SHAKAN PITTERS-BRADLEY REA EUROPEAN TITLE FIGHT MOVED FROM GALWAY TO HULL, WILL NOW HEADLINE
The European light heavyweight title fight between Shakan Pitters and Brad Rea will now take place at Hull’s Connexin Live Arena on June 28.
The fight had initially been due to take place in Galway, Ireland, on the same date and act as the chief support to a welterweight fight between local favourite, Keiran Molloy, and Kaisee Benjamin.
The vacant EBU 175lb title clash between Pitters (20-2, 7 KOs), former British champion, and Rea (20-1, 10 KOs) will now headline the rescheduled event that will be aired exclusively by DAZN.
“I’m really looking forward to this European light-heavyweight title clash between Shakan Pitters and Brad Rea. These are two very hungry fighters who both know that winning this title is the key to securing big future opportunities and making a name at world level. This will be a hell of contest, with both boxers leaving everything in the ring,” Izzy Asif, GBM Sports CEO, said via statement.
“We were looking forward to making our first visit to Ireland but due to circumstances beyond our control this event will now take place in the UK with a new main event. GBM thanks the thousands of fans who bought tickets for Galway and we look forward to visiting the Emerald Isle in the future. In the meantime, they can return all tickets to their point of sale for a full refund.”
Pitters and Rea will both be relieved that the fight has survived the change of venue and they can now concentrate on bringing a complicated saga to an end.
In February, Pitters was due to challenge then-EBU titleholder Daniel Blenda Dos Santos in Sheffield, England.
Dos Santos was forced out of the fight just days before after a problem with his pre-fight brain scan came to light. The Frenchman was quickly cleared and the contest was rebooked for London in April.
This time, Pitters, 35, withdrew during fight week after being hospitalised with chest issues.
Rea leapt at the opportunity to replace him but was left heartbroken when Dos Santos pulled himself out of the fight just hours before the first bell citing illness.
After seeing their champion withdraw from his second title defence within the space of two months, the EBU stripped Dos Santos of his title and ordered the medically cleared Pitters and Rea to contest the newly vacated belt.
Rea’s has suffered more than his fair share of bad luck and his heart will have skipped a beat when he saw his phone light up with the name of his manager, Steve Wood. This time, however, he received good news.
After announcing himself on the national stage with a pair of stunning first-round knockouts of the previously undefeated Lee Cutler and Craig McCarthy, Rea was unceremoniously sent back to the small halls after losing a hard-fought decision to future EBU middleweight champion Tyler Denny in November 2022.
The 27 year-old from Stretford spent two years rebuilding as a light heavyweight before being handed an unlikely chance to announce himself on the world stage. Earlier this year, he was matched with Swedish prospect Constantino Nanga on the undercard of the undisputed light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Nanga’s late withdrawal cost Rea his spot on the Saudi Arabian showpiece event.
Opportunity came calling again just six weeks later, but Dos Santos’ illness robbed him of another big chance.
Now, he and Pitters will headline a card which also includes a return to action for world-ranked junior welterweight Sean McComb (18-2, 5 KOs), heavyweight Hughie Fury (30-3, 17 KOs) and middleweight hope Shakiel Thompson (14-0, 10 KOs).
