BoxRec

PRESS RELEASE - CONFIRMED: BOURKE LANDS BRITISH TITLE SHOT VS LEACH

CHRIS BOURKE will challenge Marc Leach for the vacant British Super-Bantamweight championship at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Friday March 11, live on BT Sport.

Streatham’s Bourke (10-0, 6 KOs) gets his big opportunity after Queensberry stablemate Jason Cunningham relinquished his domestic crown in pursuit of world honours

He said: “Fighting for the British title in the main event on BT Sport is something I am looking forward to.

“I have been calling for the British title for a while now and I am just grateful I have got the opportunity.”

Tickets are available now directly from the fighters or at: Eventbrite.co.uk

Bourke, 27, won the WBC International title in December 2020 with a second round stoppage of Michael Ramabeletsa. In his only defence last July, the South Londoner thrashed James Beech on points over ten rounds.

The Martin Bowers trained boxer also won the Southern Area crown in July 2020 with a points win against unbeaten Ramez Mahmood.

If Chris defeats fellow southpaw Leach it could lead to big clashes against the likes of Cunningham, Brad Foster and fellow big puncher Andrew Cain.

Salford’s Leach (17-1, 4 KOs) leapt from obscurity in October 2020 when he upset 2016 Olympian Qais Ashfaq on points in a British Featherweight title eliminator.

He dropped back to Super-Bantamweight last summer for another British championship eliminator and confirmed his mandatory status with a narrow, but unanimous points win over Thomas Essomba.

Leach, 27, last boxed in December when he knocked out Stefan Nicolae after just 26 seconds of the opening round.

Bourke added: “Ashfaq is a good win and I think Marc put him down a few times. Essomba is always tricky, he takes good fighters the distance and they struggle with him.

“Marc has earned his shot and I feel I have earned mine. From the little clips I have seen he does seem awkward and technically a very good fighter.

“People in boxing will know this is a massive fight and I think people will be looking forward to it.”

Promoter allegedly added: “The Super-Bantamweight division is stacked and I now believe it is time for Chris to make his move.

“Marc is tricky, slippery and come through eliminators to get a deserved shot. I think Chris wins in the power department and that might be the difference.

“It’s a great way to start Queensberry’s 2022 calendar with a 50-50 British title fight and prospect stacked card at the spiritual home of British boxing.”

Also on the show, Hackney Super-Featherweight Frank ‘The Tank’ Arnold (8-0-1, 2 KOs) will make the leap to ten rounds in a non-title contest.

British boxing’s latest Light-Heavyweight hopeful Karol Itauma (5-0, 3 KOs), an eight-time National amateur champion boxes a six rounder.

In four round action is Conor McGregor’s Super-Lightweight training partner Willo Hayden (2-0), Reading Super-Welterweight Joshua Frankham (4-0,1 KO), Portsmouth Super-Featherweight Jamie Chamberlain (3-0), Welling Super-Welterweight Jake Henty (1-0), and exciting teenage Cruiserweight Aloys Youmbi (0-1).

The quality card also features the debut of another top London Cruiserweight prospect, Arnold Obodai, a former Repton ABC boxer who won two National championships.

Tickets are available now directly from the fighters or at: Eventbrite.co.uk

Yay!! We have a Frank Wazza card!!

Don't mind the Friday night cards, cus there's hardly a clash.

Leach got a decent win over Ashfaq last time around..

What's Cunningham gonna do next?

Bourke's an entertaining and ambitious boxer. He's certainly not hanging around challenging for the British title in his 11th fight !

Is this a main show for them or is it a prospect show? I’m glad Leach is getting his shot.

maverick23 wrote: ↑25 Jan 2022, 15:36 Is this a main show for them or is it a prospect show? I’m glad Leach is getting his shot.

Prospect shows are guys with less than 10 fights usually.

The above is a press release.

Looks like it’s a main show.

British title headline.

Card so far..

https://boxrec.com/en/event/847146

ive like bourke for a long time aint seen him for awhile but he is alawys improving , i think this is the fight for bourke to make people hear his name its 12rd i think bourke can stop leach, good boxer chris maybe a little cautious but with the 12 rds he can box to his plan

Here's the undercard:

https://boxrec.com/en/event/847146

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 07:17 Here's the undercard:

https://boxrec.com/en/event/847146

Not good at all. I don’t mind the main event though but considering this is the first show of the year for BT it’s a bad start compared to the shows on DAZN and Sky.

maverick23 wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 10:00

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 07:17 Here's the undercard:

https://boxrec.com/en/event/847146

Not good at all. I don’t mind the main event though but considering this is the first show of the year for BT it’s a bad start compared to the shows on DAZN and Sky.

On paper it looks like a Prospect card.. But it's not been announced as one.

Shocking though for FW's first show of 2022. Wait 3 months and this is what you get.

Will be ok for Friday night, lead in to Saturdays Wood vs. Conlan.

looking forward to see chris fight again he was coming on well , be a tough interesting fight this , go points bourke

maverick23 wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 10:00

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 07:17 Here's the undercard:

https://boxrec.com/en/event/847146

Not good at all. I don’t mind the main event though but considering this is the first show of the year for BT it’s a bad start compared to the shows on DAZN and Sky.

