've been through s—t and I've been through s—t in boxing with the politics of it, the ups and downs, but you've just got to keep grinding out. I've always been good at that.”
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Re: Ryan Garner vs. Michael Magnesi | DAZN - 20 June 2026
Brad Pauls Withstood ‘Dog Days,’ Made Himself A Contender
Within 24 hours of his stunning upset victory over Shakiel Thompson in Manchester, Brad Pauls was packing all his worldly possessions into boxes after a surprise eviction notice.
The term “Dog Days” is normally used to describe the period between late July and early August where the summer heat typically makes life uncomfortable. For Pauls, these came unseasonably early, and they had nothing to do with the sun.
“Mate, I had a nightmare,” Pauls told The Ring. “So, two months before the Shakiel fight I got a notice from my landlord. Long story, but they found out I had a pet dog when I wasn’t allowed one. Now there is new legislation to say you’re allowed pets but that is now, not then. So, when this happened, they said, ‘We know you’ve got a dog called Herbie and you’ve got two months to get out, brother.
“It just so happened that meant I had to start packing up literally the Sunday after the fight. I was aching, lifting boxes, but I just thought that’s an after-fight problem, so I didn’t start it until then. But that’s life, mate, you’ve got to deal with it.”
Pauls (21-2-1, 12 KOs) has grown accustomed to rolling with the punches and getting it done. Very few were picking him to beat the previously undefeated Thompson, who looked set to fight for the IBF middleweight title as long as he made it through his clash with Pauls on March 28 unscathed.
But such future planning had rubbed the Cornish puncher up the wrong way and inadvertently added extra fuel to the fire.
“The way some of the people were speaking to me in the buildup struck a nerve with me a little bit,” Pauls said. “They thought I was some cannon fodder who's there to just get a pasting. And this was happening to my face as well.
“I won’t name names, but at the press conference I was speaking to one of the main guys at Queensberry and he’s like, ‘When Shakiel wins, what we’re going to do is …’ like I had never boxed in my life. It really annoyed me, so after the fight I went back to the same guy, put my arm round him and asked him to apologize.”
Pauls’ ninth-round stoppage of Thompson was enough to boost him up to No. 8 with the IBF and No. 4 with the WBO. And while it was not enough to secure him a surprise world title shot, his reward was a quick three-month turnaround for a place on Saturday’s card at St Mary’s Stadium.
While Pauls is known as the Newquay Bomb due to his Cornish hometown, the 33-year-old contender actually has a deep association with Southampton, too. A spot on the event headlined by Ryan Garner and Michael Magnesi, therefore, made sense.
“I went to university in Southampton, so I’m very familiar with the place,” Pauls added. “I boxed for Golden Ring down there for four years, so it’s a bit of a home away from home for me. I’ve still got a few mates there, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
In contrast to his clash with Thompson, Pauls is a 4-1 favorite this time around over Coventry’s Bradley Goldsmith (15-1, 10 KOs). But the favored fighter knows all about the dangers of an underdog because he’s been assuming that role for years.
“That was me not long ago,” Pauls said of his opponent. “It’s very, very similar. I know that feeling of just wanting your big chance. But what I will say is I didn’t get here by accident and it has been so, so difficult to get here. I had to take some big risks along the way, so it’s not something I plan to give up easily.
“For most of my career, and in most of my big fights, I’ve been the underdog and it is a strange position to finally be a favorite. But this guy is trying to take away what’s mine and I won’t let it happen.”
Within 24 hours of his stunning upset victory over Shakiel Thompson in Manchester, Brad Pauls was packing all his worldly possessions into boxes after a surprise eviction notice.
The term “Dog Days” is normally used to describe the period between late July and early August where the summer heat typically makes life uncomfortable. For Pauls, these came unseasonably early, and they had nothing to do with the sun.
