Stephenson-Henry on Collision Course
Michael Stephenson…first defence of light-heavy title
MICHAEL Stephenson will make the first defence of his Midlands light-heavyweight title against Cliff Henry at the Eastside Rooms, Birmingham, on April 12. The 10-rounder takes place on on BCB Promotions’ “Collision Course” show.
It has been almost a year since the belt was contested when Stephenson defeated Andy Owen to claim the vacant title. It has been a quite 12 months for the Northampton man, but after a couple of delays he will get to defend his belt against a very live challenger. The domestic scene at 175 pounds is booming and Stephenson wants to put himself in those conversations with the top names in the country.
His opponent Henry is unbeaten in five and will be fighting the championship distance for the first time after back-to-back six-rounders. At 42, he may have arrived late to the pro game, but he has an extensive amateur boxing background, is in phenomenal condition and has jumped at this opportunity.
The bout will headline a stacked card that features some of the area’s most talented prospects, a debutant, and a returning face from the past.
Unbeaten Liam Gould is set for a busy start to 2024, with this show being his second scheduled after he was added late to the “Rising Star’s” show on February 24. The welterweight from Coseley has been perfect so far: five fights, five wins and not a single round dropped. Expectations are high for Gould, and he has been sparring some of the biggest names in the division, including Wolverhampton’s Conah Walker.
A man who doesn’t believe in working overtime is Troy Jones, who has been using his hard-hitting style to blow away opposition. The super-middleweight from Tamworth is in the hunt for titles and has set his eyes on the English crown. The must-watch boxer is unbeaten in eight and is also scheduled to fight on ‘February 16’s BCB show “February Firepower”.
Poster for the Eastside Rooms big show
Highly touted Ben “Pumpkin” Collins impressed on his debut in December, going the distance with Genadij Krajevskij, winning every round. The Haringey Box Cup winner has his sights set on making a mark in the light-heavyweight division and the Stourbridge man will be hoping to make it two from two.
Classy Conor Baker has put in two mature performances since turning professional in October last year and already looks like a serious prospect. The super-lightweight from Tipton beat tough Stu Greener on his debut and followed up with a shut-out win over veteran M.J. Hall in December.
Showing dedication to his career, Nico Ogbeide has gone full-time and the super lightweight can now focus solely on his boxing thanks to new sponsorship. The Birmingham man had to settle for a draw last time out but is unbeaten in two and will be wanting to return to winning ways.
After nearly six years away from the ring, Jack Summers will return and is looking to make some noise again in the super lightweight division. The West Bromwich-based fighter built up a seven-fight record that saw him box on an Amir Khan undercard. Entering a new phase in his career, he will be hoping to blow off the cobwebs and put himself back in the mix.
Shrewsbury cruiserweight Andrew Cooke makes his debut on the night and has promised a large following. Training under Kieron Grey, the former white collar boxer is looking to make a statement.
Tickets for Collision Course are available now for £40 standard and £80 VIP Ringside from the boxers directly or by emailing info@bcb-promotions.com.