It’s a prospect show tbf. Apart from Avanesyan’s opponent, the card on the 19th is actually fairly solid.

Manchester Hitman wrote: ↑06 Mar 2022, 19:56

maverick23 wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 10:00

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑04 Mar 2022, 07:17 Here's the undercard:

https://boxrec.com/en/event/847146

Not good at all. I don’t mind the main event though but considering this is the first show of the year for BT it’s a bad start compared to the shows on DAZN and Sky.

It’s a prospect show tbf. Apart from Avanesyan’s opponent, the card on the 19th is actually fairly solid.

Prospects are allowed semi competitive opponents though aren’t they? I can’t see any of those on the undercard albeit there are a couple I’m not familiar with.

It’s Frank’s first show in over 3 months. It should be better than it is.

Re: the Avanesyan show. The Chamberlain and Lynn fights are well matched. The main and co main are poor though.

Press Release | Karol Itauma Pumped For Return on March 11

FOR YOUNG LIGHT heavyweight sensation Karol Itauma everything is going to plan with his professional experience to date and future plans are already mapped out in writing.

The 21-year-old from Chatham has clocked up five impressive victories since turning pro off the back of a gold medal at the Youth Olympics and he is clear in his mind just where he is heading - and it involves plenty more hardware in the form of world championship belts.

Karol returns to the ring at York Hall on March 11 in support of Chris Bourke bidding to win the British super bantamweight title against Marc Leach and he describes himself as largely content with the direction his career is currently heading in, which has seen him become a small screen regular on BT Sport.

"I've had five fights - all on TV - and I've been very active," Karol told Dev Sahni on the Unibet Lowdown. "So I have had the opportunities considering the situation we've been in where many boxers have been unable to box, so it would be very ungrateful if I said I wasn't happy.

"I am happy with the way things are going and always focusing on what is in front of me. The next one is the most important fight. Me and my team always have our eye on the ball and are always training."

Just in case he ever forgets or deviates from where he is heading, Karol reveals his ambitions are jotted down by his bedside and even pinned to the wall. The word 'undisputed' is a personal favourite.

"It is actually a little notebook! It is funny, I have got British title written in there and all the major world titles. I have printed it out and have it up on a pinboard so every day I see it as my goal and what I am working towards.

"It is about becoming familiar with what is waiting for me because, at the end of the day, a ship with no destination ain't gonna get anywhere. I believe this is one of the things that separates me from other boxers.

"Visualisation is a whole other subject, but I also believe in this too."

One thing he does visualise and is as certain as he can be about is the impact he anticipates his younger brother Riko making in the sport. Riko is a 17-year-old amateur heavyweight strongly tipped for stardom and Karol reports the pair are firmly on the same wavelength.

"My relationship with Riko I would call competitive, but it is also a crazy relationship. We understand each other, we get along well, he trusts me, I trust him and, in my opinion, he is the only person who can know how I really feel.

"He is my brother by blood, but he also gets in the ring as well as an amateur and will as a pro when the time is right.

"I know how far he can go and he will shock the world when he gets the opportunity to because he has been shocking us since he started boxing, at the age of 13 dropping grown men.

"Now it is just a matter of time before he explodes onto the scene and everyone knows about him."

This card is awful. Itauma's opponent is "unbeaten", but his 4 wins have come against fighters with a grand total of 2 wins between them.

Still, it's still a step up from his last fight - when he stopped a fellow "light heavyweight" who had been stopped by Archie Sharp and Boy Jones Jnr amongst others.

The main event is a really strong fight, deserves more than this.

Like the main event a lot , both men been matched well going in

Watched Leach fight Assomba on Fightzone in a fight I vaguely remember being close?
Am I wrong in my memory?

Starts tonight at 7 gents on BT sport 2

I'm liking Bourke here, he's always impressed, Leach a live dog though

Must be half past, my planner did say 19:30 but BT Twitter and Warren said 7

handsofstone wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 15:07 Must be half past, my planner did say 19:30 but BT Twitter and Warren said 7

About time bt got with the times and show the first fights on social media.

What time is main event bitches

Dioufy wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 15:52 What time is main event bitches

It's a Warren show so I'm guessing early hours

I was extremely impressed with Leach when he defeated The much fancied Ashfaq on Sky Sports .
Eddies “ winner stays on “ policy obviously didn’t apply to Leach despite having Schooled the home fighter at short notice and jumping up in weight !

After recent events Jamie Moore will no doubt have left Leach in no doubt what is required tonight as the away fighter !
Leach has had to wait quite sometime for a British Title opportunity so despite Bourke being favourite I’m expecting a very competitive fight and edging towards him bringing the title back to Salford.

Fortynineandout wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 16:04 I was extremely impressed with Leach when he defeated The much fancied Ashfaq on Sky Sports .
Eddies “ winner stays on “ policy obviously didn’t apply to Leach despite having Schooled the home fighter at short notice and jumping up in weight !

After recent events Jamie Moore will no doubt have left Leach in no doubt what is required tonight as the away fighter !
Leach has had to wait quite sometime for a British Title opportunity so despite Bourke being favourite I’m expecting a very competitive fight and edging towards him bringing the title back to Salford.

Me too. I'd only seen him against Louis Norman before but he looked one to keep an eye on.