“Mate, I had a nightmare,” Pauls told The Ring. “So, two months before the Shakiel fight I got a notice from my landlord. Long story, but they found out I had a pet dog when I wasn’t allowed one. Now there is new legislation to say you’re allowed pets but that is now, not then. So, when this happened, they said, ‘We know you’ve got a dog called Herbie and you’ve got two months to get out, brother.
“It just so happened that meant I had to start packing up literally the Sunday after the fight. I was aching, lifting boxes, but I just thought that’s an after-fight problem, so I didn’t start it until then. But that’s life, mate, you’ve got to deal with it.”
Pauls (21-2-1, 12 KOs) has grown accustomed to rolling with the punches and getting it done. Very few were picking him to beat the previously undefeated Thompson, who looked set to fight for the IBF middleweight title as long as he made it through his clash with Pauls on March 28 unscathed.
But such future planning had rubbed the Cornish puncher up the wrong way and inadvertently added extra fuel to the fire.
“The way some of the people were speaking to me in the buildup struck a nerve with me a little bit,” Pauls said. “They thought I was some cannon fodder who's there to just get a pasting. And this was happening to my face as well.
“I won’t name names, but at the press conference I was speaking to one of the main guys at Queensberry and he’s like, ‘When Shakiel wins, what we’re going to do is …’ like I had never boxed in my life. It really annoyed me, so after the fight I went back to the same guy, put my arm round him and asked him to apologize.”
Pauls’ ninth-round stoppage of Thompson was enough to boost him up to No. 8 with the IBF and No. 4 with the WBO. And while it was not enough to secure him a surprise world title shot, his reward was a quick three-month turnaround for a place on Saturday’s card at St Mary’s Stadium.
While Pauls is known as the Newquay Bomb due to his Cornish hometown, the 33-year-old contender actually has a deep association with Southampton, too. A spot on the event headlined by Ryan Garner and Michael Magnesi, therefore, made sense.
“I went to university in Southampton, so I’m very familiar with the place,” Pauls added. “I boxed for Golden Ring down there for four years, so it’s a bit of a home away from home for me. I’ve still got a few mates there, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
In contrast to his clash with Thompson, Pauls is a 4-1 favorite this time around over Coventry’s Bradley Goldsmith (15-1, 10 KOs). But the favored fighter knows all about the dangers of an underdog because he’s been assuming that role for years.
“That was me not long ago,” Pauls said of his opponent. “It’s very, very similar. I know that feeling of just wanting your big chance. But what I will say is I didn’t get here by accident and it has been so, so difficult to get here. I had to take some big risks along the way, so it’s not something I plan to give up easily.
“For most of my career, and in most of my big fights, I’ve been the underdog and it is a strange position to finally be a favorite. But this guy is trying to take away what’s mine and I won’t let it happen.”
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Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101284
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Ryan Garner vs. Michael Magnesi | DAZN - 20 June 2026
Garner grateful for St Mary's date with destiny
On Saturday night, Southampton boxer Ryan Garner will live out a childhood dream when he walks out at his beloved St Mary's.
Thousands of fans will head to Saints' home stadium in a significant night for the city as the ground hosts its first major boxing show.
Garner, who has previously held the European, British and Commonwealth super-featherweight titles, will take on Italy's Michael Magnesi for the WBC's interim 130lb belt.
"All these years of talking about it and manifesting it - now it's actually happening," the 28-year-old told BBC Sport.
"I just count my lucky stars that I've got this far. I dreamt about fighting here and having the fans behind me.
"To be able to sell enough tickets to be able to actually have an event like this happening, it's very hard to do so I'm forever thankful."
Garner, known as 'The Piranha', is unbeaten across his 19 professional fights with 10 knockout victories.
After beating Archie Sharp in the summer of 2024, Garner's promoter allegedly handed him his first opportunity to headline a major Queensberry bill.
He took the chance with both hands, beating Salvador Jimenez and Reece Bellotti in Bournemouth, across two shows, and picking up three belts along the way.
The winner of Saturday night's contest will become interim WBC champion and likely have a shot at full WBC super-featherweight title holder O'Shaquie Foster.
