BoxRec

Press Release

BRAD FOSTER WILL challenge for the vacant WBC International Super Bantamweight title against the dangerous Ionut Baluta at York Hall on Friday, 20 May live on BT Sport.

Former British, Commonwealth and IBF International bantamweight champion Foster from Lichfield makes his return to the ring following his disputed defeat to Jason Cunningham in Birmingham back in October and he takes on the highly rated Spaniard, the former WBO European champion.

Bidding to get back on the title track, Foster, 14-1-2 (5 KOs), who became one of the youngest outright British champions when he defeated James Beech jr in July 2020, having previously overcome Josh Wale, Ashley Lane and Lucien Reid, with his IBF International success coming against Alvaro Rodriguez in March 2021.

Baluta, 14-3 (3 KOs), impressively defeated Irish stars, former world champion TJ Doheny and Olympian David Oliver Joyce, before dropping a narrow majority decision to Michael Conlan last time out in April 2021.

Also in championship action on the night will be Liverpool super bantamweight Andrew Cain, making a first defence of his WBC International Silver title against durable Mexican Luis Moreno.

Cain, 9-0 (8 KOs), won his belt with an explosive first round stoppage of Pablo Ariel Gomez in Telford in mid-April and is quickly back in business after the fight was stopped with the official time of just 19 seconds.

Moreno, 10-2 (6 KOs), has previously fought on these shores, with the Monterrey man suffering a points loss to Dennis McCann in March last year. Having reversed that loss last time out, 'Gallito' (which translates as 'Cocky') will be hoping for a better result in his second bout outside of his native country.

Liverpool middleweight James Heneghan (6-0) is back in London, with the 23-year-old having his third fight at York Hall.

Two first cousins feature on the card on another special night for the Frankham fighting family. Super featherweight Charles (5-0, 2 KOs) and welterweight Josh (5-0, 2 KOs) will continue their progression in the professional ranks.

Future super bantamweight star Adan Mohamed (4-0, 1 KO) from Buckhurst Hill will have his fifth professional assignment on the card, alongside Bexley welterweight Micky Burke jr (5-0, 2 KOs) and Beckton lightweight Mohammad Bilal Ali (4-1, 1 KO).

Recent allegedly signing Raven Chapman (2-0, 1 KO) will have her first fight under the Queensberry promotional banner when she takes on the unbeaten Italian Nadia Flalhi (3-0, 1 KO) over six rounds at featherweight.

Sean Noakes will make his professional debut at the famous East London venue with the Maidstone man - older brother of lightweight Sam - fighting at welterweight over four rounds.

"I am very much looking forward to seeing Brad Foster getting himself back in the mix, although he won't have an easy night's work against Ionut Baluta, who has proved his credentials on several occasions against fancied opposition," said promoter allegedly.

"Brad has never looked for an easy touch and his rise to becoming outright British champion at such a young age was remarkable. He was unlucky against Jason Cunningham and it could have gone either way, but a setback in a close fight is never going to damage your future prospects.

"There are so many exciting fights to be made at super bantam and Brad will want to be right in the thick of it.

"Andrew Cain is a formidable prospect for anyone at super bantam or bantam and I cannot wait to see more of him after his last opponent didn't get to 20 seconds! I suspect he will have an eye on Brad's title fight and will be keen on a piece of the action there too.

"Charles and Josh Frankham are both making excellent progress and I am delighted to have the first cousins fighting on the same card.

"Young Micky Burke will be looking to be back with a bang after some time out of the ring, as will Mohammad Bilal Ali, who has a point to prove after a disappointing performance during the lockdown period.

"We also have two newcomers to our ranks who I would like to welcome in Raven Chapman and Sean Noakes."

A BT card outta nowhere!!

decent main event, baluta always brings it

Really short notice card.

Just about 2 weeks to go.

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑05 May 2022, 04:38 decent main event, baluta always brings it

Baluta is a good opponent I agree.

Foster should take this, but it may not come easy.

Will this card [including the main event] actually happen ? 50/50

Black Sam Bellamy wrote: ↑05 May 2022, 10:57 Will this card [including the main event] actually happen ? 50/50

Maybe because it was announced so short notice. It might actually go ahead.

There is also a show June 11th scheduled at Telford Exhibtion Centre again.

