Stepping into the ring on Saturday, October 21, Liverpool’s amateur boxing sensation Peter McGrail, who’s already claimed a 7-0 (5 KOs) record as a Super-Bantamweight prospect, will be aiming to win his first professional title. The spotlight will be on him as he faces unbeaten Colombian Fran Mendoza for the vacant WBA Continental Title. This thrilling fight will be part of the undercard for Jack Catterall’s Super-Lightweight bout against multi-weight World Champion Jorge Linares at the M&S Bank Arena, an event to be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.
From the esteemed Everton Red Triangle Gym on Albion Street, McGrail is a product of coach Paul Stevenson’s boxing school. Fans witnessed McGrail’s hotly anticipated professional debut in October 2021 at Matchroom’s sold-out Smith vs. Fowler event at the M&S Bank Arena, where he comfortably outpointed Ed Harrison over six rounds, marking a winning start in the professional ranks.
He was back in the arena just two months later, fighting on the undercard of Benn vs. Chris and Katie Taylor vs. Sharipova double-header. That night, McGrail earned his first stoppage win without a vest, halting Nicaragua’s Engel Gomez in only two rounds.
The 27-year-old made his presence known as a Matchroom fighter in March on the undercard of Diego Pacheco’s four-round destruction of Jack Cullen, outboxing Argentina’s Nicolas Nahuel Botelli over ten rounds. His skill and precision were unmistakable.
Facing him, Mendoza, a resident of Spain, has triumphed in all seventeen of his professional bouts since turning pro in July 2018, with seven wins coming by way of stoppage. At age 26, Mendoza will be the first undefeated opponent McGrail has had to square off against in his burgeoning professional career.
But that’s not all that awaits boxing enthusiasts. Stoke’s undefeated Super-Bantamweight Shabaz Masoud (11-0, 4 KOs) is set to step into the ring for the first time under Matchroom after penning a multi-fight deal with Eddie Hearn in June. His WBA Intercontinental title will be up for grabs against Colombia’s Jose Sanmartin (34-7-1, 21 KOs).
Oldham’s unbeaten Super-Featherweight contender Aqib Fiaz (12-0, 1 KO) is poised to electrify the audience in a match-up against Watford’s Reece Bellotti (16-5, 13 KOs) for the vacant Commonwealth Title. The bout also serves as a British Title Final Eliminator.
Other promising talents will be on display, such as Chester’s Paddy Lacey (8-0, 1 KO), who will take on Heysham’s Owen Kirk (3-1-2), Hyde Super-Lightweight Campbell Hatton (13-0, 5 KOs), who is scheduled for his fifth fight this year after outpointing Tom Ansell on the undercard of Joshua vs. Helenius, and Bolton’s Khaleel Majid (11-0, 3 KOs), who’s aiming to build on his points win in Birmingham over the weekend.
Tickets for this packed card featuring Catterall vs. Linares are ready for fans and priced at £40, £60, £100, £150, and £250 (VIP). I