The American recently defended his belt with a majority decision victory in Texas over rival Raymond Ford.
For years, Garner has expressed his dream to fight at St Mary's in front of his supporters - and now he is getting his chance, he hopes a big performance will catch the attention of the other world champions in his division.
"I say it time and time again, I was destined to fight here," Garner added.
"I've ticked that box off now that it's happening - and now I know I'm destined to win. The way I'm feeling now, how sharp and strong I feel, I know it's going to be a clinical performance come Saturday night.
"I want people like O'Shaquie Foster or any of the other world champions after this, I want the biggest fights possible and to accomplish the most I possibly can."
As well as being a big night for Garner on Saturday, there are a number of other local fighters on the bill fulfilling similar dreams.
British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Lewis 'The Saint' Edmondson fights the experienced Lyndon Arthur for the vacant WBA International belt.
Edmondson is looking to bounce back to winning ways after a first professional loss to Daniel Lapin by majority decision last summer at Wembley Stadium.
Exciting prospect Taylor Bevan is also in action, aiming to extend his unbeaten record of eight wins, all by stoppage, since turning pro in late 2024.
Cornwall's Brad Pauls features on the bill, returning to the ring after a dramatic ninth-round stoppage win over Shakiel Thompson in March.
He returns to the city where he graduated from university and boxed alongside the likes of Edmondson and Garner in his amateur days.
On Saturday night, Southampton boxer Ryan Garner will live out a childhood dream when he walks out at his beloved St Mary's.
Thousands of fans will head to Saints' home stadium in a significant night for the city as the ground hosts its first major boxing show.
Garner, who has previously held the European, British and Commonwealth super-featherweight titles, will take on Italy's Michael Magnesi for the WBC's interim 130lb belt.
"All these years of talking about it and manifesting it - now it's actually happening," the 28-year-old told BBC Sport.
"I just count my lucky stars that I've got this far. I dreamt about fighting here and having the fans behind me.
"To be able to sell enough tickets to be able to actually have an event like this happening, it's very hard to do so I'm forever thankful."
Garner, known as 'The Piranha', is unbeaten across his 19 professional fights with 10 knockout victories.
After beating Archie Sharp in the summer of 2024, Garner's promoter allegedly handed him his first opportunity to headline a major Queensberry bill.
He took the chance with both hands, beating Salvador Jimenez and Reece Bellotti in Bournemouth, across two shows, and picking up three belts along the way.
The winner of Saturday night's contest will become interim WBC champion and likely have a shot at full WBC super-featherweight title holder O'Shaquie Foster.
The American recently defended his belt with a majority decision victory in Texas over rival Raymond Ford.
For years, Garner has expressed his dream to fight at St Mary's in front of his supporters - and now he is getting his chance, he hopes a big performance will catch the attention of the other world champions in his division.
"I say it time and time again, I was destined to fight here," Garner added.
"I've ticked that box off now that it's happening - and now I know I'm destined to win. The way I'm feeling now, how sharp and strong I feel, I know it's going to be a clinical performance come Saturday night.
"I want people like O'Shaquie Foster or any of the other world champions after this, I want the biggest fights possible and to accomplish the most I possibly can."
As well as being a big night for Garner on Saturday, there are a number of other local fighters on the bill fulfilling similar dreams.
British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Lewis 'The Saint' Edmondson fights the experienced Lyndon Arthur for the vacant WBA International belt.
Edmondson is looking to bounce back to winning ways after a first professional loss to Daniel Lapin by majority decision last summer at Wembley Stadium.
Exciting prospect Taylor Bevan is also in action, aiming to extend his unbeaten record of eight wins, all by stoppage, since turning pro in late 2024.
Cornwall's Brad Pauls features on the bill, returning to the ring after a dramatic ninth-round stoppage win over Shakiel Thompson in March.
He returns to the city where he graduated from university and boxed alongside the likes of Edmondson and Garner in his amateur days.
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Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101284
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59