Liam Davies vs Marc Leech for the British titles. havent heard of any other fights on the card yet

jam100 wrote: ↑05 May 2022, 14:00 There is also a show June 11th scheduled at Telford Exhibtion Centre again.

Liam Davies vs Marc Leech for the British titles. havent heard of any other fights on the card yet

Frank does love a bit of Telford.

Press Release

BRAD FOSTER IS back in the title mix at York Hall on May 20 but his points defeat to Jason Cunningham last time out remains a scar that has yet to fully heal.

The 24-year-old, 14-1-2 (5 KOs) takes on the dangerous Romanian Ionut Baluta, 14-3 (3 KOs) with the vacant WBC International super bantamweight title at stake in Bethnal Green.

Foster is bidding to reboot his title collecting trait after being parted from his British, Commonwealth and IBF International straps in his challenge for the European title held by Jason Cunningham in October of last year in Birmingham.

After a hard-fought, often scrappy affair, commentators and pundits alike called Foster as the winner, only for all three judges to give the verdict to Cunningham, two of them by a single point margin.

Cunningham now has his sights fixed firmly on world level competition, while Foster will go again against an opponent who scored victories over Kyle Williams, TJ Doheny and David Oliver Joyce before dropping a tight majority decision against Michael Conlan.

Foster's reflections on his ultimately unsuccessful European title challenge make it clear that the Cunningham itch is one he needs to scratch before too long.

"It is a hard one because I believe I won the fight, but it is in the past now and I can't really do anything about it," he reasoned. "The only thing that I can do is get the rematch and smash him, simple as that. Or get myself in the position where I am in the No.1 spot, which is what I am going to do.

"Most people thought I won the fight. I know I won the fight. Then you have got people like Carl Frampton and John Fury, knowledgeable boxing people, saying I had it. They ain't gonna lie.

"Listen, I can't cry over spilt milk, I've got to get myself into a better position and keep moving forward."

Sampling the sour taste of defeat for the first time, Foster confirms, is an even more galling experience when utterly convinced the decision would be going in his favour.

"It is an awful feeling, but you can't feel like it forever and you've got to pick yourself up and go again. That is what champions do.

"It pisses me off more now, to be honest. I would have been in a different position with bigger opportunities. It is one of them though.

"Time being on my side shouldn't make any difference. I would have been 24 with four belts. It was a step back for me that creates a bigger comeback," added Foster with an upbeat nod to the future.

Foster knows too that he needs to box smarter. Against Cunningham, referee Mark Lyson was continually on his case and potentially this could have affected the way rounds were totted up by the judges. He also had a point deducted for a supposed low blow.

The Lichfield man suspects it was more about Cunningham using his cunning built up in a professional career of over 10 years.

"Everyone goes on about this 'experience'," Foster countered. "Is being experienced moaning to the referee about every shot? I think that is just experience of winging it.

"It wasn't a low blow either when the point was taken off.

"There were a lot of things to it, Jason knows when to do things behind the referee and maneuvers. That is the way his experience plays out.

"I'd fight him again! He has got the win against me so I want to fight him and he is the person with the title at the minute. We will see what comes up because I am not really focusing on Jason too much because I have got a geezer who is a better fighter and more dangerous than Jason in front of me on the 20th."

This could be pretty tricky for Brad if he isn't firing on all cylinders, pretty decent match up

Fight Week!

There is no hype for this.. Don't see any build up.

BT don't care outside the big names, worse than DAZN when they want to be..

Press Release | Brad Foster Expects Tough Test, Ready For Danger of Ionut Baluta

BRAD FOSTER RECKONS he could be up against the best super bantamweight in Europe on Friday when he takes on Ionut Baluta, with the WBC International title at stake.

Foster returns to York Hall - scene of his memorable double-header against Lucien Reid - bidding to get back on the winning track after being parted from his British, Commonwealth and IBF International belts in his challenge for the European title held by Jason Cunningham in October of last year.

Despite firmly believing he should now be the proud owner of four belts, Foster was denied on the cards and now gets ready to jump straight back in at the deep end against the Madrid-based Romanian, who is a genuine force with previous in upsetting the home favourite.

"He is a very good fighter, probably the best in Europe, to be honest," assessed Foster, who insists he gave no thought to returning to the fighting fold with an eight-round workout.

