THE next instalment of Frank Warren’s Magnificent Seven series of shows will take place on March 16 at the Resort’s World Arena in Birmingham.
On September 18, 2010, the likes of Kell Brook, James DeGale and Derek Chisora all fought on the original version of the Magnificent Seven event. A sequel then followed at the Manchester Arena in November, with the underdog story of Nathan Heaney receiving a happy ending when he overcame Denzel Bentley in the night’s main event to become British middleweight champion. Other fights between Nick Ball and Isaac Dogboe, Harry Scarff and Ekow Essuman, and Nathaniel Collins and Zak Miller all added to an entertaining night.
Now, just like the three Western movies from 1960 to 1972, boxing’s equivalent will complete its own trilogy with the third show titled “Magnificent Seven Ride Again”.
Saddling up once more will be Stoke’s Heaney, 18-0 (6), who will make the maiden defence of his Lonsdale belt against Newquay battler Brad Pauls, 18-1 (10), who lost to current European middleweight champion Tyler Denny in February last year.
Heavyweight Joe Joyce, 15-2 (14), will also begin his career rebuild against Birmingham-born Kash Ali, 21-2 (12), who was hugely disappointing last time out in defeat to Ukrainian Bohdan Myronets over six rounds. Joyce, meanwhile, was on the receiving of two heavy losses dished out by Zhilei Zhang in 2023 and will be expected to end matters quickly against an overmatched Ali.
The night’s other heavyweight action is expected to feature English heavyweight champion Solomon Dacres, 8-0 (2), against David Adeleye, 12-1 (11). However, that bout is yet to be confirmed as Adeleye is currently serving a suspension handed out by the British Boxing Board of Control for placing his hands on referee John Latham moments after his seventh-round stoppage loss to by Fabio Wardley in their British title clash last October. Dacres will look to prove to Warren he was a worthy acquisition having failed to impress on his debut for Queensberry on November’s Magnificent Seven show against Michael Webster.
European super-bantamweight champion Liam Davies, 15-0 (7), takes on Lee McGregor’s conqueror Erik Robles Ayala, 15-1 (9), in a fan-friendly looking affair. The all-action Mexican proved too hot for the Scot to handle last summer in Edinburgh, while the improving Davies has one eye on the world scene and will need to demonstrate his credentials against Ayala if he is to move on to bigger fights.
Two more of the UK’s best super-bantamweights will square off when Dennis McCann, 14-0-1 (8), takes on Brad Strand, 11-0 (3). The fight has a Merseyside theme running through it with McCann now trained in Liverpool by Joe McNally. Strand, a born and bred Scouser, is trained at the renowned Everton Red Triangle by Paul Stevenson.
Derby’s Zach Parker, 23-1 (17), who was linked to a fight against Demetrius Andrade in the second half of 2022, faces German Tyron Zeuge, 27-1-1 (15). Both have suffered just one defeat in their careers; Parker was forced to retire with a broken hand after four rounds against John Ryder in November 2022, while Zeuge was wiped out by Rocky Fielding in July 2018.
And finally Eithan James, 12-0 (0), and Owen Cooper, 9-0 (3), will put their unbeaten records on the line when they compete for the vacant English welterweight title.
