Amateur star Farrell makes his pro debut

Shake on it…Scott Murray with Niall Farrell

WHAT a coup for new fight promoter Scott Murray!

The prominent Midlands fight figure kicks-off his exclusive Excelsior Sporting Club with the mouth-watering debut of one of Birmingham’s great amateurs, Niall Farrell.

He’ll make his bow at the Excelsior’s inaugural show, at Scott’s Premier Suite, in Cannock, on March 30.

It is the first of many top dinner shows and former world light-middle champ Sam Eggington is also scheduled to fight on the card.

Scott plans to take the club to London.

On social media, Farrell informed his army of followers: “The moment I’ve been waiting for my whole life has come. - my professional debut, March 30. We start our journey!

“Time to take my experience and turn into a seasoned professional.

“Very fortunate to be boxing on a special kind of boxing show at the_Excelsior Sporting Club.

Going to be great night of boxing and the start of something special.”

 The 25-year-old, an ever-present in the Team GB squad since the age of 18, will fight at lightweight. That’s no surprise: Niall’s struggle to make the nine stone featherweight limit that brought him amateur glory had become something of an open secret.

The decision to join the professional ranks was also expected. It was simply a question of when and with whom.

After Niall suffered disappointing – and contested – stoppage defeat at the hands of Northern Ireland’s Jude Gallagher in the Commonwealth Games, his amateur days appeared numbered.

What the paid game gets is a boxer who has faced the very best in the world. A product of Kingstanding’s 2nd City gym, run by dad Paddy, he signs off with a record of 126 bouts and just 25 losses.

Niall said: “It’s full steam ahead. I’m healthier than ever, I’m stronger than ever. I can’t wait to put on those eight ounce gloves and put someone to sleep.

“It was the right time (to turn pro), the best time for me. I’m 25, I’ve been around the world, I’ve boxed the best in the world. From the age of 18, I’ve lived the dream, I’ve had some of the best years of my life.

“But I sat down with my dad and we agreed it was the right time. I’m ready for the next chapter. I did well as an amateur with the style you have to have – you can’t have a pro style and I believe a pro style will suit me so much more. I’m a box fighter.

“I want to do things the traditional way, start from the bottom and work my way up, first an area title, then English, then British…I want all the titles, I want to be a seasoned pro.

“I’ll box anyone, I always have done, always will. I’m really looking forward to the pro journey, but we’ll take it at our own pace, time’s on my side.

“It sounds mad. We’re in no rush, but I want everything now.”

Whatever titles the future brings, Niall is destined to be a phenomenal ticket-seller. As an amateur, he had a large, loyal fanbase.

“I’m very lucky,” he added. “I have a very good support system and I feel it will build.”