Long wait for home date is finally over for Solomon Dacres

IT’S been close to seven years since Solomon Dacres fought on his own patch.

And that was in the Midlands ABA finals.

Now the former decorated amateur gets the chance to show his stuff in front of home fans. Sol, trained by Max McCracken, managed by Adam Morallee, features on Matchroom’s major TV show at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on August 19.

In the opposite corner will be South African Chris Thompson, something of an unknown commodity and winner of 12 of 17 (one draw).

“I don’t know that much about him,” Warley’s English heavyweight champ confessed. “He’s a southpaw – that’s something different, that’s an adjustment that’s got to be made. We’ll have to see what he brings to the table. He’ll want to impress on his first Matchroom show.

“I don’t think I’ve boxed in Birmingham since 2016 and there’s a lot of interest in tickets. They’re really going well.”

Sol, a product of Warley ABC, was a formidable amateur both on home soil and abroad. He was novice champ in 2015, Elite champ in 2017, Three Nations champ in the same year. He was a Team GB ever-present, representing his country around 20 times and competing in the World Series of Boxing.

Back then he was forever compared with Burton’s Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke. That rivalry has continued to simmer in the pro ranks and may one day boil into a domestic super-fight.

“It’s a natural rivalry,” 29-year-old Sol, unbeaten in six as a pro, admitted. “When you have two boxers who were together with GB, it’s bound to happen.

“It’d be a dream fight, mega, but it would have to be for the British title at least.”

Sol already holds the English, having overpowered Robert Ismay in just two rounds for the vacant belt five months ago.

“He’d moved up through the weights and only had a few as a heavy,” said Sol. “He was undefeated, so I thought he’d be a bit ambitious. I was surprised I got him so early, but I knew that after three or four rounds he wouldn’t be able to keep the pace, anyway.

“I know everyone who turns pro says they have a style more suited to the pros, but, for me, three rounds wasn’t long enough. As a pro, you have the time, you can take your time. You don’t have to throw the kitchen sink at them in the first round.

“It’s a tough game. These guys are tough. They are technically not on the same level as those I was beating internationally for GB, but when it comes to knowing how to get through the rounds, it’s a different factor. Sokolowski (Kamil Sokolowski) was tough, I had him in my third fight.

“I’ve got the English, now I want to travel the traditional title route. I was disappointed I didn’t get the British title spot when Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley were matched and Frazier turned it down.

“A world title is a realistic goal. I’ve been in the ring with world champions, I’ve sparred Joshua, Joyce, Dillian Whyte, Joseph Parker…

“Max (McCracken) is very experienced in the game. He’s telling me things, showing me things all the time.”

Solomon Dacres burns with ambition. He is focused on only one thing and one thing alone – ring glory.

“Boxing has a very limited time frame,” he told me. “I plan to make the most of that time.”