RYAN GARNER will defend his European super-featherweight title against British and Commonwealth champion Reece Bellotti on July 26.
The high stakes 130lbs clash at the Bournemouth International Centre pits two operators in career-best form and the winner will take another step closer to a first world title shot.
Garner vs. Bellotti also marks another Queensberry vs. Matchroom showdown, with Garner’s promoter, Frank Warren, currently leading in their friendly rivalry against Eddie Hearn.
‘The Piranha’ Garner, 17-0 (8 KOs), is currently ranked number seven with the WBC where world champion O’Shaquie Foster sits at the top. ‘Bomber’ Bellotti, 20-5 (15 KOs), may not have a world ranking but the 34-year-old Watford native is unbeaten since moving up from featherweight in April 2022. Beating Dean Dodge at York Hall for the Southern Area title kicked off a winning streak now up to six victories including victories over Aqib Fiaz and Liam Dillon, securing the Commonwealth title and the coveted Lonsdale Belt.
Garner, long touted by Warren as a star for the future, has finally found his feet after an inactive career affected by problems outside of the ring. The 27-year-old has overcome past challenges, however, and in his last three outings has racked up three impressive victories against Dillon, Archie Sharp and Salvador Jimenez. That triumph at the Bournemouth International Centre, his first main-event slot, earned him the European title with a comfortable points victory.
Commenting on the matchup in a Queensberry press release, Frank Warren said: “This is the fight to make in the super-featherweight division. A real cracker that will deliver the goods in a big way.
“For Ryan, this is the sort of fight he needs to bring him up to, ultimately, world title contention, which is where we see his journey heading. We know Reece is a quality fighter with a strong following himself and, most importantly, both men bring entertainment value for the fans.”