"Nah, because that is easy, isn't it? It is easy to do an eight-rounder and just beat someone up, I'd rather have a fight that actually means something and take a bit of a risk.

"That is how you get recognised in this game, taking risks."

Incredibly, for one so young at just 24, Foster is entering into his ninth straight title fight, with five of them being over the full 12-round distance. He now goes in over 10 against Baluta and promises a proper battle in Bethnal Green.

"I thank allegedly for getting me back in a title fight and me versus Baluta is a good fight. He is an all-action fighter and so am I, so it is good and I am looking forward to it, getting back in the lion's den at York Hall.

"Hopefully it is a Lucien Reid II type performance, taking over London again with the boys from Birmingham, you know how it goes.

"You are going to see an exciting performance. I can't tell too much but I am going to go in there and win. He will be coming to bring it and has had a long time to train. So listen, it is just going to be a good fight.

"Of course there are a lot of things I can improve on and you never stop learning in this game. Obviously, from the last fight, towards the end of the rounds I need to come on a bit stronger. There are a couple of things I have been working on, don't worry.

"I know I didn't get the decision against Jason but you can always learn something from certain fights. Maybe because I lost it I look back on the fight more. I look back and still think I won it, but you can still learn and improve from it and that is what I've been doing."

Foster, of course, operates in what is a thriving division on the domestic front, with Cunningham and himself being hunted down by the likes of Marc Leach, Liam Davies, Andrew Cain and Chris Bourke.

The Lichfield man is happy to entertain some in-house warfare, but only if it doesn't divert from his objective of climbing up the world rankings.

"Yeah everyone seems to be moving up to super bantam! It is a good division and if these fights benefit me and mean a good step in my career I am open to it. I just want good fights.

"They would be action-packed fights and I see myself at the top of that pile. I want to push on and they ain't in my way, they need to fight me to get where I am. I am looking at people like Baluta, who is a step in the direction of world titles and getting those ranking points.

"That is why I wanted to fight him because it will progress me. Fighting the others at the minute doesn't progress me. Yes they are good fights, but they don't push me towards world titles.

"Baluta has had good fights with good people like Michael Conlan and I know he is a good fighter. I know I can go in there and beat him good, which is what I will be doing."

Baluta was 1lb over at the initial weigh in. He’s definitely a handful - awkward and good chin - but hoping Foster can get it done on points.

Seems likely.
Raven Chapman first...

That was about as impressive a debut as a women's 4 rounder can be.
Oppo not up to much obviously but nice to see a woman with finishing instinct.

Naeem Ali is becoming something of a legendary journeyman.
86 losses but only 3 by KO

skanksta wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 14:35 Naeem Ali is becoming something of a legendary journeyman.
86 losses but only 3 by KO

Fair play for being durable but I hate these records, either try to win, fight at your level or pack it in

handsofstone wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 14:47

skanksta wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 14:35 Naeem Ali is becoming something of a legendary journeyman.
86 losses but only 3 by KO

Fair play for being durable but I hate these records, either try to win, fight at your level or pack it in

I know what you mean, but as Frankham just said - and you surely know - without "guys like him, there'd be no prospects"

skanksta wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 14:49

handsofstone wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 14:47

skanksta wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 14:35 Naeem Ali is becoming something of a legendary journeyman.
86 losses but only 3 by KO

Fair play for being durable but I hate these records, either try to win, fight at your level or pack it in

I know what you mean, but as Frankham just said - and you surely know - without "guys like him, there'd be no prospects"

There would be less prospects because the boxers would be forced to fight someone else trying to win. May be a good thing.

This was Frankham’s 6th fight I think and on a TV show. I’m not saying he needs to be in a 50/50 but Ali not only didn’t try to win, he barely threw a meaningful punch. It’s hard to call a fight like that one ‘sport’.

I really dislike these kind of fights.

I don't love them either obvs.
Maybe they would be forced to step up a bit quicker.

Nothing wrong with that Asian lad's diet then..

Good fight he had a decent go there.

This sh1t undercard has been pretty good.

skanksta wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 15:28 This sh1t undercard has been pretty good.

The last fight was good. Just the kind of opponent a 5-0 prospect should be in with.

The first 2 fights were poor.